How to tailor your CV to a job description: a 6-step method
The same CV sent everywhere misses what each employer is looking for. Tailoring your CV doesn’t mean making things up: it means putting forward, for this particular role, what you have already done.
Why tailor your CV to every job?
A recruiter skims a CV with one question in mind: does this person have what this role needs? If the answer is buried at the bottom of page two, or phrased in different words from the job ad, it can easily be missed.
Many employers also screen applications with an applicant tracking system (ATS) that searches for skills and job titles. A tailored CV speaks the same language as the job description, so it is easier to find and quicker to read. See our guide on CVs and applicant tracking systems.
1. Read the job ad like a recruiter
Before you touch your CV, read the job description again and sort what it asks for into three lists:
- Essential requirements: anything marked “required” or “must have”, years of experience, mandatory degrees, licences or certifications.
- Desirable extras: anything “preferred”, “a plus” or “nice to have”.
- Responsibilities: what the person will do day to day. They tell you which experience to highlight.
Note the exact words used along the way: the job title (“Talent Acquisition Partner” rather than “Recruiter”), tools, methods, industries. These are the words you will reuse, wherever they truly describe your background. Watch for spelling variants too: a UK ad may say “organisation” or “programme”, a US one “organization” or “program”.
2. Use the job title in your headline
The headline at the top of your CV is the first thing a recruiter reads. If it matches your experience, reuse the title from the job ad, adding a specialism or your years of experience if useful.
| Job ad | Generic headline | Tailored headline |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Marketing Executive | Marketing professional | Digital Marketing Executive — 5 years agency-side |
| Backend Java Developer | Software developer | Backend Java Developer (Spring Boot) |
| Accounts Payable Clerk | Finance administrator | Accounts Payable Clerk — month-end close and supplier reconciliations |
3. Rewrite your summary for this role
The professional summary (or “personal statement” in the UK) runs to two to four lines. For a given job, it answers three questions: who you are professionally, what you can do that matters for this role, and a result or context that proves it.
Digital Marketing Executive with 5 years’ agency experience working with retail brands. I run social media and email campaigns end to end, from content planning to monthly performance reports. Used to working closely with product teams and managing paid media budgets on a monthly basis.
4. Highlight the right experience
You don’t have to change the reverse-chronological order of your jobs, but you do choose what you say about each one. For every role, put first the achievements that match the responsibilities in the ad, and shorten the ones that aren’t relevant.
- Start each bullet point with an action verb (“led”, “set up”, “reduced”).
- Give a measurable result whenever you have one: the XYZ formula helps you phrase it.
- Reuse the wording of the job ad when it describes what you actually did.
5. Reorder your skills
Put the skills the job ad mentions first, using the same name (“Excel” and “spreadsheets” aren’t always treated as the same thing by software). A skill the ad doesn’t mention can stay, further down; a skill you don’t have should never appear.
6. Check language, length and file
- Language: a job ad written in another language often calls for a CV in that language, section headings included.
- Length: it depends on the country and your experience — a UK CV usually runs to two pages, a US resume is often kept to one. See how long a CV should be.
- Personal details: in the UK and the US, leave out your photo, date of birth and marital status; your name, phone, email and town are enough.
- File: a PDF whose text can be selected, with a clear name (“CV Firstname Lastname Company.pdf”).
- Proofreading: every sentence must still be true. A recruiter can ask for an example of any line.
Mistakes to avoid
- Copying the job ad: pasting whole sentences from the ad is obvious straight away and says nothing about you.
- Adding skills “for the software”: a keyword you can’t back up will cost you the interview.
- Keeping one “universal” CV: it is longer, less clear, and doesn’t answer any job in particular.
- Losing your master CV: keep a complete version of your whole background. That’s the one you tailor each time, without losing anything.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to tailor a CV?
By hand, the longest part is building a complete master CV; after that, each job means rereading the ad, adapting the headline and summary, then sorting experience and skills. A tool like Trakrio suggests a tailored version in a few seconds, which you then review.
Is tailoring your CV the same as lying?
No, as long as you only choose and reword what you have really done. Lying would be adding a degree, an employer, a skill or a level you don’t have.
Should I tailor my cover letter too?
Yes: it should talk about this company and this role. See our guide on writing a cover letter.
Is there a difference between a CV and a resume?
In everyday use, “CV” is the usual word in the UK, Ireland and much of Europe, while “resume” is the usual word in the US and Canada for the same short document. In the US, a “CV” more often means a long academic record. The tailoring method is the same.
Should I change my CV design for each job?
Rarely. Content is what counts; keep a clean, readable layout, except in creative fields where the CV also works as a showcase.