How to tailor a resume to a job description
- Read the job post twice and note what it repeats: the job title, the tools, and the two or three duties it describes first. Those usually matter most to the person shortlisting.
- Mirror the exact job title in your headline or summary if it honestly describes you, for example “Senior Data Analyst” rather than a looser in-house title.
- Add tools and technologies you have used to your skills list, then prove the most important ones in a bullet with a result.
- Reorder your bullets so the ones closest to the job’s responsibilities come first under each role.
- Keep a master resume and save a tailored copy per application, so you always know what you sent.
Where each kind of keyword belongs
- Tools, software and technical skills — skills list, plus one bullet showing where you used them.
- Job title and seniority words — summary or headline, where a recruiter looks first.
- Duties and responsibilities — experience bullets, written with an action verb and a number where true.
- Certifications and licences — a certifications section with the issuing body and year or status.
Finish the resume in the free resume builder, check your match percentage for a PDF or Word resume with the resume job match, run a full resume check for length and structure, and send it with a matching cover letter.