Resume-Job Description Matching: Get More Interviews

You won't get noticed in today's competitive job market by sending the same resume for every job. Eventually, you will get noticed when you make your resume match the job description to highlight the right skills, experiences, and results. This process is known as resume optimization or job description matching, and it increases the salability of your resume. It helps you to get through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used by nearly 99% of Fortune 500 companies (1). Using the correct keywords and focusing on the skills from the job description show that you would be a strong candidate, increasing your chances of getting an interview.

Decoding Job Descriptions

To write your resume such that it speaks to recruiters, you must carefully analyze the requirements under the posted job description. Look for the must-have requirements and qualifications, but also look for clues to soft skills, as well as hidden keywords. Also, try to identify clues about the company's values and expectations that can be indicated when you match your resume up to it. Without committing plagiarism, your resume becomes more customized and potentially impactful on the reader's perception.

How to decipher a job description:

Identify Must-Have Skills and Qualifications: Check where the skills and requirements required in the job brief are commonly articulated.
Look for repeated Keywords and Action Verbs: Follow words that appear repeatedly and look for strong action verbs to include your resume.
Review the Company Values and Culture: You may want to explore a company's mission and values and think how you can articulate them in your resume.
Make note of Tools, Technologies, and Methods noted: If there is relevant Software, tools, or industry techniques that you use or know about, add them to your knowledge base.

Pro Tip: Decompress job responsibilities into hard skills, soft skills, and qualifications. That way you can build your resume around them—and emphasize your experience in a way that is expanded to demonstrate how you will be able to contribute value in the role.

Resume Keyword Optimization: Getting Pass the ATS Gatekeepers

ATS software is used to scan resumes for unique keywords/phrases. For you to get through these systems, you want to have the proper industry terminology, skills, and action verbs in your resume that correspond with the job description. In other words, the more industry keywords & skill sets that you include on your resume, the more ATS optimization you will have and the less likely your resume will get tossed out without anyone looking at it.

Best Practices to Optimize your Resume for ATS Include:

Include Exact Terms from the Job Description: Keywords should be verbatim to warrant ATS recognition.
Highlight Hard Skills and Results: Make it clear what skills you possess and what you achieved while using those specific skills.
Do Not Use Graphs or Tables: ATS systems may not be able to reproduce the image properly; therefore, only use the plain-text version of words or phrases.
Use the Appropriate File Format: Always save a resume as a PDF or DOCX to ensure reader-friendly formatting.

Pro Tip: Recruiters will often sift through up to 1,000 applications and then narrow their selections down based on certain terms (2).

Beyond Keywords: Showcasing Your Skills and Experience

Although keywords are critical for ATS, recruiters want to see how your skills yield results. Instead of simply stating skills, share your achievements and how they relate to the job requirements.

How to Highlight Your Skills:

Add a Skills section: List your hard and soft skills that pertain to the position.
Use Action Words when describing your Work Experience: Describe your accomplishments using strong verbs and state results.
Show examples of Soft Skills: Give details of examples that show your teamwork, leadership, or problem-solving ability.

Pro Tip: Use language and tone that reflect the company's culture so a recruiter can see you will fit in!

Quantifying Your Achievements: Demonstrating Your Impact

Hiring managers value data, and including specific numbers and outcomes in your résumé not only enhances the ability to validate your contributions but adds to the impact of your résumé. Being quantifiable is differentiating. In fact, 86% of the résumés we reviewed included no quantifiable achievements (3).

How to Include Numbers:

Use Statistics, Percentages or KPIs: Indicate measurable achievements.
Include Timeframes: Indicate how quickly or efficiently the accomplishments were achieved.
Focus on Results: Highlight results that are relevant to the employer's goals.

Example: "Improved processes resulting in a 15% cost reduction in six months."

Tailoring Your Resume: Customizing for Every Application

Use Resumatch.io to streamline and improve the resume matching process. Resumatch.io offers powerful functionality so job seekers can build and customize their applications:

AI resume builder from scratch: Build a formal resume if you are starting from scratch.
AI resume feedback: Quickly get feedback and improvement tips with AI analysis.
Job-matched resume: Match a resume to a job description in 1-click.
AI mock interviews: Enhance your interview performance with AI-assisted mock interview sprints.
Resume job search: Search for jobs related to the content of the resume.
AI cover letter generator: Generate cover letters related to your resume and the job you intend.

These tools not only save time but increase your likelihood of securing interviews by providing resumes that are matched, relevant, and optimized!

Resume Matching Tools and Technologies

The work of resume matching tools is to help you customize your resume. They not only provide you with the right keywords to use but also ensure your resume meets the requirements of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). They do this by analyzing your resume against the job description and provide recommendations for improvement.

Below are some of the top resume matching tools:

Resumatch.io: will help you customize your resume for specific job descriptions by focusing on the right keywords.
Jobscan: allows you to compare your resume to job postings and will give you recommendations for improving your ATS score.
Zety: has resume-friendly templates and provides guidance for ensuring your resume job application meets industry standards.

Why use resume matching tools?

Save Time: Find the keywords you want more quickly.
Improve ATS Score: Give your resume a better chance of passing ATS Filters.
Get Useful Tips: To help you improve your resume with personalized recommendations.
Improve Customization: Make it easier and more effective to customize your resume for the position and the company.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Resume Matching

Mistake	Description	Solution
Overusing Keywords	Overloading your resume with keywords can appear unnatural and may be penalized by ATS.	Use keywords thoughtfully and contextually.
Using Generic Summaries	A one-size-fits-all summary fails to capture specific qualifications.	Tailor your summary to align with the job description.
Ignoring Soft Skills	Focusing solely on hard skills overlooks your interpersonal abilities.	Balance both hard and soft skills to present a well-rounded profile.
Not Proofreading	Typos and errors can undermine your professionalism.	Thoroughly proofread your resume to ensure accuracy.

Pro Tip: Grammatical errors, typos, and formatting inconsistencies can damage your credibility (4).

Conclusion: Your Path to Career Success

In the job sector where competition stiffens each day, a resume matching the job description stands the chance of being the only available option to guarantee your candidacy. Resume optimization, keyword research, and resume tailoring in consideration of the specific needs of each role mean that you are selling yourself as a candidate in tune with the employer's requirements. Careful examination of the job descriptions in the market, the strategic use of keywords, and an effective showcase of your achievements will not only ensure that this tactic will increase your chances of landing interviews but also keep you on the road to career improvement.

Want to give your resume a new twist? Get started with Resumatch.io today.

FAQs About Resume Matching and Optimization

What is resume matching and why is it important? Resume matching helps fit one's resume into a certain job description with the aim of targeting all relevant skills and experiences. It enhances the chance of clearing the ATS filters within the recruiting system so as to attract recruiters.

How does ATS optimization help my job search? By ensuring a good scan of the resume at an automated stage, the chances for the job profile to be shortlisted for interviews are increased.

How can I find the right keywords? Carefully read the job posting and identify frequently mentioned skills, tasks, and tools.

Which resume parts should I tailor? Update your summary, work experience, and skills. Also consider aligning certifications and achievements.

Can resume tools help with this? Yes, tools like Resumatch.io help compare your resume with job descriptions and suggest improvements.

How often should I update my resume? Ideally, customize it for every job application to reflect specific role requirements.

Should I include numbers in my achievements? Yes, quantifying your accomplishments makes them more credible and impactful.

What mistakes should I avoid? Avoid stuffing keywords, using generic summaries, ignoring soft skills, and leaving typos.