When you target a new role with your resume, it’s critical to match your qualifications to a job effectively. This can often make or break your chances of getting picked.
Employers in almost every case will want to see quickly that you’re a great fit for the job in question. In competitive positions, however, this is even more crucial as not doing so could simply lead to a recruiter passing over your application.
In this article, we’ll show you how to expertly match your qualifications to the next job you target. It details everything you can do to:
- Identify the most appropriate skills and education for a great qualifications job match
- Build a resume that can reflect your suitability for the job
Carefully Read the Job Description for Clues
The job advert or job description that you’ve found for the position is going to be your best starting point. Everything you need to know about what the recruiter wants can normally be found here.
When looking through any job advert, always study it carefully for the key skills and desirable traits that are highlighted by the writer. These will be the most important elements to mention and should find their way into your resume or cover letter.
You can also infer what sort of skills may be necessary from some of the tasks that are mentioned in the job description. This can help you quickly and effectively address the needs of the employer.
For example, if you’re looking at a role that requires the employee to interact with customers on a regular basis you should include abilities such as people skills, communication, or a friendly persona. These will all give the recruiter a positive impression in your capacity to do the job well.
Create a Comprehensive List of Your Skills and Qualifications
Before you start to write your resume it’s sensible to sit down and think about all the skills and qualifications you’ve gained from your training and career.
Listing down as many ideas as you can, you can create a quick crib sheet of all the elements you can bring to this job or any job.
When you start preparing your application for a particular opening, look over the list, and, a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, consider how these skills and abilities may fit with the job description.
How to Make Your Qualifications Stand Out on Your Resume
Once you have a clear idea of what you need to highlight for a particular application and what you can safely list down, it’s time to start weaving this into your resume.
To make your qualifications and therefore your resume really stand out, there are a few important elements you need to include.
A Clear and Easy to Find Education Section
You might find yourself seeking a job in a field where licensing or certification is necessary or a formal qualification has been explicitly asked for in the job description. If this is the case you need to make sure this is reflected in the education section. This should include:
- The qualifications the employer has asked for
- The year it was awarded
- The awarding body or institution
- The grade achieved
In addition to this, the education section needs to be well organized and easy-to-identify with a clear heading. If you’re just starting out in your career you could consider placing this section nearer the top of the page. Otherwise, it can be safely kept below the work experience section as normal.
Tease Your Achievements in the Resume Summary
The resume summary is your perfect opportunity to include some of the best highlights of your career in a prominent position. This sits at the top of the page and is one of the first things an employer will notice.
Naturally, this is the perfect area to list some of your skills that match the job description on the resume. By mentioning these in such a noticeable section you’ll easily show the employer that you’re a stand-out candidate.
Make Your Skills Section Shine
A good skills list can really enhance your document. Therefore you should also make sure that the abilities you list are hyper-focused on the type of job you’re targeting.
As before, use the list you’ve created and the job description to optimize and tighten up the entire section. You can safely leave out any traits that wouldn’t serve in the position and instead create a skills list that matches exactly what the employer is looking for.
With a little time spent doing due diligence before writing your resume, the more likely you are to experience strong results. Remember, in order to sell yourself to employers, it’s essential things easier for them to find what they need.
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