Many clients resist customizing their resumes.
They would like to write one CV and send it off to many employers, but recruitment doesn’t work that way.
In order to be a successful candidate for jobs, you must customize your application every time you submit yourself for a position.
The best way to do this is by using key words in your resume and cover letter.
This is for three reasons:
- Automated systems screen resumes in large organizations: most big institutions will take a first pass at candidates by using key words to search for qualified people. If you list your facilitation experience as ‘training,’ but the system’s looking for ‘capacity building,’ you won’t make the cut.
- Recruiters are not experts in your field: Recruiters are experts at recruitment. They might be working across many practice areas – governance, health policy, gender, food security, project management, and more – in a single day. Don’t expect them to understand the intricacies of your work. They need to deliver qualified candidates, and since they spend ~30 seconds per resume, key words are their rubric.
- Using key words shows responsiveness on your part: Some people think it’s unoriginal to use the terms the company is using, but psychology shows us that we naturally mirror others when we are engaged with them. Organizations are deliberate about the words they choose, and your use of these words (as long as they are applicable to your skills and background) shows that you understand and reflect the competencies they are seeking.
Although it takes more time to customize your resume when applying for jobs, in the end, you’ll save time by being targeted in your approach and only applying for jobs that are a solid fit.
For more job application tips, read this post on writing a winning cover letter.
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