5 Reasons Why You Should Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter

Sending out a generic CV and cover letter to every job you apply for just won’t do. It’s like sending the same gift to several people. Extremely disappointing.

Employers should get excited when they read your application. They should want to hire you. The best way to do that is to tailor your CV and cover letter for each application. 

You’ve probably heard all about tailoring your CV and might think it takes the long way around. But the truth is, there are so many fantastic reasons why you should.

So, we’ve broken it down. Here are five reasons why you should tailor your CV and cover letter…

• You stand out from the rest
• You have the time to show off your skills and experience
• It shows you care about the role you’ve applied for
• You’ll save time and energy
• Avoid application rejection

---

---

1. You stand out from the rest

You’re probably tired of the above phrase, but it’s so true and super important.

A CV and cover letter that uses the correct keywords and skills, addresses a hiring manager personally and draws upon relevant experience will outshine any old, regurgitated CV.

When an employer takes notice of your CV and cover letter, it’ll greatly increase your chances of getting the job.

---

---

2. You have time to show off your skills and experience

Customising your CV and cover letter to suit the job you’re applying for lets you show off the relevant skills and experience.

Which, in turn, allows you to show a potential employer that you’re a strong candidate.

A regular CV will list the usual buzzwords that you’d think most employers would want to see. That’s a huge no-no. Instead, use the keywords and skills required/desired in the job description and show how your experience and skill set match that.

---

Need help during your job hunt? We have TONS of application advice to help you secure your dream role. Click below for more.

---

3. It shows you care about the role you’ve applied for

Think of it like saving for that incredibly rare Taylor Swift vinyl record you really wanted. You save and save some more, and then before you know it – it’s in your hands. It’s a little like that with applying for a placement or internship.

When you put in the effort to research the role and the company and then use that in your CV and cover letter, it shows the employer that you want the job and can do it.

---

Want to set yourself up for success in any future work experience application? Sign up to our FREE Career Coaching Course, a four-day virtual programme in October, to upskill yourself on CVs, applications and interviews.

---

4. You’ll save time and energy

It’ll be much more stressful and time-consuming to send similar CVs and cover letters and get zero responses than to tailor them and send off a solid application.

Focusing on tailoring your CV and cover letter takes less time than you would think. You concentrate on getting the correct information in there rather than everything that’s not relevant.

Go for quality, not quantity. Plus, you’ll save a lot of time by applying for the right roles.

---

---

5. Avoid application rejection

Have you ever applied for a job and received a rejection email almost immediately after you sent it? Many companies use screening tools to help filter out applications that have used the keywords they’re looking for and rejected the rest.

The great thing is, it’s totally avoidable. Keywords will be your best friend. Use them.

---

Reviews are a marvellous way of discovering the key skills you need for a job. We have over 70,000 student-written reviews to help you along the way.

---

---

Applications can be really overwhelming, but doing the above can seriously put you at an advantage, so it’s more than worth it if it means snapping up your dream role. Good luck!

---