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91% of recruiters prefer job seekers with relevant professional experience. So having a high-impact resume job description (or work experience section) will get you a job.
Unfortunately, if you don’t have the specific experiences and skills recruiters are looking for in your resume, easily go to the discard pile. (Yes, even when you’re the most qualified person for the job!)
That’s why writing a top-notch resume job description or experience section isn’t enough. You should also tailor the job description on your resume (and your entire resume, for that matter) to the job you’re applying for.
We understand how hard it is to be rejected and ghosted without any explanation. So we created this guide to arm you with the best tools to help you land a job.
In this article, you’ll see:
- What a resume job description is
- How your job descriptions help you get more interviews
- How to tailor your resume to the job description
- How to write a personalized job description for your resume
- Custom Job Description Examples for Resume
Save time and energy by optimizing your resume for the keywords recruiters search for. Try Jobscan’s resume optimization tool!
What is a resume description?
The job description section of your resume (work experience, work history, or qualifications section). job responsibilities) shows recruiters and hiring managers that you have what it takes to do the job right. It’s the heart of your resume where you show what you have under your belt: your previous work experiences, volunteer work, community service, projects, internships, and other relevant professional experiences and accomplishments.
The job description section of your resume should contain the following:
- Job Title
- Company Name
- Company Location
- Dates Employed
- Measurable Achievements
How Your Job Descriptions Help You Get More Interviews
The best way to get a job is to reinforce the job description of your resume with key achievements. This is how the job description on your resume moves the needle in your job search.
- A well-written job description on your resume establishes your credibility with potential employers. It shows them what you bring to the table and why you’re the perfect match for the job.
- It’s a billboard of your skills, experiences, accomplishments, growth potential, and career path.
- Shows recruiters and potential employers that once hired, you can start the ball rolling right away without much help or training on their part.
While writing A solid job description or work experience section is important, it’s not enough. You need to make sure your resume job description is optimized for ATS and contains specific skills and keywords that recruiters want. And the sure way to do that is by tailoring the job description on your resume to the specific job you’re applying for.
Pro tip: Optimizing the experience section is only one piece of the puzzle. You also need to streamline the rest of your resume and tailor it to the job description you’re interested in.
The Secret Sauce: Tailor Your Resume to the Job Description or Job Posting
Tailoring your resume shows recruiters that you are a seasoned professional. More importantly, it shows them that you’re the perfect fit for this role.
Ready to take the plunge? Start customizing your resume now.
What does it mean to match your resume to the job description?
For most job openings, recruiters want candidates with a particular skill set to perform specific tasks. Tailoring your resume is about acknowledging those skills and responsibilities in the job description and making it obvious that you’re up for the task.
Your goal is to draw the shortest possible line between your professional experience and what is stated in the job description.
- A job posting says, “These are the skills we need and the qualifications we’re looking for.”
- A generic job description on a resume reads, “I have all this experience. I’ll leave it up to you to determine if I’m capable of doing the job.”
- A custom resume job description reads, “Here’s an easy-to-read roadmap of where I acquired and developed each of your required skills and qualifications.”
A personalized resume beats ATS
Tailoring your resume optimizes it for the applicant tracking systems (ATS) used by 99% of Fortune 500 companies.
For example, the most popular ATS, Taleo, automatically grades and ranks your resume based on how well you match the job description. the job.If you applied through an ATS, there’s a good chance your generic resume wasn’t even read.
How to Write a Custom Job Description for Your Resume
Write A custom resume job description that beats ATS and appeals to recruiters is doable. This is how it does it:
1. Use the top half of the first page of your resume
Along with your contact information and resume summary, your job description is one of the first things recruiters and hiring managers read on your resume.
Since it only takes about 7 seconds before you’re discarded or moved to the next round, it’s imperative that you put your experience section in the top half of your resume.
2. Check the specific job description of the position
Go through the job description line by line and ask yourself these questions:
- “Does the experience section of my resume clearly state that I can I do what is required of this role?”
- “Am I using the same language that is in the job description or job posting?”
By doing this, you may find several different or missing skills and keywords on your generic resume.
3. Start with basic details
Be specific. The hiring manager should know exactly what he did at his past or current employers so he can get a full understanding of her employment history.
Begin each job description on your resume with essential information about the job and the company: your official title, the name and address of the company, and the period you worked there.
4. Match skills and keywords from the job description
Reflecting the language, keywords, and buzzwords found in the job description is the easiest way to demonstrate that you are a better combination than the competition.
The best way to ensure you pass the ATS is to take words from the job ad and strategically place them in your job descriptions and other sections of your resume. But make sure you don’t fill your resume with too many keywords.
5. Clearly List Your Job Title
Recruiters will first look for people who have done the job before, so clearly list your job titles. If you haven’t had the job before, please list it under your name at the top or as part of your summary section. When possible, match your job title to the job posting.
6. Focus on skills and quantify your accomplishments
Be selective about what you include. Emphasize your accomplishments over job responsibilities.
Use numbers and action verbs to describe your role and responsibilities. Action verbs are great for conveying your leadership potential and work well for impressing hiring managers.
Read:
- What to Do When You Don’t Have Numbers for Your Achievements
- The Simple Formula for Identifying Your Key Achievements on a resume
7. Don’t Lie
Emphasizing or de-emphasizing skills on your resume is not the same as lying on your resume (which we definitely don’t suggest). Few applicants have all the skills and meet all the requirements. Tailoring your resume is all about making sure the recruiter or hiring manager notices the ones you have.
Samples of Custom Job Descriptions on Resume
Here are some sample job descriptions job, sample job experience sections (resume job descriptions) tailored to the specific job and what you can mimic about them.
Sales Manager
Sample Job Description
Sales Manager Resume Job Description (Work Experience)
Why this is a good resume job description:
- The job seeker clearly and specifically described Tell you key responsibilities and major accomplishments.
- The job seeker used sales metrics and shared how he is always looking to constantly improve his leadership and communication skills.
- she referred to his experience leading a sales team, which is a key attribute the company looks for.
- she Matched the keywords found in the job posting.
Accountant
Sample Job Description
Accountant Resume Job Description (Work Experience)
Why this is a good job description for resume:
- Job applicant specifically mentioned being able to reduce company costs and develop internal controls.She quantified her key accomplishments at ABC Company.
- The job seeker described her accounting software proficiency and mentioned what software she knows how to use. Recruiters can filter candidates by specifying the type of software the company uses.
- The job seeker matched the keywords GAAP and FASB, but she spelled them out and added the acronyms. This is strategic because it is unknown if recruiters will filter their search using the long form or acronym of a specific skill or experience.
SEO Specialist
Example Description job
SEO Specialist Resume Job Description (Work Experience)
Why this is a good resume job description:
- The job seeker matches keywords exactly what is in the job description. Some of the relevant keywords are incorporated into their Content Writing experience.
- The job seeker wrote quantified achievements such as increased website traffic.
- The person job seeker was careful about what he included in his work experience section. Everything is well thought out, concise, and specific.
Executive Assistant
Sample Job Description
Executive Assistant Resume Job Description (Work Experience)
Why this is a good resume job description:
- The job seeker incorporated keywords into the job description on his resume.
- Wrote a specific metric for your key achievement as an executive assistant.
- You also mentioned the number of supervisors you worked closely with and supported.
- You matched the skills exactly as they are in the job description (for example, customer service details, organizational skills, interpersonal skills).
Customer Service Representative
Sample Job Description
Customer Service Representative Resume Job Description (Work Experience)
Why this is a good job description for a resume:
- Job seeker matched the words key and relevant skills to be found they go in the job description.
- The job seeker mentioned that he was the best customer service representative of the year for 5 years in a row. This says a lot about your work ethic and competence.
- You included a quantified key accomplishment and wrote your work experience section clearly and concisely.
Pro Tip: When applying for multiple jobs, make sure your resume is customized for each job application.
Incorporating relevant keywords and phrases into the job posting isn’t limited to the job description of your resume or to the work experience section. . You can include optimized keywords in the other sections of your resume. Learn how to create your killer resume in our step-by-step guide.
Key takeaways
The job description of your resume (work experience, work history, section job responsibilities) ) is an essential part of your resume. Use this property to show recruiters that you have what it takes to do the job right.
Here are some takeaways from resume job descriptions:
- Include quantified accomplishments and specific responsibilities in your resume job description (work experience).
- Tailor your work experience section to the job description for which you are applying.
- Personalize your resume for every job application you submit.
- Optimizing your entire resume for the specific job will help you pass the ATS and land your dream job.
- Try Jobscan’s resume optimization tool and don’t miss out on the specific skills and accomplishments recruiters and hiring managers are looking for.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does it mean to match your resume to the job description?
Tailoring your resume is about acknowledging the skills and responsibilities in the job description and making it clear that you’re up for the task.You can do this by incorporating key skills and keywords into the job description on your resume.
What is the best resume job description format?
The job description Job on your resume or work experience section should be in reverse chronological format. This means that you start with your most recent job and work backward for each subsequent job.
How far back should the work experience section of your resume go?
For most In all industries, you can list the last 10 to 15 years of your employment history on your resume.
Read: How far back should a resume go?
How would you describe your work experience on a resume?
Include your official title, the name and address of the previous company, and the period you worked there.
What are hard or technical skills on your resume?
Hard Las Skills are one of the most important keywords on the resume. These are technical skills learned through experience (for example, project management, knowledge of software or tools, reception, certifications, writing or payroll). Whether a recruiter is flipping through your resume or an ATS is poring over it, technical skills will help grab their attention. Match them verbatim with the job description when possible.
What skills should you include in your job description for your resume?
Pay special attention to the skills listed first or several times. Begin each new job entry in your work experience section with the skills and qualifications found in the job description, even if they were not the most important part of your daily responsibilities when you were on the job.
How do you tailor your resume for a career change?
Follow the same process of leading with keywords from the job description on your career change resume. Chances are many skills from your old career are transferable to your new one. Be sure to provide context and translate phrases to match preferred terminology from the job description when necessary.
The summary section of your resume is going to be your best friend when looking to change careers. This area of a resume is your opportunity to explain your experience and how your existing skills will make you a great candidate for this new career.
How can you tailor your resume if you are a recent graduate with no experience? ?
If you recently graduated and don’t have a lot of experience to share on your resume, you can include volunteer work, projects, and internships.
Read: How to Write a resume with no experience
What are some other tips on how to tailor your resume to the job description?
- A generic resume is about you > while a custom resume is focused on them (and everyone wants it to be about them).
- Using bullet points instead of large paragraphs in your resume will make your grades Matching skills are easier to read.
- Corporate recruiters prefer to see skills in context. If they see a skill on your resume, they need to understand how and why you used it.
- Describe your accomplishments using data where possible with dollar amounts, percentages, or other measurables to prove your effectiveness.
- Tailoring your resume is also about removing information that distracts from your core skills. Look at each line of your resume through the lens of “Is this necessary to show that I’m perfectly qualified for this job?”
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Get help customizing your resume
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Manually tailoring your resume takes a lot of work. That’s why Jobscan created tools that speed up this process.
With Power Edit, the most important skills and keywords that are missing from your resume are update while you work.
Simply upload your resume, paste your job description, follow the keywords and formatting suggestions, watch your score go up, and then export your personalized resume.
Dynamic personalization resume, ATS optimization and formatting all in one place with Power Edit. For a closer look, check out this video.
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