When you apply for jobs, your resume is often the first impression you make on potential employers. A generic, one-size-fits-all resume likely won’t grab their attention or show why you are the ideal candidate for that specific role.
That’s why it’s so important to customize your resume for every job you apply to. Tailoring your resume helps you standout and position yourself as a perfect match for what the employer is looking for.
In this post, we’ll cover 5 key ways to customize your resume, along with some practical dos and don’ts to keep in mind. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to tweak your resume to capture hiring managers’ interest for any job!
Why Customize Your Resume?
Before we dive into the “how-to”, let’s quickly discuss why customizing your resume is so beneficial:
- It shows you thoroughly understand what the employer wants and have those exact skills/experiences
- It enables you to strategically highlight the most relevant details for that particular role
- It demonstrates your genuine interest and effort made for this specific job application
- It increases your chances of getting past résumé screening software/practices
- It helps your application materials look polished, intentional and non-generic
While customizing does take some extra effort, it’s well worth it to make your resume as compelling and targeted as possible. Now let’s go over 5 effective ways to do it!
1. Optimize Keywords
One of the most crucial ways to customize your resume is by optimizing the keywords used on it. This helps ensure you get past applicant tracking systems (ATS) that scan for relevant keywords from the original job posting.
Identify Target Keywords
First, you need to identify the most important keywords to include related to:
- Job titles (e.g. “Administrative Assistant”, “Project Coordinator”)
- Technical skills (e.g. “Microsoft Excel”, “Salesforce CRM”)
- Non-technical skills (e.g. “Customer Service”, “Teamwork”)
- Certifications and credentials (e.g. “PMP Certified”, “CPA”)
- Industry jargon or terminology (e.g. “Reconciliations”, “Agile Methodology”)
Study the job description carefully and make a list of all the notable keywords and phrases used to describe the role, requirements, and responsibilities.
Example: For a job posting for “Social Media Specialist”, some key target keywords might include:
- Social media
- Content creation
- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
- Copy editing
- Community management
- Analytics/metrics
Strategically Incorporate Keywords
Once you’ve identified your target keywords, you’ll want to incorporate them strategically throughout all sections of your customized resume:
- Heading/Title
- Summary or Objective
- Skills section
- Work experience bullet points
- Education and certifications
Be sure to use the exact keyword phrasing from the job posting when possible, rather than synonyms or variations. However, don’t just stuff keywords in unnaturally – they should fit logically.
Example Customized Summary:
“Accomplished Social Media Specialist with 5+ years of experience driving engagement and brand awareness through creative content creation. Skilled in community management, executing campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and analytics reporting. Proven track record of growing followings and increasing web traffic.”
This example includes several of the target keywords like “Social Media Specialist”, “content creation”, names of platforms, “community management”, and “analytics”.
Use Keyword Optimization Tools
There are also handy tools that can analyze job descriptions and your resume to identify which keywords you may be missing:
- JobScan
- Resunate
- SkillSyncer
- VMock
- Rezi
These optimization tools provide a “keyword scanner” that flags missing keywords so you can add them to your customized resume.
Example: Let’s say the tool identified you were missing the keywords “Google Analytics” and “Influencer Marketing” for that Social Media Specialist role. You could then add a skills bullet point:
“- Proficient in Google Analytics for tracking metrics and KPIs
- Experience partnering with influencers for innovative marketing campaigns”
By optimizing the right keywords, you maximize your chances of making it past the initial ATS screening.
2. Refine Your Summary/Objective
After your name and contact details, the Summary or Objective statement at the top of your resume is the first thing hiring managers read. This is prime real estate to customize your resume!
Keep it Concise and Compelling
An effective Summary/Objective is 2-4 lines max. It should be:
- Specific to the role you’re targeting
- Highlight your most relevant skills/experience
- Use strong adjectives to sell yourself
- Include a measurable accomplishment or result
Avoid vague statements that could apply to anyone. This is your “elevator pitch” to grab the hiring manager’s interest right away.
Example Summary (bad):
“A hardworking employee seeking a new opportunity to utilize my skills and experiences.”
Example Summary (good):
“Service-oriented Administrative Assistant with 3+ years providing exceptional support to executives and managing complex calendars and travel. Recognized for exemplary interpersonal and time management abilities. Adept at prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines.”
Align With Role and Company
Make sure your customized objective/summary aligns directly with the role and company you’re applying to. Research the job posting and company thoroughly to understand:
- Their goals, mission and values
- The keywords used to describe the role
- Desired skills and qualifications listed
Then craft a statement hitting on those key points to position yourself as an ideal fit.
Example Objective:
“Enthusiastic recent marketing graduate seeking to leverage social media marketing and content creation skills as a Digital Marketing Coordinator with [Company Name]. Passionate about driving engagement and supporting [Company’s] mission of…”
This example seamlessly touches on the role, skills required, and even ties in the company’s brand mission/values.
Consider Including a “Skills Summary”
Some experts also recommend including a “Skills Summary” right after your opening statement when customizing resumes. This emphasizes key abilities using straightforward keyword phrases.
Example Skills Summary:
“Core Competencies: Content Writing | Social Media Management | Email Marketing | Google Analytics | Salesforce CRM”
With a customized summary/objective tailored to the role and company, your resume will immediately capture the reader’s attention and interest.
3. Highlight Relevant Experience
For most roles, the hiring manager will spend the most time evaluating the details under your Work Experience section. This is where you really want to customize your resume to position your background as a perfect fit.
Format With The Role in Mind
First, consider how you format and order your work experience from a customization perspective:
Chronological Order: This traditional format lists your jobs in reverse chronological order from most recent to oldest. It’s a safe, standard approach.
Functional/Hybrid: This highlights your skills and capabilities first, followed by a brief work history. It can be useful for career changers or those with employment gaps.
Tailored Order: For roles you’re extremely qualified for, you may choose to list your most relevant and impressive experience first, rather than chronological order.
Select the format that best emphasizes your most transferable and valuable qualifications for that particular role.
Example: For a mid-career professional applying to a management role, a tailored format could put their most significant management/leadership experience at the top, even if it wasn’t their most recent job.
Customize Descriptions and Bullet Points
Once you’ve decided on a general format, it’s time to dive into customizing each work experience description for maximum impact:
Job Title: Tweak your previous titles to align with the one you’re applying for when possible. For instance:
- Listing “Office Coordinator” for a role titled “Administrative Assistant”
- Or “Marketing Associate” when applying for “Marketing Coordinator”
Company Name: You can also specify what type of company/industry it was in to highlight relevant experience:
- “ABC Corporation (E-commerce Retailer)”
- “EFG LLP (Public Accounting Firm)”
Description Paragraphs: Use this section to provide an overview of how your responsibilities and accomplishments relevantly transfer to the new target role. Use similar terminology from the job posting.
Bullet Points: Perhaps most importantly, your bullet points should be 100% customized to highlight specific achievements, skills and duties that are directly applicable.
- Start bullets with strong action verbs
- Use the employer’s keywords you identified
- Quantify accomplishments with metrics/data
- Focus on responsibilities that would transfer
Example Customized Bullet Point:
“Scheduled and coordinated travel and meeting arrangements for 8 C-suite executives, ensuring on-time arrivals and seamless itineraries.”
This example is customized for an Administrative Assistant role by:
- Using relevant action verb “scheduled”
- Mentioning “travel and meeting arrangements” – a key duty
- Specifying for “C-suite executives” to show high level of experience
- Including a quantifiable metric of “8 executives”
- Highlighting core skills like planning and coordination
With thoughtfully tweaked details throughout this section, the hiring manager can clearly envision how your background preparation you for success in their open role.
4. Update List of Skills
In addition to incorporating target keywords throughout your resume, you’ll want to take an extra pass at customizing the separate “Skills” section as well. This section allows you to emphasize specialized proficiencies.
Prioritize and Group Skills
First, evaluate all of your skills through the lens of their relevance for this role. Then group them into categories:
Job-Specific Skills: These are hard skills and technical abilities that directly qualify you, like software, tools, certifications, etc.
Transferable Skills: Soft skills like problem-solving, leadership, communication, etc. that are applicable to most jobs.
Adaptive Skills: Any skills that make you particularly suited for this role, company, or industry like being multilingual.
Then prioritize the most important skills to highlight at the top of each category. Use clear, straightforward language rather than vague terms like “effective” or “excellent”.
Example Skills Groups:
Job-Specific Skills:
- Marketo Certified
- Social Media Analytics
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Google Ads Certified
Transferable Skills:
- Project Management
- Collaboration & Teamwork
- Problem Solving
- Written & Verbal Communication
Adaptive Skills:
- Fluent in Spanish & Portuguese
- Understanding of SaaS Business Model
Mirror the Job Requirements
The easiest way to customize this section is to quite literally mirror the language and skills listed under the “Requirements” or “Qualifications” portion of the job posting.
Look at the required skills and make sure you have included your matching qualifications on your resume. Use the same terminology they did.
If there are any gaps between their desired skills and what’s on your current resume, add those specific skills to your tailored skills section.
Example: Let’s say a Marketing Coordinator job listing emphasized skills like:
- Strong Writing & Editing Abilities
- Social Media Management
- Basic HTML and WordPress
- Excellent Time Management
If you possess those skills, you’d want to add bullet points hitting on each one exactly:
- Strong Writing & Editing Abilities
- Social Media Management (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
- Basic HTML and WordPress
- Excellent Time Management
Even if it requires some repetition from other sections, restating that you have those precise required abilities is a great customization technique.
5. Add References
A final, often-overlooked customization opportunity on your resume is listing references. Many hiring managers still request references who can vouch for your skills and experiences.
So rather than just stating “References available upon request”, you can strategically include the names of 3-5 professional references upfront that are most relevant for that role.
Who Should I List as References?
The best references to include are those who can speak directly to your abilities and preparedness for this specific job. Some options include:
- Previous manager/supervisor
- Colleague or team member
- Professor or advisor
- Client or vendor you worked closely with
- Community leader (for non-profit roles)
- Someone else in your professional network
Let them know first that you plan to list them as a reference. And avoid listing any family members or friends, as those may not carry much professional weight.
Example: For a job in IT Support, some ideal references could be:
- Your supervisor from your most recent IT Support role
- A client or senior manager you supported and impressed
- A classmate from your technical training/certification program
- The team lead you worked under on a major IT project
How to Include References on a Resume
Once you’ve selected your most relevant references, you can list them on your customized resume in a few ways:
Simple List: Just list out the name, job title/relationship, company name, and contact info for each reference below a “References:” heading.
Quotes From References: If a reference has provided a glowing review you can highlight it as a 1-2 line quote next to their name and details.
“John was an invaluable resource during our IT server migration.” – Jane Doe, Vice President
Letters of Recommendation: For roles that put heavy emphasis on references, you may choose to append 1-2 full letters of recommendation from your strongest references.
Having relevant, customized references shows commitment to that role and company while allowing hiring managers to easily follow-up and advocate for your candidacy.
Dos and Don’ts When Customizing
To wrap up, let’s review some key dos and don’ts to keep in mind when customizing your resume:
Dos:
- Do study the job posting thoroughly for keywords and desired qualifications
- Do use the exact terminology and phrasing from the posting when possible
- Do customize each section to focus on the most relevant skills/experience
- Do match your background and accomplishments to the role requirements
- Do proofread carefully for any mistakes after customizing
- Do only include true and accurate information (don’t embellish!)
- Do enlist a friend or mentor to review your customized resume
Don’ts:
- Don’t completely falsify information to try to seem like a perfect fit
- Don’t make your resume more than 1-2 pages if possible
- Don’t use fancy formatting or small fonts that are hard to read
- Don’t rely too heavily on resume templates – allow for customization
- Don’t forget to update your references to relevant individuals
- Don’t excessively repeat the same information across multiple sections
- Don’t wait until the last minute to customize your resume before applying
Example Scenarios
To illustrate how powerful and impactful resume customization can be, here are some hypothetical before-and-after example scenarios:
Example 1: Applying for an Administrative Assistant Role
Generic Resume:
- Vague summary: “Experienced professional seeking new opportunities.”
- Listed experience as just “Office Worker” focused on general duties
- No specific skills matching the role requirements
- No references included
Customized Resume:
- Tailored summary: “Organized Administrative Assistant with 5+ years providing seamless operational support to executives and teams. Proficient in calendar management, travel coordination, office administration and document preparation. Recognized for outstanding multitasking abilities.”
- Adjusted job titles to “Administrative Assistant” and descriptive details
- Bullets highlighting: “Scheduled meetings and travel arrangements”, “Prepared reports and presentations”, “Provided excellent customer service”
- Skills section with: Microsoft Office, Multi-line Phone System, Excellent Written/Verbal Communication
- 3 relevant references: former manager, vendor, and senior executive
Example 2: Transitioning from Marketing to Sales
Generic Resume:
- Generic summary about being a “Marketing Professional”
- Focused mostly on marketing work experience and skills
- Missed highlighting any sales, customer service or client-facing experience
Customized Sales Resume:
- Retitled and reframed objective as a “Goal-Oriented Sales Professional” seeking to leverage skills in relationship building, lead nurturing and revenue growth
- Emphasized customer-facing wins as a marketing coordinator like: “Interfaced with clients to understand needs and tailor marketing strategy” with quantifiable results
- Highlighted skills like Prospecting, Negotiation, Salesforce CRM, Persuasive Communicator
- Prioritized any past sales jobs or side hustles toward the top of the work history
- References who could speak to sales skills like store manager and top customer
Example 3: Recent College Graduate Applying to IT Roles
Generic Resume:
- Just listed degree and GPA in education section
- Included all part-time jobs in work history like waiter and barista
- Listed basic skills like “Microsoft Office” and “Problem Solving”
- No references
Customized IT Resume:
- Created a “Technical Skills” section detailing: Java, SQL, Linux, Cybersecurity Training
- Only included most relevant work experience as “Computer Lab Monitor” with bullets about providing IT support and troubleshooting
- Used tailored objective: “Entry-level IT Professional with hands-on training in coding, database management and system administration seeking to leverage technical skills and passion for technology as a [Job Title]”
- Added relevant references: Computer Science Professors, IT Director from internship, Lab Manager supervisor
Example 4: Making a Career Change to Project Management
Generic Resume:
- Overview focused on unrelated administrative/clerical experience
- Lacked key project management skills, certifications and terminology
- Missed opportunity to highlight any transferable skills
Customized Project Management Resume:
- Replaced overview with a “Project Management Professional” summary detailing: “Results-driven professional with skills in planning, scheduling, budgeting and cross-functional leadership. Proven ability to coordinate complex projects from initiation to completion. Adept at delivering projects on time and within scope.”
- Retitled previous “Office Assistant” job as “Project Coordinator” to match the role
- Bullets showcasing: “Managed office renovation project spanning 6 months, coordinating contractors and keeping deliverables on track” and “Developed and monitored project schedules and budgets”
- Highlighted Project Management cert, MS Project, Agile/Scrum methodologies in skills
- Added reference from manager who could speak to project leadership abilities
By investing the time to customize your resume for each opportunity using these 5 strategies, you can position yourself as a much stronger candidate while avoiding getting lost in the resume black hole.
Identifying the right keywords, optimizing the summary/objective, highlighting relevant experience, updating the skills section, and customizing references allows you to create a clear through-line of how you’re qualified and get hiring managers interested.
The extra effort shows your genuine interest in the role. So while it does require more work upfront, resume customization pays off immensely by increasing your chances of landing interviews and job offers.