How to tailor your resume in 15 minutes

You send your resume to ten jobs. Nobody calls. Sound familiar?

Often the problem is not you. It is that your resume does not look like the job. A hiring person reads fast. Sometimes a computer program reads first. Both look for the words from the job post.

Good news: you do not need a new resume each time. You need small changes. Here are 6 steps.

1. Keep one big "master" resume

Make one file with everything you ever did: jobs, tools, courses, wins. It can be long. You will never send this one. You will copy from it.

2. Read the job post two times

First time: what is this job, really? Second time: pick out the skills, tools and words that show up again and again. Write them on a small list.

3. Use their words (only if they are true)

If the post says "customer support" and your resume says "client help", change yours to "customer support". Same work, same words as theirs. Computers and people both find it faster.

4. Put your best match first

Move the lines that fit this job to the top of each section. Cut the lines that do not fit. One clean page beats a crowded page.

5. Add a number where you can

"Answered emails" is weak. "Answered about 40 emails a day" is stronger. Only use numbers you really know. Never guess, never make them up.

6. Check it, then save it

Read it out loud. Look for spelling mistakes. Ask a friend to read it too. Save it with the company name, like "Resume - CompanyName".

One rule: never lie

If the job needs a skill you do not have, do not write it. You will be asked about it in the interview. Say what you do have, and say you learn fast. Or pick a job that fits you better.

How long does it take?

About 15 minutes for most jobs. Spend more time on the jobs you want most.

Next step: write a short note to go with it. See the cover letter guide, or check your resume with the resume checker.

Make it easier

Zoe picks jobs that fit you, so you spend your time on the ones worth a tailored resume.