How to tailor your CV to a job description

Tailoring a CV does not mean writing a new one for every application. It means changing a small number of high-value parts so the reader sees, within a few seconds, that you match what they asked for. Most of your CV stays exactly the same.

Start by reading the posting properly

Job descriptions usually separate requirements into things they insist on and things they would like. The first few bullets under "Requirements" are almost always the ones that matter most. Write down the four or five capabilities that appear there, in the exact words the posting uses.

Pay attention to repetition too. If "stakeholder communication" shows up three times across the responsibilities and the requirements, that is the actual job, whatever the title says.

Change these three things

• The summary at the top. Two or three lines that state your background and name the role you are applying for. This is the single highest-leverage edit, because it is the first thing read.
• The order of your bullet points. Within each job, move the most relevant achievement to the top. You are not changing the content, only what gets read first.
• The skills section. Lead with the skills the posting named, as long as you genuinely have them.

Write bullets that show a result

A bullet that says "responsible for social media" describes a duty. A bullet that says "grew the Instagram account from 2,000 to 11,000 followers over eight months" describes a result. The second one is far more persuasive, and it is harder to write, which is exactly why it stands out.

If you do not have numbers, use scale or outcome instead. "Handled roughly 40 customer enquiries a day" and "cut the reporting process from two days to four hours" both work. Vagueness is the enemy, not the absence of a percentage.

How long this should take

Once you have a solid base CV, tailoring should take ten to fifteen minutes per application. If it takes an hour, your base CV probably needs work. If it takes two minutes, you are likely not changing enough to make a difference.