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AGCAREERS.COM
AG & FOOD CAREER GUIDE
individual who can assist with minor
repairs of equipment and you have done
a shop class in school, then make sure to
include that in your resume.
Another benefit of reading deeply
into a job description is it allows you the
opportunity to think about if this role is
something you want to do and are well-
suited for.
The first is often the most important
Employers typically format job
descriptions in a hierarchy where the
more important and relevant duties are
closer to the top. When tailoring your
resume focus on these requirements
and responsibilities to show your
aptitude. However, as a student or recent
graduate, this isn’t always easy to do as
you lack work experience. Instead, draw
from your course work or any time that
you have volunteered. It is likely that
during school you have performed skills
related to the job.
For example, if you are applying for
a research and development assistant
position and during school you took a
course on data science and analysis,
include the specific software that you
used. Bonus points if it was one directly
mentioned in the job description.
Remember, be truthful and only put on
your resume what you feel comfortable
talking about and competent at using.
Figure out what a company values and
incorporate it into your resume
After thoroughly reading the job
description of the job you are applying
for, dig a little deeper and research the
actual company. This phase can serve
as double duty, acting not only as a way
to tailor your resume but also preparing
you for the interview. Explore both a
companies’ website and social media
platforms to see what they value and
causes that might be important to them.
If a company puts a high emphasis on
customer service, try to weave this
your resume as something that is also
important to you, as well as specific skills
and experiences that show you work well
with others.
Use other job postings to supplement
information
It’s likely that the job you are applying
for is similar (or even identical) to the
one offered at a different company.
Unfortunately, some job descriptions
are incomplete and don’t include every
responsibility which the actual job
would entail. Therefore, when tailoring
your resume, it is beneficial to take it a
step further and search other simiar job
postings, like those on AgCareers.com.
Find five relevant job listings and look
for common qualifications among them.
Using this information, you can tailor your
resume even further by inserting the
keywords used in their job ads.
Mimic the language in the job posting
and use keywords
Hiring managers can receive hundreds
of applications for a single job posting.
That’s why many of them turn to
automated tracking systems which
search over resumes for keywords.
Keywords or phrases are easily
identifiable phrases/words which relate
to a job such as tools used or skills. If a
resume doesn’t include these phrases,
it might not even make its way to the
hiring manager. Examples of agricultural
related keywords might include dairy,
irrigation, cattle, horticulture. Always
keep keywords in mind as they can help
you get past the software that analyzes
resumes. Use job descriptions to identify
keywords and mimic that language in
your resume.
Don’t forget to emphasize your soft
skills
Soft skills are just as important as
technical skills. As a student, lean
heavily on your soft skills as they are
transferable between positions. On the
surface, a tutoring job might not seem
like it has anything related to a customer
service job, but there are connections
if you think about it. Being able to take
care of children is a big responsibility
and you can highlight that ability. After
all, customer service is about taking
on responsibility and taking care of a
customer. Check out of AgCareers.com
Career Success Library for more ideas
on how you can spin your bullets to
emphasize a certain soft skill.
Use numbers and metrics
Measurable achievements are those
you can include that involve a metric
or number. For example, the number
of people you supervised on a soccer
team or how many events you helped
to organize during your time in student
council. Adding metrics to your
resume allows you to create a more
compelling story about yourself and
background. Look through your resume
and make a list of all your measurable
accomplishments for each role. You
could even include that you came in first
place during a college competition.
Correctly save your resume in an easy-
to-follow format
Tailoring your resume also includes
tailoring the name of the file you submit
online. If you are applying for multiple
positions, then keep a consistent job
file system that is easy to find and
professional. Did you know that hiring
managers can see what you saved your
resume document as? Make it clear
and simple by always having your first
and last name included in the filename.
Always start editing on a new file
because that can add to the confusion.
Writing multiple resumes also gives you
the benefit of taking the best parts of
different tailored resumes. Work smarter,
not harder!
Tailor your cover-letter
Although not covered in-depth here,
a well-tailored cover letter can be just
as important as a resume. For many
students lacking experience, a cover
letter acts as an opportunity to add
personality to your application and
demonstrate why, even with your lack
of experience, you are well-suited
for a position. A cover-letter should
compliment your resume and further
prove to employers that you read the job
description.
Proofread, proofread, proofread
Although it doesn’t explicitly apply to
tailoring your resume, it is always a
good idea to proofread, and triple check
your resume. Ask a friend or a family
member to help and get their opinion on
how well you tailored resume to the job
description. A fresh pair of eyes is a great
way to combat missing mistakes which
might have arisen from fatigue.
AG