Aligning Your Resume to the Job Qualifications

One of the most crucial steps in job searching is ensuring that your resume clearly aligns with the qualifications listed in the job description.

This might sound obvious, but it’s surprising how many job seekers overlook this simple yet essential strategy.

Last Friday, I wrote about this very topic, emphasizing that if you want to grab the attention of recruiters and hiring managers, you should never assume they'll read between the lines.

The truth is, they often won’t.

Your resume needs to make it crystal clear that you're the perfect fit for the role.

YOU need to connect the dots for them!

And...you need to make sure the dots are on your resume in the first place.

Why does this matter?

Recruiters are often sifting through hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes.

If your qualifications aren’t easy to find, they’re likely to move on to the next candidate.

And if they're not on your resume at all, then forget about it.

You need to make it easy for them to see why you're a match for the job.

But does this approach work in practice?

Let me highlight a couple of comments from job seekers who responded to my post and have seen firsthand the power of aligning their resume with the job description.

First up is Rachel Heu ????♀? , who wrote the following:

This aligns with what I was told—make your resume in such a way that it highlights your experience so it’s undeniable that you are qualified. I was doing it the same way as the person you helped. After I switched, I started getting results. I still don’t have an offer, but I am getting much more traction.

Another commenter, Kendreka Pipes, CAPM , talked about how she used to leave critical information off her resume:

I had this same problem. After speaking with a career coach, I learned how to articulate those skills on my resume. Total game changer!

Finally, let's hear from Melissa Clark , a recruiter, who commented on my post:

"Great tips! I see this so often when reviewing resumes. If it's not listed, we assume you don’t have the skill."

Remember recruiters and hiring managers aren't mind readers.

If you don’t explicitly state your qualifications on your resume, they'll likely assume you don’t meet the requirements.

And instead, they'll call the applicants who did demonstrate their qualifications on their resume.

However, I also recognize that this is often easier said than done.

Writing about yourself is hard and many job seekers struggle to frame their experience in a way that shows they meet the qualifications.

Here’s what Kristin Conrad, M.Ed had to say:

This is such a key point and something I personally struggle with. There is so much that I have done, and I find at times I have trouble illustrating that properly and with the exact highlights needed in order to reach the job intended. Selling yourself well ON PAPER is a skill in and of itself!

So let's talk about that.

Let's talk about how to align your resume to the job qualifications.

1. Start by looking at the qualifications from the job description. Make note of specific qualifications such as years of experience, computer programs, certifications, education, and profession-specific skills. Ignore more general qualifications that could apply to any job (e.g., oral and written communication skills).
2. Provide information in your resume for how you meet each of the qualifications. For example, I recently worked with a client who wanted to apply for a job that required experience in Integrated Marketing. So we sprinkled that phrase throughout her resume, giving specific examples of what she has done in terms of Integrated Marketing. We did NOT assume that the person reading her resume would be able to read between the lines and figure out she had that experience.
3. Add some of the qualifications into your Career Summary. Even if the information is covered elsewhere in your resume, make sure to add some of the qualifications in your Career Summary. providing specific information and examples. This way, the person reading your resume will see right at the top of your resume that you meet some of the qualifications and be motivated to read more.

By taking the time to align your resume with each job you apply for, you make it easy for recruiters to see why you're the perfect fit.

This extra effort can make a big difference in getting your resume noticed and landing that all-important interview.

HOW I CAN HELP YOU

Want my help with your resume?

I offer both personalized resumes and resume reviews.

1. Personalized Resumes
2. Video Resume Review

Until next time.

Ed Herzog