The first resume screening done by a large, hiring organization might be accomplished with a scanner machine or by a lower level employee. In both cases, the more similar your resume words are to the words in the job description of the open job, the better your chances are of making the first cut. Even the hiring official who reads your resume will be looking for the words that are in the job description.
If you are qualified for the position, you should not find it difficult to incorporate job description words into your resume. For example, if the job description calls for a technical skill such as the ability to analyze, you should use the word analyze instead of the word evaluate. If the job description calls for a soft skill such as oral skills, you should use the word oral skills instead of the word talk. By doing this, you will customize your resume for each job.
Customizing your resume also means that you must emphasize your qualifications that are relevant for a particular job and skip or briefly describe your other qualifications that are not so relevant. Customizing your resume takes more time and effort than it does to send out a standard resume. Your chances of being asked to interview, however, are much greater when you customize your resume.
If you are asked to interview, you will be better prepared because you have customized your resume to the particular job for which you have an interview. Thus, you already will be prepared to tell your interviewer your qualifications that are specific to the job.
When you customize a resume for a certain job, your goal should be more than just to qualify for it. There will be many job applicants who will qualify. Your goal should be to have more qualifications than any other applicant. The best qualified applicants are usually the ones who get the interviews.
A customized resume takes more time and effort, but that is time and effort well spent.
What type of resume do you use, and what are the advantages you see for your resume choice?
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