Targeted Resume - Examples, Template, & How to Write

What’s a targeted resume?

A targeted resume is a resume that emphasizes qualifications that are relevant to a specific job. You need to write a resume specifically targeted to each job you apply for because doing so:

• helps your application get past applicant tracking systems (ATS), which reject resumes that don’t match job requirements
• shows hiring managers how your skills and expertise make you a perfect fit for the role
• increases your chances of landing an interview

Read on to view targeted resume examples, download a targeted resume template, and learn how to write a resume tailored to a specific job.

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Targeted Resume Examples & Template

Whether you’re looking for targeted resume examples for inspiration or a targeted resume template you can fill in, we’ve got you covered with our:

• targeted resume example for applicants without experience
• targeted resume example for experienced workers
• targeted resume template

1. Targeted Resume Example for Applicants Without Experience

Even if you don’t have any professional experience, you can make a targeted resume by describing your job-relevant:

• skills
• training
• coursework
• extracurricular activities
• volunteer work 
• internship experience

Here’s an ad for an entry-level graphic designer job (we used italicized, bold, and colored underlines to indicate the information applicants should target in their resumes):

And this is an example of a resume with italicized, bold, and colored underlines to show how the applicant tailored their content to the job ad above:

2. Targeted Resume Example for Experienced Workers

This is an ad for an open marketing position that requires an experienced professional — note the resume keywords and phrases in bold, italicized, and colored underlines:

Now here’s a targeted resume written for the above job, with colored underlines and bold/italicized text showing how the applicant emphasized their job-specific information:

3. Targeted Resume Template

Below is a targeted resume template you can use to customize your resume to each job you apply for. You can download it as a Word document or copy the text version to paste into your preferred text editing program:

Download Targeted Resume Template for Microsoft Word

How to write a targeted resume

Here’s how to tailor your resume to your target position:

1. Carefully review the job description to see which skills and qualifications are needed for the role
2. Note the skills-based keywords and phrases in the job ad (you could write them down or copy the job ad and highlight them in your word processor)
3. Describe how you’ve used the skills the company needs to produce good results in each part of your resume, using the exact keywords and phrases from the job description

Leave off skills and experience that don’t apply to the job opening. Irrelevant details read as filler information to hiring managers, who care most about the achievements on your resume.

Resume examples for different industries

Not sure what your resume should look like? The best way to learn is by taking inspiration from resume examples written by other candidates in your industry.

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