Should I customize my CV to specific positions?

You could...

When a Recruiter reviews your resume, they want to know that you understand the requirements for the position you are applying to.

One of the most frustrating things for Recruiters are these many candidates who apply to a crazy number of roles that they are not qualified for.

(Please don’t do that ! It sends very poor signals, and most ATS software shows your application history so it is very obvious).

You could change your resume every time…

In theory, you could change your resume for each application.

It would work in making you seem relevant (provided that you apply to roles that you are qualified for, of course).

…But it will slow you down

However, this would severely hinder your chances in the long run: It is a tedious process, and it would slow down your job search.

Put simply: what you’ll gain in quality, you’ll lose in quantity. This is a problem in today’s extra-competitive market, where the numbers also matter a lot.

You’ll also lose out on extra brownie points !

Another issue with an overly specialized resume, is that it may make you appear overspecialized.

This probably feels counter-intuitive, and you probably heard that being a specialist of a specific domain, platform or tech stack makes you a better candidate.

This is not exactly true. Let me explain...

If you are applying to a front-end role, then yes it is good to show work experience or projects using React.

However, removing what you think may be irrelevant experience, let's say designing schemas for a MongoDB database, will damage your chances.

Here's how Recruiters and Hiring Managers actually think about it:

You do need the core skills required for a specific role. However, they want to see versatility in your profile.

Following our example: they are hiring you for a Front-End role now, but the fact that you can potentially switch teams / speciality later on is a plus.

Also, showing proficiency in working with databases makes you a better Front-End candidate anyways, because you can understand Back-End Devs better.

To all juniors: a company is hiring you for your potential. They care more about your curiosity and ability to learn new things, than in your current technical abilities.

Do this instead

This being said, there's still an opportunity here:

The resume title can be adapted to the job openings you're applying to, which is a neat psychological trick to influence a Recruiter's perception without having to modify the entire resume.

Doing this forces the Recruiter into a confirmation bias, where they will instinctively seek evidence in your resume that supports the first claim made by the resume title.

This ensures that your resume is viewed from a “positive angle”, though again, this is only a small plus.

Free Resume Review !

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You'll get:

1️⃣ Detailed recommendations on how to improve your CV.
2️⃣ Insider secrets on how your resume is reviewed.
3️⃣ Examples of rewriting to see what the work looks like.