My previous post emphasised the importance of tailoring your resume for each job you apply for. Remember, one size does not fit all! Hopefully it got you thinking and making some adjustments.

But, just because something is tailored doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right fit! As well as highlighting your skills, your resume also needs to convince an employer you’re a good match for their organisation.

Wait, what, you’re asking, how the heck do I do that?

First you hop on the company’s website and find out everything you can about them. What’s their mission statement? What are their values? What social media platforms do they use?

Next, you read and re-read the ‘Who You Are’ section of their job advert and highlight key words around the qualities they see in their ideal candidate. Determine what they care about and consider how it reflects your own values.

A good fit happens when your character traits and soft skills blend with the company’s culture. Take the below example:

At Probe Group, we’re powered by passion, driven by curiosity, enriched by a purpose to do it better. We work hard and love a good challenge (or multiple). We are a team who lives Probe’s NEXT (Nimble, Engage, Xtra, Transparent) values. We thrive on solving the tricky stuff and we love to challenge the way things have always been done.

Do they sound like the kind of organisation you’d like to work with? Are you also curious? Do you love a challenge? Do their values sound appealing to you? If you’re thinking “Hell yeah!” then say so. Show on your resume how you have had to be adaptable (nimble). Highlight a time when you needed to give something extra, or why being transparent in your work is important to you.

Showcasing the appropriate skills AND illustrating you’re a good cultural fit will have you suiting up for an interview in no time.

A final top tip in crafting a winning resume – don’t forget to be you. Bring your authentic self, don’t just tell them what they want to hear. You do you best! And, if none of their values resonate with you, do you really want to work there anyway?

Curtin Careers can provide instant feedback! Visit vmock.com/curtin, use [email protected] email to create an account, then upload your resume for immediate feedback with ratings and suggestions.