Resumes and Interview Skills

What do I need to know from the job ad?

Not all job ads look the same. You may be reading job ads in a newspaper, on a flier, or even from the Internet. In order to use the job ads to help you tailor your resume and cover letter, follow the steps listed below.

Company name, contact information, and description

Company name

You may want to list company names and job information on a separate piece of paper or spreadsheet to track where you are in the application process.  This is especially helpful if you are applying to multiple companies at once. Highlighting the company name will also help you tailor your resume and cover letter, and it will help you spell the company name correctly.

To tailor your resume and cover letter to a specific company, use the name of the company in the objective line in the resume and in the introduction of your cover letter. The name can also tell you about the company. For example, if you are looking for a job as a wind turbine service technician, a company named Jim's Pizza may not be the place for you.

Company contact information

You may apply for a lot of jobs, and keeping company names and contact information together will help you avoid mixing up resumes, cover letters, and applications. The company contact information will go at the top of your cover letter. The contact information will also go on the envelope you use to mail your documents if you use the postal services to submit your resume and cover letter.

Company description

Highlighting important words in the company description (if included in the job ad) will help you learn about the organization and the people looking for employees. 

You can use a company’s goals in your cover letter to explain how you are a good match for their organization. For example, if a company describes itself as a “fast-paced, team oriented service,” you can write in your cover letter that you do well in fast-paced jobs where people have to work together. Of course, you will have to show that you have some experience in a fast-paced, team oriented job to support your position.

Another way to learn about a potential employer and their values is to read the company's website. Here are some tips on how and what to research: 

  • Use a search engine (like google.com) if you do not know a company's web address
  • Look for key words describing the company and its employees (progressive, innovative, caring, conservative)
  • Remember that repeated words reveal particularly strong values that you might want to talk about these values in your cover letter

Once you find examples of the skills and qualifications the company values, you know what skills to describe in your cover letter. As with the job ads, a corporate website only gives you the key words. You now have to supply your cover letter with proof that you possess some of these "key words" by describing a few experiences.

Job title, job number, and job requirements

Job title & job number

Use the job title and job number in the objective line of your resume and in the introduction of your cover letter.

Job requirements

Highlighting the job tasks and requirements will help you explain how you can fill the position. For example, if the requirements for a job state “applicant must be able to lift and carry 100 pounds,” you should explain in your letter that you can do those tasks: “In my job at AutoBody Works, I lifted and carried parts weighing 100 pounds.”

You should highlight the amount of experience required for the job. For example, if the ad reads “applicants must be a journeyman plumber and should have a minimum of two years of experience,” you should explain that you meet those needs: “I finished received my  journeyman plumber license in 2022 and have worked at Williams Plumbing since then.”

You should also highlight certification or license requirements, such as Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) or journeyman license requirements.

The contact person

The contact person

Highlighting the contact person, their address, phone number, and email address (if applicable) is very important because you will be sending your employment documents to this person. You will also be addressing this person directly in your cover letter. If the job ad does not list a contact person, try searching the company’s Website. You may also call the company to get the contact person’s name. For some jobs, though, you may be sending your resume and cover letter to a human resource department with no specific contact person.

Make sure you spell all of the information about the contact person and/or the mailing address correctly. Spelling the contact person’s name wrong may hurt your chances of getting an interview.

Application requirements

Highlight requirements for submitting information about yourself.

  • Does the company require a resume or an application, or both?
  • Does the company require a cover letter?
  • Does the company require a list of references of your past employers?

Other important questions.

  • How does the company want you to submit your information?
    • Hard copy? (How many copies of each document? Mailed or delivered in person? If the company wants you to apply in person, be prepared to complete the application rather than writing “see resume.”)
    • Electronic?
    • Online application?

Other important areas of information to note.

  • Application deadline
  • Date the job begins
  • Salary
  • Work hours and shift work
  • Travel requirements
  • Age requirements
  • Security clearance, drug and alcohol policies
  • Driver’s license requirements
  • Public transportation to job site