3 Steps To Optimize Your Resume & Land More Interviews

Should you match your resume to the job description? 

The answer is yes. Applying for jobs requires more than a generic resume.

Your goal is to convince the hiring manager that you have the skills and experience to do the job.

The thing is - job descriptions vary from organizations. This is not surprising as different organizations in different industries have unique needs. There is no one size fits all and that is the reason why it is so important to match your resume with the requirements in the job description.

Think of the job description as the requirements document. You need to match at least 80% of the requirements. Even if you don’t meet the specific requirement from the job description, think about how you can transfer your existing skills to meet the requirements.

In today's competitive job market, recruiters are flooded with resumes for every position they advertise. According to a study by The Ladders, the average recruiter spends only 7.4 seconds scanning your resume before deciding if it fits the role or not! That means you've got less than 10 seconds to make an impression.

Here’s how to use the job description to tailor your resume:

Step 1: Dissect The Job Description.

Read the job description thoroughly. Use ChatGPT to help you identify the soft skills, hard skills, tools, technologies and any industry specific keywords. This will help you identify what you need to add to your resume.

Bonus: Click here to get the exact prompt and shorten your research time to 30 seconds.

Step 2: Align Past Experiences Align With The Requirements.

The next step involves aligning your past experience with the requirements you identified in the previous step. Look at your work from a different lens and identify any transferable skills you have. I do not recommend blindly adding skills to your resume - if you don’t have it, you are better off leaving it out or have a plan to gain the specific competence.

Step 3: Putting It All Together.

Take all the information and research from the previous two steps and craft a compelling story that positions you as the best candidate for the job. The first page of your resume is the most important part - all of the requirements for the job must be clearly visible. Look at it as an advert/billboard and make sure it catches the eye of the buyer (the hiring manager, of course). 

General Tips To Craft An Optimized Resume:

Clarity and Consistency: Use a clean, professional format with a consistent font. This makes your resume not only pleasing to the eye but also easy to read.

Length Matters: Aim for no more than 2-3 pages. Remember, it’s about quality, not quantity. Focus on relevant experiences and skills.

Highlight Achievements Over Tasks: Don't just list what you did. Focus on what you achieved. Use metrics and specific examples to show how your work positively impacted the project or team.

Education and Certifications: List your relevant qualifications. You do not need to include short training courses on the resume, unless the job description specifies it. 

Proofread: Avoid typographical and grammatical errors. They can be a major-turn off.

Contact Information: Ensure there are no typographical errors in your phone number or email address. Include your LinkedIn profile URL. 

Summary of the key takeaways:

1. Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to match the job description, focusing on skills and experiences that align with the job's requirements.

2. Highlight Transferable Skills: Even if you don't have specific experience, emphasize how your existing skills can be relevant to the job.

3. Effective Presentation: Make your resume clear and impactful, especially on the first page, as recruiters spend very little time on initial scans.

Whenever you’re ready, here are 2 ways I can help you:

 1. [60-min] 1:1 Power Hour: Pick my brain on all things job search, resume, LinkedIn, personal branding, interviewing and more. Apply here for $249.

2. Apply to join my Agile Project Management Accelerator Program: A 3 month career transition coaching program to get you hired in 3-6 months. Book a free call today.

Until next time,

Zainab

Remember, you are just one step away…

P.S: I would love to hear from you - what topics would you like me to share more of? I want to make sure I write about the things that matter to you.