Targeted Resumes and Cover Letters Could Improve Your Job Search

When writing a resume and cover letter, there is always that temptation to use a template or carbon-copy of another you've found or written. However, this is not the best practice because every job you apply for is different, meaning every resume and cover letter you write should be different as well.

You want each document to contain new information, reflecting the uniqueness of the position you're applying for. This is why if you're not working with a resume writer then it's a good idea to learn to create both targeted resumes and cover letters.

What Are Targeted Resumes and Cover Letters?

Targeted resumes and cover letters are versions of the documents that focus specifically on the companies you're applying with. You may be used to relying on good-looking templates that allow you to fill in the blanks, but this practice creates an impersonal version of what should be your personal career accomplishments, skills, and goals. While there's nothing wrong with considering a few design ideas, the majority of content in both your resume and cover letter should be 100% original and focus specifically on each company you submit to.

Research is Necessary

In order to write a targeted resume and cover letter you're going to need to conduct some research, on the company, the specific position, and yourself. Researching companies nowadays is pretty easy because much of their information is contained on their website, or press releases you can find online. You want to learn about the company's mission so that you can align your goals with it.

For the position, you can read the job posting description, as well as any other information found about similar positions to help you determine what skills you have that match the needs of the job. In researching yourself, you need to take a long hard look at what you've accomplished in your career, how it applies to this job, and whether you're really right for it (do you really want it?).

After you've completed your research, you can apply quality resume and cover letter writing rules to develop great documents for submission. Yes, writing targeted resumes and cover letters can take a little extra time to research and write, but the care you put into targeting them to each company could easily translate into a greater opportunity for an interview, and maybe a job.