Transcript: Tailoring your resume
Are you submitting the same resume for every position? If so, you may be getting overlooked by recruiters. Learning how to tailor your resume to different audiences can help you stand out.
How do you tailor your resume? First, research your audience.
The Career Center has a worksheet called Know Your Audience Guide that helps you organize your research and outlines the types of information you should consider when tailoring a resume. It takes you through important categories like qualifications, the job description, the company mission statement and values, and the top five skills and attributes needed for the position.
Most of this information will come from the job posting and company website. Some other resources to do additional research include informational interviews, BYU-I Connect, the McKay library databases, LinkedIn, Handshake, Glassdoor, and Indeed. You can learn more about these resources in our other videos.
Once you have compiled your research, look for keywords on the job description that match your skills and highlight them. Make sure those keywords show up on your resume in your experiences. They can help you determine what experiences you should showcase on your resume. For example, if a job posting is looking for someone with strong communication skills, think about one of your experiences where you had to use strong communication skills and write a bullet about it.
Even if you haven’t had direct experience for the position for which you are applying, showcasing transferrable skills is a good strategy. For example, if you are applying for a graphic design position that requires creativity, and your background is in fast food, you can share an experience where you were creative in solving a problem for the company or the customer.
You do not need to write a new resume for every position that you apply for- it is okay to have a basic resume that you can alter as needed. By using these tips, you are on a good path to tailoring your resume for each position.
Good luck tailoring your resume!