6 Steps To Write A Targeted CV For You To Land A Job.

How do I write a targeted CV? This is a question that puzzles many job seekers. You have read that writing a targeted CV increases your chances of getting shortlisted. Ruth is one of the candidates who struggled with her CV and most of her applications didn’t land her a job. With many years of experience and relevant skills, her CV didn’t prove that she was the best candidate. She didn’t connect her skills with what was in the job descriptions. This resulted in her missing from the shortlist pile, and it created a wide unemployment gap in her CV. When she consulted professional CV writers, she realized that her CV needed a revamp since it was not targeted to the roles she was applying for in her industry.

A targeted CV highlights specific skills and experience and it is written for a specific job opening. When you take the time to write a targeted CV, you will show the employer that you are an excellent fit.

Here are six steps to writing a targeted CV

1. Analyze The Job Description

Reviewing the job description is the first step for you to understand the qualities and skills required and then match them with your experience.

I remember when I was applying for the role of communication specialist; I went through the job description and ticked the boxes of skills and years of experience that were relevant and this gave me an idea of what the employer was looking for.

2. Make A Match

When our recruitment team was looking for an HR manager, they wanted a perfect match of what was in the job description. Loyce stood out from a thousand applicants because she had matched her skills, qualifications, and experience with what was required.

3. Double-Check Your CV

Proofreading your CV before sending is crucial because you will identify mistakes that may put off the employer. Pass through Grammarly, ask other people to double-check or consult professional CV writers to review for you and check if you have included relevant information.

4. Tweak Some Sections and list only relevant information

When you have identified what the employer wants, edit some sections in your CV. For the roles that are not related to what you are looking for, you can erase them.

I remember a candidate who was looking for a front office executive role, in her CV she had one year of experience in sales and since this was not relevant to the role, she removed and it made her CV brief and to the point.

5. Edit A Career Profile

If Ruth had crafted a good career profile, she would have captured the attention of the employers and she would have been shortlisted.

One of the clients we helped to craft a CV gave us a testimony that she had been using a personal summary and when it was revamped, it was changed to a career profile which displayed her suitability for the roles in her industry and she got interviews after two years.

6. Use Industry Relevant Phrases

I tend to imagine that for the companies that used ATS systems to screen the candidates, Ruth’s CV didn’t pass through because it dint have the keywords that the employer was looking for. If it was written professionally, it would have included relevant keywords.

Finally,

Writing a targeted CV increases your chances of being shortlisted because it is connected to what the employer is looking for.

Want a CV that will land you a job? Our professional CV writers got your back and they will help you review for free and revamp it.