How Tailored Resumes Are Driving Results: Insights from Coaching Clients

Joseph Roszhart September 30, 2024

In today’s competitive job market, a strategically crafted resume is more than a document—a powerful tool for career advancement. As a performance career coach, I’ve seen firsthand how adopting key resume strategies has helped my clients secure opportunities and stand out. Below, I’ll share three crucial resume tips that have yielded remarkable results for my clients, demonstrating how minor adjustments can lead to big wins.

1. Tailored Resumes: Quality Over Quantity

One of the most significant changes I’ve recommended to clients is shifting their mindset from a "numbers game" to a "quality-first" approach. Many candidates, including a client in the technology sector, initially sent the same resume to dozens of job postings, hoping for a response. However, by taking the time to tailor their resumes to each job—highlighting relevant skills, experiences, and key terms from the job description—their results skyrocketed.

For instance, this client had been applying for several months with no callbacks. After implementing tailored keywords and restructuring his resume to focus on specific achievements relevant to each role, he secured multiple interviews within weeks. Lesson learned: Tailoring your resume to each role shows attention to detail and makes your application more likely to pass ATS filters, improving your chances of getting in front of a hiring manager.

2. Action-Oriented Language: Showcasing Impact, Not Duties

Clients often need help showcasing their experiences effectively. One recurring issue I’ve seen is the tendency to list job responsibilities rather than accomplishments. One of my clients in the healthcare industry, for example, was focused on what she "did" rather than the outcomes of her actions. She could demonstrate her impact more clearly by switching her language to action-oriented verbs and quantifying results.

Instead of writing, “Responsible for patient records,” we revised it to, “Managed patient records for 500+ individuals, resulting in a 20% improvement in data retrieval efficiency.” The change was subtle but powerful. Using action verbs like “managed,” “improved,” or “orchestrated” alongside quantifiable outcomes helped this client secure the managerial role she had been aiming for. Action words, paired with numbers, catch recruiters' eyes and provide proof of competence, which passive language fails to do.

3. Optimizing Space for What Matters

Another effective strategy is making better use of resume space. A corporate client transitioning from one industry to another initially had an outdated resume filled with irrelevant roles and an objective statement. We removed the objective statement, which has become less relevant in today’s job market, and replaced it with a succinct career summary highlighting transferable skills. This change and the elimination of non-relevant job descriptions freed up space to include critical certifications, technical skills, and leadership achievements.

This "less is more" approach made her resume far more impactful. Not only did she begin getting noticed by recruiters, but she also found herself being fast-tracked for interviews. Takeaway: Streamlining your resume to focus on what’s relevant for the role you want while keeping it concise and scannable is essential in today’s market.

Real-World Results: Seeing the Transformation

These strategies have delivered tangible results across industries. A client in the engineering sector saw his response rate increase by over 50% after incorporating targeted action verbs and quantifiable metrics in his resume. Another client, transitioning from education to a corporate training role, successfully landed interviews by reformatting her resume to align more closely with industry standards and highlighting her transferable leadership skills.

The common theme? Intentionality. Whether tailoring their resumes to a job, optimizing the layout, or showcasing their unique achievements, the most successful candidates approach the job application process strategically. By viewing their resumes not just as documents but as marketing tools, they can present themselves in the best possible light.

Conclusion

As a performance coach, I aim to empower clients to approach their job search confidently and clearly. Through these resume strategies—tailoring content, using action-oriented language, and optimizing resume space—I’ve seen clients secure more interviews, land roles faster, and even pivot into entirely new industries. If you’re serious about your next career move, take these tips to heart and watch how they transform your results.

Remember: your resume is your marketing tool. Make it work for you.