How to tailor your CV for every application in 15 minutes

Sending the same CV to every employer is the most common reason good candidates get overlooked. The fix doesn't have to take long.

1. Pull out the keywords

Read the advert and highlight the skills, tools and qualifications it mentions more than once. These are what recruiters and screening software look for first.

2. Rewrite your summary

Change the two or three lines at the top of your CV so they speak directly to the role, using the same language as the advert.

3. Reorder your achievements

Move the bullet points that best match the job to the top of each role. Add numbers wherever you can: team sizes, budgets, targets hit.

4. Cut what doesn't help

Remove older or unrelated detail so the most relevant experience stands out. Two pages is plenty for most roles.