How to Target Your Resume

How to Target Your Resume

• Have a Solid Foundation
  Each job that you apply for should have a specific resume, but the bare bones you start with can be the same. Begin by making a document of essential facts about your professional life. Don't embellish any of the descriptions, simply state the experiences and qualifications that you have.
  
  Use this plain document as a foundation to lay out your targeted resume. Present it in an effective and attention-grabbing way. Your portfolio should be clean, clear, and professional. Think outside the box and customize the resume a bit. Our system helps you to readily customize the templates and styles.
• Specialize Each Section
  Begin by addressing each section by presenting your skills and qualifications with creative yet concise titles. For example, if you are applying for a teaching position instead of labeling your experience section “Experience” use the heading “Teaching Experience.” You have now included the word teaching one extra time.
  
  Use keyword targeting when writing these sections. You should include the proper density of target words. The words not only grab the attention of the reader but show up if an employer utilizes a search technology to select the top candidates for the position.
• Target the Position You Applied For
  If you are applying for a management position use words that relate to management. Include your leadership skills and your ability to supervise people. Are you applying for a job? Does your portfolio make you appear to be underqualified? Does it make you appear overqualified? Then rework the wording to more appropriate rhetoric.
• Research What Employers Are Looking For
  Create a summary of the job requirements that the company has advertised. Take note of the level of education or certification they are looking for to see if your background qualifies.
  
  To gain some attention from companies, don't only research the position for which you are applying. Discover the market by evaluating the competition's requirements to be more knowledgeable about this job. Even if the interview with this company doesn't work out, you can make minor adjustments to your writing and apply somewhere else. Doing this will save you much time.
• Customize to Impress
  Essentially, the definition of how to target your resume is customization. Whether you are including information about your professional experiences or including keywords that you found laced in a company's help wanted ad. You are targeting a more effective response.
  
  Include all the experience that you may have in the field. Even if it is volunteer work or an internship, if it is related to what the company is looking for, it won't hurt you to include it. Change the job titles and tweak their descriptions to fit with the prospective company's requirements more appropriately. Don't use false information, but you can bias true information toward the position.
• Take Advantage of Social Media
  Using social media websites like LinkedIn can help you search for professionals that currently hold the position that you are looking to obtain. Seek out the accomplishments and qualifications that they have accumulated and compare them to yours.
  
  Additionally, you can be current with the events of a particular company by constantly checking their website, Facebook, and Twitter feeds. You will have a better understanding about the company's mission statement and how they like their employees to be. Also, knowing about current events in your field can't hurt. For example, during an interview you may appear to be relevant and interested by stating “I saw the success of your last event on your Facebook page. Congratulations that looks like a great thing to be involved in.”
  
  Knowing the company's affairs will let you use the keywords they are searching for more effectively.