How to tailor your CV to a job advert
Updated 1 November 2026
Sending the same CV to every job is the most common reason good candidates are overlooked. A tailored CV does not mean writing a new one each time. It means changing a few key places so the employer sees at once that you fit this role.
Step 1: read the advert and mark what matters
Read the advert twice. Underline the duties, the required skills, the tools and the qualifications. The things mentioned first, or mentioned more than once, are usually the most important.
Step 2: match your summary to the role
Rewrite the first three or four lines so they describe you as the person the advert is looking for, using the job title and the main skills. Keep every word true.
Step 3: bring the best evidence to the top
- Move the experience that matches the job to the top of each role.
- Add detail where the advert asks for something you have done, and shorten what is not relevant.
- Reorder your skills so the ones named in the advert come first.
Step 4: check it honestly
Read each line and ask: could I explain this in an interview? If not, change it. A tailored CV should make your real strengths easier to see. It should not claim things you have not done.
Step 5: match the cover letter
Use the same job title, and one or two of the same examples, in your cover letter. The CV and the letter should tell the same story.
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Tailor my CV to a jobCommon questions
How long does tailoring a CV take?
Done by hand, about twenty to thirty minutes per application. Remarkable CV does this for you when you paste the advert.
Do I need a different CV for each job?
You need a version for each type of job. The summary and the order of your points should change to fit each advert.
Can I add skills I do not have to match the advert?
No. Only list what you can do and have done, because interviewers will ask about it.