Tailor Your Resume To The Job

Huh? What am I doing blogging about my resume writing tactic on a business building blog? Well, it does “fit” — sorta — and given my target audience (people building a business), I though that others might be able to use this tactic.

While I’m slowly working to build a viable income stream via an online business, it’s always been my intent to continue working a — GASP! — job for a long time to come. I possess some valuable skills and qualifications that help protect some pretty important networks — and working pays fairly well — so I see no reason to quit working.

As a part of my commitment to “contribute to society” by working a job, I’m always keeping my eye open for new opportunities. Recently, I found what looks to be a dream job in an ideal location (I’ll say more if I actually get it!), so I need to apply for the job. This reminded me of the system I developed about 7 years ago that helps me build a resume that actually stands a chance of getting to the hiring manager.

Human Relations (HR) people have a tough job. They usually do the initial screening on a resume, and while they are, for the most part, hard-working and care about putting the best qualified candidate in each position so that their company can maximize profits, there’s no way that they can be an expert on every position in a company. So I came up with the idea of matching my resume to the published job description. Why not make their work as easy as possible?

I decided to share this process here on my business building blog. I’m pretty confident that many who will read this will still need to work a job, and if this helps you get a better job (in terms of pay, happiness, etc.), then it will have been worth the while.

Here’s the process I use:

1. Take the posted job description and copy it into a text document.

2. Separate each required / desired task / qualification onto a separate line.

3. Save the file as a .csv file (so it will open in Excel or Open Office Calc).

4. Open it as a spreadsheet. If all went well, all of the tasks / qualifications will appear in the first column on the left-hand side.

5. Insert a row at the top.

6. Starting in the second column (Column B), create a column for each job you have done in the past. Use the first row of each column to enter a label for each job.

I created a column for my current job, my most recent job in Germany, the job before that in the St. Louis area, etc. Since my most recent jobs have been geographically defined, I used “CS”, “DE”, “STL”, etc. for the labels. Use whatever makes sense to you; you’ll be the only person to see this spreadsheet.

NOTE: When I create columns for my various jobs, I actually go back 30 years. That may not be possible for some of you… (and “thanks” for reading an old guy’s blog!)

7. Now read each task that’s listed down the left side of the spreadsheet (in the first column). If you performed that task in a particular job, put an “x” in the corresponding column.

As an example, I used SourceFire intrustion detection sensors in both my current job and the one before that, but not for the one in St. Louis — so I’ll only mark the two most recent jobs for that particular task (one of the requirements for the job I want is the ability to monitor and maintain SourceFire intrusion detection / prevention systems).

If it helps, you can print out the spreadsheet before you perform this step and mark the columns with a pen or pencil. Whatever works best for you.

8. After I fill in the columns for each task, I start to craft the resume. I first do a brief section with contact info, then do a chronological resume, starting with my current (or most recent) job.

I go down the column, and if I did something in a past job that’s on the job description for the job I want, I write it in the narrative description for that particular old job. And this is important — I write the things I did in the exact same order that they appear in the job description, using the exact terms used in the job description.

Do you see what I’m trying to do here? I’m trying to make it easy for the prospective employer. If an HR staff member is holding the job description in one hand and my resume in the other, I want to make it easy for them to match up the two — and see that I’m qualified for the position.

At the end of the “matched” description, I might add a few more things that I think may be of importance to the hiring manager; I have a pretty good “feel” for what’s important to them after several years in the computer security field. I may also elaborate a bit on the actual “matched” task in the basic description (the one that was written to make it easy for HR to match up my qualifications with the job description).

For example, the job description just mentions using SourceFire sensors, but the sensors have different capabilities, and for large installations, there’s something called a “Defense Center” that takes the data from several sensors and consolidates it. So I’ll mention the SourceFire experience (generic, from the job description), but I’ll also mention that I’ve used them as an intrusion detection system, am starting to deal with the intrusion prevention capabilities, and know my way around the Defense Center.

It may not make sense to you, but the HR person will see “SourceFire” and once my resume gets to the hiring manager, he or she will see the additional experience.

At the very end of the resume, I’ll list my education, training, certifications, and (since it’s a government job) my security clearance level and status. If there are any other requirements (i.e. a willingness to travel), I’ll add a brief statement at the end (and will list some of my travel “experience” in other parts of the resume).

Yes, this makes for a long resume! But in my case, for the most part, they don’t mind a longer than normal resume (one of the oddities of the military contracting world). If I had to shorten it (i.e. to 1-2 pages), I’d still use this system; I just wouldn’t expand so much on the individual job requirements.

I should also add that I have a “master resume” where I try to list everything that I have ever done on a job, no matter how boring or mundane. I also keep copies of past performance evaluations and the like. As the saying goes, a dull pencil remembers more than a sharp mind, so writing this stuff down makes sense (especially when you go back 30 years or so in your job history!).

Once again, here are the goals:

1. A resume that is tailored to the job description of the position you are applying for. Makes it easier for HR and management to see that I’m a strong candidate for a job.

2. A unique resume for each job description. No more blasting out the same resume for hundreds of positions. Yes, it’s more work — but you want a job, don’t you? And how much time do you think HR is going to spend trying to match your job experience to the position requirements when they have several hundred resumes on their desk for one position (and need to screen all candidates by close of business)? Yes, make it easy for them…

3. A better chance of getting your resume past the “gatekeeper” and actually getting it in front of somebody who has the authority to hire you (or influence the hiring manager).

Again, this isn’t typical stuff for a “build a business” blog, but I know that a lot of people reading this are not yet in a position where they can quit their job (or they may need a job now to bring in consistent income as they build their business). Even in tough times, you can get a job if you can show an employer that you can help them profitably run their business. And having a resume that concisely shows that you can do EXACTLY what the job description says is much better than blasting out a generic resume “blindly”, isn’t it?

Hope you soon get the job you want so that you can productively — and happily — contribute.

WARNING: Please, Please, PLEASE do not abuse this system! It would be very easy to use this system, then “creatively create” your work experience. I have a strong word for such actions: Fraud.

Besides, I think that being honest on a resume — even if it results in your not looking like the “perfect” candidate — makes the rest of your accomplishments look all that much more realistic. While it’s possible that some candidates meet all the requirements for a position, I don’t think that usually happens. So be honest, open a realistic channel of communication with a potential employer when you write your resume — and go to sleep with a clean conscience tonight (and hopefully a job tomorrow).

One more thing: Never sound desperate in a job interview. When I need to outsource a task, I know that the work is going to benefit both me and the person doing the job — but I outsourced the task because I needed the work done and having somebody else do it will increase my profits. I have neither the time nor the inclination to listen to somebody tell me how desperate they are for a job — any job. If you’re really that desperate for money, go to Fiverr and figure out a way to sell a product or service there. In a job interview, focus on how you will help the employer and/or manager profitably solve their problems — and more often than not, you’ll get hired.

Gotta run; I’m only on Step 7 for this current job application…