Great Resumes Fast » Resume Writing Tips » 4 Simple Ways to Customize Your Resume for Different Positions

Are you applying for similar roles but with different companies? Maybe you’ve decided to save yourself time by submitting the exact same resume to each position. It may be tempting, but don’t do it! It’s really important to customize your resume for different positions.

In a recent Zety survey, 63% of recruiters stated they want the resume to be tailored to the exact position.

If you are applying for very similar jobs within the same industry but among different companies and need to find ways to customize your resume, here are four ways to make subtle, simple changes that can have a great impact on your resume response rate.

1. Change the Title/Job Target

One way to customize your resume to the different positions you’re applying for is to adjust the title/job target of your resume so that it reflects your unique skills. This works well if you are posting your resume online and want to attract slightly different recruiters and hiring managers or are submitting directly to employers.

For example, if you are a registered nurse (RN) who is skilled in cardiac medicine and experienced as a travel nurse, you may write two resumes—one with the title “Cardiac RN with 10 Years’ Experience in Diagnosis and Intervention” and another titled “Skilled Travel RN with 10 Years’ Cardiac Experience and Flexible Schedule” to help you reach different audiences effectively.

2. Reorder the Keywords

Another way to customize your resume is to reorder your keywords. This is especially important if you’re posting your resume online and don’t want to post the same resume multiple times. But even if you’re submitting resumes to different employers, it’s good to create unique resumes—even if you’re simply shifting keywords to create subtle differences.

3. Rearrange Your Bullet Points

As you adjust your resumes for each job you’re applying for, you can try rearranging your bullet points so that the most important information for that position is listed first. For instance, if you are the travel RN with cardiac experience, you could rearrange your accomplishments so that your stellar cardiac background is listed first in one resume and, in the other, your travel experience is listed first.

4. Revise Your Career Summary

Your career summary is your chance to highlight moments that stand out the most in your time as a professional. You want this summary to be tailored as closely as possible to the job you want. This means it’s time to dig through the job posting to explore the critical requirements of the job. You want to make sure that you list your greatest moments that also mirror what the employer wants most in a candidate.

Customizing your resume is a sure-fire way to get an employer’s attention when applying for jobs. So take time to make some subtle and not-so-subtle adjustments and see what a difference it makes in your search.

For additional tips and advice on resumes and cover letters, follow @GreatResume or visit our blog.

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You can also find me at Great Resumes Fast, where I help busy job seekers create interviewing-winning resumes, shorten their job searches, and increase their earning potential.

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About the author

Jessica Hernandez, President, CEO & Founder of Great Resumes Fast

Hi, I’m Jessica. I started this company back in 2008 after more than a decade directing hiring practices at Fortune 500 companies.

What started as a side hustle (before that was even a word!) helping friends of friends with their resumes has now grown into a company that serves hundreds of happy clients a year. But the personal touch? I’ve kept that.

You might have seen me featured as a resume expert in publications like Forbes, Fast Company, and Fortune. And in 2020, I was honored to be named as a LinkedIn Top Voice of the year!

I’m so glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to help you find your next perfect-fit position!

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