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You’ve found a post for a job you’d like to pursue…and this time, you’re serious. You know this position is meant for you, and you can feel your heart speed up a bit as you read through each detail of the job description. You have at least half of the qualifications you need (if not all of them), and after a quick review of the company’s website, you already have a sense of its culture and you can easily envision yourself in this workplace.

But you also know this job will be very popular, and you know that your resume may disappear in an avalanche of applications from candidates with similar qualifications. So what can you do to stand out? Here are three resume moves that may be worth a few extra minutes of time and effort.

Want it More

You may not have a better education or more years of experience than your competitors, but here’s one thing you have that they don’t: Desire. And a willingness to invest a little extra time in the application process. Most job seekers (including you, probably), use a template resume and cover letter, standard boilerplates that they customize for each application by tweaking the introductory sentence and a few other key details. You probably do this for most of the applications you submit.

But this time, forget the template. Go all out. Customize your entire letter and resume for this job only. Rewrite them from the ground up with a tone and style that fits this company’s culture, and include specific details from the job post and specific projects you know you’ll be working on if you’re hired.

Use What You Know

Tailor your summary section to show a clear alignment between your personal needs and the needs of the company. Use keywords and phrases drawn directly from the post, and make sure you use identical wording to describe your certifications, skill sets and credentials. If you aren’t sure about a specific detail regarding the kinds of traits and qualifications these people might be looking for, don’t guess. Do some focused online research and find out.

Follow Up Like Crazy

After you tailor your entire application to this job and this job alone, launch a follow-up campaign like these employers have never seen. Every serious, passionate applicant will follow-up with polite respectful emails and phone calls…but your professionalism, competence and relentlessness will exceed them all.

For more information on how to customize your resume and grab the employer attention you need, reach out to the staffing professionals at Expert.

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