Creating A Customised CV: What You Should Know

• In Career Advice
• 15 Jul 2022, 07:14 AM
• By Technologist Confidant

If you've spent time searching for job tips, you've probably heard the advice to customise your CV to the job description of each position you apply for. Employing a scattergun strategy is common among job seekers. Without even reading the job description, they'll send the same CV to a large number of openings. It's possible that using this strategy will result in you applying to more jobs. But each one's quality will suffer noticeably as a result.

No two jobs are alike, even though many of the roles you are applying for will be identical. As a result, you should modify your resume to meet the needs of each position. After all, sending one well-targeted application is preferable to sending ten mediocre ones.

If you're familiar with the procedure, you can quickly tweak your CV—you don't have to start from scratch for each application. Understanding which qualities are most critical to a particular position is vital when tailoring your resume. Additionally, make changes to your CV to highlight them for that recruiter.

Why should my CV be customised?

To stand out to recruiters, you must tailor your CV. It conveys your interest in the position and allows you to demonstrate your qualifications for the job by highlighting your qualifications and experience. This means they won't have to put in much effort to determine whether you'd be a strong candidate. Instead, you've already completed the task for them.

You have the chance to wow the interviewer by customising your CV. A customised CV will ensure that interviewers are paying attention to the relevant aspects of your experience as they utilise your CV to guide their questioning.

What can you keep

You may use the same format and outline for subsequent applications if you have a strong first CV. You might use the same top-down layout for contact information, essential skills, previous employment experience, education, and other experience on the following CV, for instance.

You might even leave certain portions of the material intact. You probably won't need to update obvious information like your schooling, job titles, the firms you worked for and when you applied for a job, regardless of the position.

What needs to be changed

However, there are some other elements that you should somewhat customise. Remember that you may only need to replace or update certain features or descriptors rather than completely rewrite entire portions of your CV.

• Professional summary




The idea is to tailor your CV for each position you apply for, especially if it starts with a professional overview or objective. Indicating why you suit the culture well here is also an excellent idea. For instance, if the organisation you are applying to focuses on giving back to the community, you could include a sentence describing your drive to change the world in your CV.




• Career achievements




Using the same bulleted achievements in your professional experience across several applications is one of the worst blunders you can make when applying to multiple firms. Keep in mind, when adding these achievements, that the chronology of how these are mentioned is also taken into account. Ann Vu, a Career Specialist at Ama la Vida, advises, "Prioritise more relevant/impressive tasks towards the top."




• Skills




Printing out a copy of the job description and underlining the traits the hiring manager is searching for is the best approach to determine precisely the abilities the firm you are applying to is seeking. When writing your strengths or talents section, strive to include these to demonstrate how well you fit the position, advises career coach Angela Copeland.




• Additional experience




The additional experience section of your CV, which might include information about your involvement in volunteer work, professional organisations, and hobbies, isn't typically where recruiters focus their attention. However, it's still an excellent place to explain why you're suited for the role and a solid cultural fit for the organisation.

Steps to tailor your CV

The following methods will help you modify your CV to appeal to every employer you send it to in 2022.

• Read the full job description.




Most job seekers will scan the job description for a position they like, get excited, and eagerly email their resume without even double-checking to ensure they have highlighted all the necessary experience. Don't email your resume immediately after spotting a job advertisement to beat the competition. Instead, concentrate on outperforming them.




Your best buddy when it comes to customising your CV is the job description. Use it to guide the language you use in your CV by emphasising the terms the hiring manager considers crucial. It would help if you emphasised in your own experience the responsibilities and qualifications most frequently highlighted. Always be sure to provide instances from actual situations to support your abilities.




• Enhance your CV's profile




Your profile will be the first thing a recruiter sees and evaluates because it is located at the top of your CV. Some recruiters won't go any further if they can't immediately determine which abilities are most relevant to the position in your profile.

Your CV will certainly be tailored to a particular role, but some companies will prioritise some skills over others. The most crucial talents for the prospective employer should be highlighted in your CV.

• Choose your first role thoughtfully.




Recruiters place much weight on the first role on your cv because it is the first representation of your work they will see. Most of the time, you will list your positions in chronological order, beginning with the most recent; however, you don't always have to.




Your most recent position might not always be very pertinent to the job you're looking for. To personalise your CV to the position you're applying for, include another role, such as volunteer work, freelancing, or work placements, if your current role isn't entirely appropriate.




• No irrelevant information




Your CV's information that you omit may be just as significant as the information that you do. It's a good idea to trim down those portions of your CV if they contain substantial amounts of information and skills that aren't specified in the job postings you're replying to.




They need not be entirely taken away. However, cut down a little on the degree of detail to offer yourself more room to discuss the talents that are specified in job postings.




• Relate the dots




If you're having trouble figuring out which aspects of your experience the recruiter will value most, consider putting them down on paper. You may determine how and whether they fit by compiling a list of the job requirements and your abilities and expertise. Connect each need to one or more of the talents that best demonstrate it. You should emphasise on your resume the skills that have the most lines.




It may seem time-consuming to customise your CV for each job you apply for, but we assure you it will be worthwhile. If someone reviews your CV, they want to see that you have a good chance of succeeding in the position and a strong commitment to doing so. By customising your CV, you'll not only show that you are more qualified but that you are also interested in the position and the organisation. This increases your chances of being chosen for further consideration and ultimately landing the desired job.