Resume
With the average hiring manager or recruiter spending 10 seconds or less reviewing a resume before deciding to interview someone. That means you only have mere seconds to win them over! Utilize one of our templates that were created with your experience in mind, and have been tested in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), as well as reviewed by employers, to make sure that you are on the path to success.
How to Tailor Your Resume to Impress Employers
By: Danica Ryan, MA, NCC || CCAM Career Development Specialist
“I’ve been applying to jobs for a while now, and I haven’t received any responses. What’s going on?”
As a Career Development Specialist, this is a question I hear often. My first response is always to ask, “Are you sending out the same resume for every job posting?” If your first thought is, “Yes… What’s wrong with using one resume for every posting?” Then, it’s time to talk about tailoring your well-written resume without errors that has appropriately-quantified bullets and pristine formatting to the individual job descriptions.
You have probably heard that a cover letter is a catered, one-page introduction or application letter for each job posting, but it is less commonly known that your resume should be customized for each posting, too. A carefully crafted resume to match the job description you are applying to is important because of applicant tracking systems (ATS). For your resume to rank highly, your resume needs to contain the right keywords to grab the employer’s attention—I mean for the bots to discover that you are a well-matched applicant first.
It might seem that the solution is simply adding a skills section filled with those keywords. BOOM! You get right past the ATS, but it’s not that simple. Yes, adjusting your wording for every job you are applying to takes time and effort, but you will see that it’s well worth it.
After the ATS filters your catered resume through, it goes to a hiring manager to decide which top-ranked candidates will get an interview. Resume writer, meet your new best friend: Tailoring. What tailoring will accomplish over a skills section that is filled with keywords is to paint a clear picture to the ATS and the employer/hiring manager that you are the most relevant candidate for the job. A win-win.
Now that you know how to get your resume into the hands of a recruiter, it’s time to hand-tailor that resume and prove you are the best fit for the position. This is the part in a one-on-one appointment with me where I would hand you the job description and a highlighter. You would start by highlighting all of the requirements that you feel you have the experience to show. Remember, the job posting is the most valuable tool when tailoring your resume. It lays out for you what experiences the employer is looking for.
A well-composed job description is usually divided into three sections (listed in order of importance for resume tailoring): Qualifications (read as requirements), Responsibilities (read as bonus!), and Overview (read as extra requirements and potential cover letter material). When reading through the job description, look for key action verbs, duties, or skills, and/or technology experience that is unique to the position. If you have experience with any of the above, highlight it. Also, look for important information about the type of work you will be doing that is unique to that position. If you have that unique experience or something closely related to it, make sure to feature it on your resume.
When it comes to keeping your resume up-to-date, my tip for you is to keep it current throughout college. It offers a great starting point for catering to your resume if you have an updated copy, but if you don’t, take a look at these pages: Develop Resumes, CV’s, & Cover Letters, Action Verbs List, and Resume Templates to start building yours. Also, the “tasks” section of the occupation on ONET is a great place to start when trying to write better bullets for your job duties.
If you have been updating your “master resume” experience throughout, you will use it as a base to tailor. Place your master resume beside the job description you have just highlighted. Now, check to see where in your experiences you can provide the best examples of the skills, duties, and/or technologies that you highlighted in the job description. Does the master resume do a good job of showing that you are a good match? Does it paint a clear picture that you have the exact experience the company is looking for?
If it is not crystal clear, consider adopting some of the words or phrases in the job description to help paint that clear picture of your fit for the position. Several words can mean the same type of work, but using the job posting’s terminology will eliminate any room for misunderstanding. If the job asks for experience with specific software or a specialized instrument for your field, make sure you name that specifically in your resume.
Once you have tailored your resume, you’re almost ready to apply. There are several websites out there that will scan your resume as an ATS would.
You can copy and paste the job description into the system and upload your resume, and it will give you match rate results. The match rate is calculated based on the frequency matches of the skills, keywords, job title, and education level between the job description and your resume. The recommended “good match” is 80 percent. (Source: JobScan.co)
Then, once you get it to a good match, it’s time to APPLY!
Don’t forget, we’re always here to help you! Danica Ryan is your College of Creative Arts dedicated Career Development Specialist, and she can help you with any step of your resume-writing process.
Cover Letter
Cover Letters are a powerful tool that can sometimes make the difference between you and a similar applicant. Don’t make the mistake of just summarizing your resume – make the most of this valuable professional real estate by highly tailoring your cover letter to each employer and the specific position you are applying to.
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Balanced Cover Letter Comparison with Margin-Style Comments
Disruptive Cover Letter (Story-Driven Approach)
| Paragraph | Why This Works (Strengths)
|
| The first time I helped design content that students actually stopped scrolling for, engagement jumped 25 percent. | Strong opening uses a specific example and metric to engage the reader quickly.
|
| That moment changed how I see creative work. Great design is not just visual. It creates a connection. | Communicates personal perspective, helping the reader understand motivation
and mindset.
|
| As a Graphic Design major with a Marketing minor, I focus on content that aligns with audience behavior and brand voice. | Connects education directly to role-related skills and expectations. |
| I design Instagram content reaching over 3,000 students and prioritize engagement. | Highlights measurable impact, showing outcomes of work. |
| My freelance work shows adaptability through managing projects and delivering client-focused visuals. | Demonstrates transferable skills such as adaptability and client collaboration. |
| At Encova Center, I managed image assets and supported campaign execution. | Shows supporting teamwork skills and attention to detail. |
| I am drawn to this role because of the opportunity to tell stories that build community and engagement. | Creates a clear connection to the organization’s purpose and audience. |
| I welcome the opportunity to contribute my creativity and skills. | Confident and concise closing that reinforces readiness to contribute. |
Traditional Cover Letter (Structured Approach)
| Paragraph | Why This Works (Strengths)
|
| I am writing to express my interest in the Media and Marketing Internship. | Clear and professional opening that immediately states purpose, which is easy
for recruiters to scan.
|
| As a Graphic Design major with a Marketing minor, I am excited about the opportunity. | Establishes qualifications and academic background in a straightforward, organized
manner.
|
| In my role, I create digital content for social media platforms. | Describes responsibilities clearly, which helps demonstrate relevant experience. |
| I design graphics that align with brand standards and increase engagement. | Connects work tasks to outcomes such as engagement, reinforcing relevance to the role. |
| My freelance experience has strengthened my ability to manage projects and meet deadlines. | Emphasizes reliability and time management through project-based experience. |
| During my internship, I supported the marketing team by organizing assets. | Highlights teamwork and support roles, which are important in collaborative environments. |
| I am particularly interested in this opportunity because of the organization’s environment. | Expresses interest in a professional and appropriate tone that aligns with business communication norms. |
| Thank you for your time and consideration. | Polished closing that reflects professionalism and respect for the hiring process. |
In some situations, you may find that an application in a creative field calls for a different kind of cover letter. This is where a “disruptive” cover letter can tell a more personal story an appeal to the human emotions that are evoked in the arts. Work It Daily, gave these 4 steps to writing one:
- Paragraph 1: Tell a Story
- Paragraph 2: Dig Deeper and Get Them Excited About What Comes Next
- Paragraph 3: Hard Hitting Highlights
- Paragraph 4: Say Goodbye While Refreshing Their Memory