The job search is a lot like dating. As a job seeker, you research, improve, and put yourself out there through your resume so that the company of your dreams will find you. After a meeting or two, you either part ways or join in a mutually beneficial relationship called gainful employment.
Just like dating, the company you’re wooing wants to feel special and wanted, not just for the money or perks, but for the overall experience.
In both situations, the best way to do this is to learn about them and approach them in a tailored way. In your job search, this all begins with your resume.
Customizing your resume for an employer is a lot simpler than it seems. Below, I have included three different ways to create a custom resume as efficiently as possible:
Create a Master
Unless you’re a glutton for punishment, you probably don’t want to re-write a new resume each time you find an open position. Emily Chapman of HackCollege has the answer: Create a master resume. It’s so simple, yet genius.
If you want to create your own master resume, simply open your favorite word processor and write out any and everything that would find itself on your resume. Every single job you’ve held, your complete educational history, skill. . .You name it.
Then, when a new opportunity comes around, you can simply copy and paste the relevant information into a new document, thus creating a tailored resume.
Template It
I advise you to tread lightly in this territory – while templates are incredibly handy, sometimes they can muck things up far more than they can help. However, having a template on hand (just like with a master, above), can make things a lot easier when you are tailoring a resume.
Just like a shirt you hem, there are certain elements on your resume that are always going to stay the same (your name, contact information, basic layout of work experience, education and skills). Include these in your template to spare wasting time. As a warning, be sure to keep any formatting in your resume simple. No employer wants to decipher a jumbled resume.
Mirror the Ad
A job ad is really an employer’s gift to you. After all, in this ad, your potential boss is telling you exactly what it takes to get this job. As the employer looks through your resume, they are more or less using that ad as a checklist to evaluate your qualifications.
Make this easier for the both of you by mirroring the ad in your resume. Does the ad start off with skills? Then your resume should start with skills. Does it finish off with education requirements? Then your resume should end with education history. This might not be very noticeable, but anything that makes your resume easier to read makes it easier to get hired.
What do you think? What other tips should a job seeker keep in mind when tailoring their resume? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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