Get More Interviews With These 5 Quick Resume Tweaks [Video Webinar]

You’ve probably heard that customizing your resume for a job before you apply will increase your chances of getting the interview. 

But how much of your resume do you need to change, and how can you tell what employers are looking for?

If you’re ready to become a pro at tailoring your resume for specific jobs, watch this Premium webinar and free resume writing class, “Get More Interviews With These 5 Quick Resume Tweaks.”

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Here are the key takeaways and resume writing tips from our webinar host, a Certified Master Resume Writer:

Why Tailoring Your Resume Is Essential

• Make a Quick but Lasting Impression: Employers spend just six to ten seconds on an initial scan of your resume. Tailoring your resume to the job description helps draw a direct line between your skills and what the employer needs.
• Get Past the ATS Barrier: Over 98% of Fortune 500 companies and 75% of recruiters use some form of ATS to filter applicants. Without the right keywords, your resume is unlikely to make it past these automated systems.

How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job

Step 1: Compare Your Resume to the Job Posting

• Highlight keywords in the job description, or use tools like iHire’s Job X-Ray™ to save time identifying your matching and missing skills.
• Be intentional about which experience and skills you include, focusing on “required“ over “preferred” qualifications and resisting the temptation to keyword-stuff your resume.

Step 2: Update Your Resume’s Title/Career Target

• Simply update the job title at the top of your resume to match the one in the job posting.
• By customizing the title, you’ll show your attention to detail and reinforce your interest in the job.

Step 3: Tweak Your Summary Section

• If you have an objective statement on your resume, replace it with a summary paragraph.
• Incorporate keywords from the job description into your summary while maintaining clarity and concision (aim for three to five sentences).

Step 4: Adjust Your Key Skills Section

• Like the summary, the key skills section should also have relevant keywords. Make adjustments as needed to match the language in the job posting as closely as possible.
• Avoid being too repetitive between your summary and skills section, and don’t simply insert skills from the job ad that you don’t possess or can’t substantiate in an interview.

Step 5: Optimize Your Career History & Achievements

• Tailor the rest of your resume to support the summary and key skills section. For example, if “Project Management” is a keyword you’ve added to your summary or skills section, include multiple examples of how you’ve used this skill in your career history.
• Consider using a hybrid resume format, which features a separate achievements/career highlights section that you can tailor accordingly and use to draw attention to relevant accomplishments from any point in your work history.

After watching our resume writing class, get personalized resume writing help with Job X-ray, or explore our entire library of resume writing resources.