We know everyone seems to be fighting a loosing battle when it comes to finding time…however in attempt to save time, one area you just can’t cut corners in during your job hunt is a generic, one size fits all, resume approach.
I always advise my clients that you really do need one resume per employer. Now generally speaking, if you are applying for similar roles in similar industries, your resume shouldn’t change dramatically. However, keep in mind, if you are applying for roles that may be quite diverse to your existing resume (and skills), amending your resume to capture the key requirements of that role is critical.
In addition to your resume, job seekers should be creating tailor made cover letters for EVERY employer. The worst thing, I repeat, the worst thing as a recruiter or HR professional, is getting a cover letter that reads, “To the business owner, I wish to apply for any available roles within your company.” This is especially so if the actual employer has ‘available’ roles, posted on their website, and the job seeker still hasn’t taken the time to research what role they wish to apply for. This shows no initiative and employer’s will not go out of their way to contact you.
Below are some sections that you will need to tailor to each employer when applying for a role to ensure your resume makes the cheddar:
- Attention line. If the job has a contact person, ensure you attention your resume to that person rather than a generic position
- Employer. Rather than stating, “I wish to work for your company…” state the actual employer in the cover letter
- Role Title. Same as above, rather than saying, “your role…” state the role you wish to apply for.
- Selection Criteria. Does the job advert ask you to address a selection criteria? If so, make sure you do. Failing to do that just proves you can’t follow instructions or lack attention to detail.
- Achievements. Similar to the Selection Criteria, you should try to communicate relevant achievements that reflect what the employer is looking for. If you refer to our previous post about ‘Solving employer’s problems’ you should keep this in mind when writing any context in your resume.
- Cover Letter. An introduction to your resume, this should ALWAYS be tailored to match the employer.
The above list is not nearly a comprehensive list of the areas you should pay particular attention to however, these are definitely the starters in ensuring your resume reflects a tailored one.
Contact WER for more tips or assistance on creating a resume to suit your employer of choice.