3 Ways to Tailor Your Resume for an Employer

If you're not tailoring your resume to a specific job, it could be why you're not getting any responses to your application.

It's long been said that hiring managers don't spend more than seconds looking at a resume, and if they don't see details that match their needs, they move on.

But how do you tailor a resume for a specific job?

Here are some things to consider:

1. Use keywords. These are often the qualifications listed in a job posting, such as a "team player," or "proficient in Excel." Since many companies now use applicant tracking software (ATS) to initially screen resumes, leaving out these terms could get your resume eliminated by a computer. Also remember that hiring managers are much more likely to be receptive to your resume when you're using language that is familiar to them -- such as the qualifications posted in the job ad.

2. Show your knowledge of the company's culture. If you know, for example, that the company is pushing sustainability efforts or dedication to the arts, try to include skills or experience that highlight your own abilities in this area. You might include community volunteer efforts to clean up waterways or that you teach an art class to inner-city youth on the weekends. Most companies post about their culture through their websites or their online social media feeds.

3. Tap your network. It makes much more sense to find a connection to an employer through your network than just hitting "send" and hoping your resume gets seen by someone at the company. Look at your LinkedIn connections and type in the company's name -- does anyone pop up? Maybe someone's brother-in-law works at the company or a former classmate now works there or knows someone who does? Mine Facebook and Twitter to see if you've got any connections.