Read the advert like a checklist
Highlight the role title, required skills, tools, industry words, responsibilities, and qualifications. These are clues about what the recruiter and ATS may look for.
Then compare those clues with your real experience.
Change the top third first
The profile, target role, and top skills often matter most because recruiters scan quickly. Adjust those sections so the CV immediately feels relevant to the role.
Keep it truthful and specific. A small focused change can be stronger than rewriting the whole CV.
Save role-specific versions
If you apply for different types of roles, keep separate CV versions. For example: admin CV, customer service CV, developer CV, project coordinator CV, or remote jobs CV.
This prevents the common mistake of sending one generic CV everywhere.
Quick checklist
- Copy the job title style where it truthfully fits.
- Move the most relevant skills higher.
- Rewrite the profile for the target role.
- Choose achievements that match the advert.
- Save the tailored version before applying.