Job search & applications
How to tailor your CV to a job advertisement without keyword stuffing
Tailoring does not mean rewriting your whole CV for every job. It means making sure the first things a reader sees are the things the employer asked for. Here is a method that takes about fifteen minutes.
1. Split the ad into must-haves and nice-to-haves
Read the advertisement and highlight the requirements that appear in the title, the first paragraph or a "requirements" list. Those are your must-haves. Skills listed as "a plus" or "desirable" come second.
2. Match each must-have to real evidence
For every must-have, find a concrete example from your own work. If you can't find one, don't invent it. Note it as a gap instead. An honest gap is better than a claim you can't back up in an interview.
3. Use the ad's wording where it is true
If the ad says "stakeholder reporting" and you wrote "management updates", use their phrase when it describes what you did. Matching wording helps both recruiters searching a database and people skimming your page.
4. Reorder, don't repeat
- Put the most relevant job bullets first within each role.
- Start the skills line with the must-have skills you hold.
- Cut or shorten bullets that don't relate to this job.
5. Add numbers
"Reduced month-end close from 10 days to 6" says more than "improved processes". Use real figures only.
What keyword stuffing looks like
A long list of every term in the ad, skills you can't explain, or repeating a phrase over and over. It reads badly and falls apart at interview. Aim for each important skill to appear naturally, once or twice, with evidence beside it.
If it helps, a tool can do the first draft, but you should always read and edit the result so that every line is accurate and sounds like you.
Build an ATS-friendly CV and cover letter on Jikoreel — upload your CV, paste the job ad, edit the preview, and pay only to download.