The term ‘tailor’ from the clothing industry has come to be used in recruiting. We all know that tailors can transform a piece of fabric into beautiful clothing.
If you paid a visit to a local tailor and asked them to make a garment for you, what would they do? They would take your measurements, note these down and only then start to make the outfit.
Their goal is to make an outfit that fits you perfectly and makes you look and feel unique. What about if you visited a tailor and they simply selected a size for you using a template? Would this differ from those clothes sold by retailers? Of course, the clothing may fit, but it won’t sit perfectly, being either perhaps a little too big or too small.
The same idea applies when designing a resume and cover letter for a specific job application. Tailoring these ensures their correspondence with the requirements of the organization featured in the job description.
At DevelopmentAid, we play the role of a tailor, making your resume and cover letter look unique and ensuring that it fits with the job announcement you find attractive. Learn how and why we do this.
A resume and cover letter help you to stand out
You want to stand out whether it’s during interviews, focus groups, or even when your application is being analyzed. That is how the brain works – people will not think about something or somebody they can’t even recall.
By making your resume and cover letter specific to the position you’re seeking, you can tie a story to it. Some recruiters argue that a cover letter that takes the shape of a short essay and connects your experience to the organization’s brand may help them to process an applicant’s background more quickly and in a better way. This will clearly distinguish your resume and cover letter from those of the other contenders.
Pros of tailoring your resume and cover letter
Increase the possibility of the hiring manager noticing your accomplishments with a professionally tailored cover letter and CV. This also needs to refer to talents you have honed at your most recent internship or employment that will meet their company’s needs.
A cover letter may not be necessary in only a couple of situations:
- if the job description advises this is not required
- if the application form has no option to upload a cover letter.
There are several reasons why you need a cover letter:
- For the most part, job openings call for a cover letter. Note that even if your cover letter will not be read by a recruiter, its absence may be considered a red flag.
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- There is a high chance that recruiters will read the cover letter carefully if they’re debating over a candidate.
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- A cover letter shows that you have gone above and beyond. It communicates to recruiters your potential and your sincere interest in the position.
Final word
Consider your resume and cover letter as play dough – they should be modified based on the job description and the company values to reflect how your expertise is pertinent to the opportunity you are considering. Thus, you will have more chance of convincing recruiters that you’re the best fit for the position.
Prior to developing your tailored documents, make inquiries about the position you want to apply for. Following this, make use of the collected information to come up with a tailored cover letter that showcases your qualifications. Of course, you can do this yourself but it would be wiser to delegate the work to professionals with vast experience.
DevelopmentAid has always been the best partner and, for over 13 years, has helped professionals around the globe to find employment in the international development industry. One of the numerous services the platform offers is CV and/or cover letter tailoring which considerably increases your chances of being shortlisted and approved for a job or project. Check it out now!
