PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Tailor Your Application Materials to Rise Above the Competition
By Erin Wolfram and Melissa Johnson
When applying for jobs , it is important to know your job target and to tailor your resume and cover letter to each position . Although this can be time consuming , taking a more active approach to submitting applications will optimize your documents to demonstrate your interest in the position , highlight your unique qualifications , and ultimately help you rise above the competition .
TAILORING YOUR RESUME Once you have an updated version of your resume that demonstrates your key skills , strengths and accomplishments , you will want to make adjustments to your document to tailor it toward specific positions . The following are a few tips on how you can effectively tailor your resume .
Review the job description For each job , print out a copy of the position description and highlight the following :
The required and preferred qualifications that match your experience and background .
The skills , knowledge and abilities included in the job description that you also possess .
Align your qualifications When you are done , a majority of the job description should be highlighted , which means you are highly qualified . Now you just need to prove it by aligning your qualifications with the content in the position description .
Compare your annotated job description to your resume , and , if needed , adjust your
36 SportsField Management | September 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com