Step‑by‑Step Instructions to Target a Resume to a Job Ad

By Patti Lyman, MA, CPRW, CWDP, Employment and Training Consultant  

Targeting your resume to a specific job posting is one of the most effective ways to stand out in today’s competitive hiring process. By aligning your skills and experience with the employer’s needs, you show—clearly and quickly—that you’re a strong match for the role.

1. Print or save the job posting

Have it in front of you so you can mark it up. This becomes your resume outline.

2. Highlight keywords

  • Required skills

  • Preferred skills

  • Job duties

  • Tools, software, or certifications

  • Repeated language or phrases

These are the “must‑have” terms the employer (and often their applicant‑tracking software) will look for.

3. Identify the employer’s priorities

  • What are the top 5–7 skills they mention the most or first?

  • What problems are they trying to solve by hiring this role?

This helps you understand what skills and experience to emphasize in the resume.

4. Match your experience to their needs

Make two lists:

  • Keywords/skills from the job ad

  • Your matching experience, achievements, or duties

If you lack a specific skill, look for transferable skills or similar tasks you’ve done.

5. Rewrite your professional summary

Target so it:

  • Use the employer’s language

  • Highlights your top 2–3 qualifications that match the job ad

  • Shows what value you bring

Avoid generic summaries—make it clearly aligned to this job.

6. Customize your bullet points

Update your work history bullets to:

  • Include keywords from the job ad

  • Emphasize achievements that match their needs

  • Quantify results when possible (saved time, increased accuracy, improved customer satisfaction, etc.)

Resume Rule: If the job ad stresses something, your resume should include it.

  • Never include information that is not true to target your resume

7. Reorder content for maximum impact

Place the most relevant experience and skills:

  • At the top of each section

  • In earlier bullet points

  • In the “Skills” section of your resume

Employers scan resumes fast—make the important skills easy to find so they stand out.

8. Mirror their vocabulary

  • If the job ad says, “case management,” use that wording instead of “client coordination.”

  • If the job ad says. “data entry,” use that instead of “information input.”

Matching terms helps with both human readers and applicant‑tracking systems.

9. Remove irrelevant details

If it doesn’t serve the job you’re applying for:

  • Delete it

  • Shorten it

  • Move it lower in the resume

This creates a clean, focused document.

10. Final check

Before sending, ask yourself:

  • Does my resume clearly show I can perform the duties listed?

  • Does it use the employer’s language?

  • Does it highlight the right accomplishments?

  • Does it look customized, not generic?

If yes, it’s targeted and ready to submit. If no – continue to use the steps above until you can answer yes!

Job Seekers, Resume TipsJessica Mills