How do I tailor my CV to a job description?
List the must-haves, find them in your CV, and say them in the post's words.
I’m applying for jobs.
CVs and resumes, applications that go quiet, interviews, offers, pay and the first weeks, with a free tool beside each step.
Every guide in Land the job
89 guidesWhen you're ready to apply
Tailoring a CV to a post, what keyword checkers check, why applications go quiet, career change CVs and spotting ghost jobs.
Do this beside the job post with OffLadder CV, free for Chrome5 guidesRead the guide
What does an ATS keyword checker actually check?
What a keyword checker compares, what it can't see, and how to use one well.
Why am I not hearing back from job applications?
Check the jobs, the CV, the volume and the route, then run a two-week test.
How do I write a CV when I'm changing careers?
Translate your old work into the new field's words and add one piece of new evidence.
Is this job post real? How to spot a ghost job
Five checks before you apply, and the signs of a ghost job or a scam.
What employers want now
The skills employers name, what actually gets through a hiring process, how to use the weeks between jobs, and how to explain a gap.
Make one small piece of real work in Try, free3 guidesWhat are employers actually looking for now?
Thinking, adaptability and AI fluency top the surveys, but most firms still screen on credentials, so what gets through is skill you can show.
How do I use the time when I'm not getting a job?
A five-part week: real work, an AI rep inside it, conversations, a fixed block of applications and one note.
How do I explain a gap in my CV?
One line where the gap sits, the skills it built in a post's words, and one piece of work from it.
Applying, step by step
CV length and format, summaries and achievement lines, cover letters, screening questions, following up and the skill the post asks for that you don't have yet.
Do each step beside the job post with OffLadder CV, free for Chrome13 guidesWhat's the difference between a CV and a resume?
The same document under two names, and the length each country expects.
How long should a CV be?
Two sides of A4, one US page, or longer for academic work, and what to cut first.
How do I write a CV summary for a specific job?
The role, two must-haves and one result, rewritten for every post.
How do I turn CV duties into achievements?
Verb, scale, result: turn what you were responsible for into what changed.
What CV format works with applicant tracking systems?
One column, plain headings, selectable text, and a paste test to check it.
Is it OK to use AI to write my CV?
Use AI to reword, never to add, and audit every changed line.
Should I apply for a job if I don't meet all the requirements?
Sort must-haves from the wish list, and apply when you show most of them.
How do I write a cover letter for a specific job?
Why this job, two must-haves with proof, and how you'd start.
How do I answer screening questions on a job application?
Eligibility, experience and practical questions, and an answer bank to reuse.
Should I message the hiring manager about a job?
A four-sentence note to the team, before or after you apply.
When and how should I follow up on a job application?
When to send what after applying and interviewing, with example notes.
What do I do when a job asks for a skill I don't have?
Learn the basics, do one small task, and practise talking about it.
How do I prepare for an interview using the job description?
Turn each must-have into a likely question and a true two-minute story.
At the job post
Reading a post, deciding if it's worth it, the awkward parts of a CV, application forms, Easy Apply, tracking what you sent and what happens next.
Check, tailor, fill and track beside the job post with OffLadder CV, free for Chrome25 guidesHow do I read a job description properly?
Four passes through a post: the work, the must-haves, the wish list and the facts.
How do I know if a job is worth applying for?
A five-minute check on the work, your evidence and your deal-breakers before you tailor anything.
How can I tell if I'll like a job before I apply?
Turn one duty from the post into fifteen minutes of real work, then ask three questions.
How many jobs should I apply for each week?
A weekly number you can keep, a split of your hours, and how to read your reply rate.
Should I keep a master CV?
One private CV with everything, cut down into a tailored copy for each job.
What should go in the skills section of a CV?
Six to twelve checkable skills, spelled the post's way, each backed by a bullet.
How do I show achievements on a CV without numbers?
Scale, before and after, who relied on it and what it replaced, when there's no percentage.
How far back should my CV go?
The last 10 to 15 years in detail, older roles in a line, and relevance over recency.
How do I list short jobs on my CV?
Label contracts and temp work, group similar roles, and keep one calm reason ready.
How do I put freelance work on my CV?
One role, one date range and three client results, with unnamed clients described.
How do I put projects and volunteering on my CV?
Unpaid work written like a job, and placed above paid work when it's more relevant.
How do I put an unfinished degree on my CV?
Accurate wording for a degree you left or are still doing, and what to lead with instead.
Should I put online courses and certificates on my CV?
Which courses earn a place on the page, how to word them, and pairing each with a project.
What should I leave off my CV?
Photos, age, full address, references and filler phrases: what to cut and what to keep.
How do I apply for a job I'm overqualified for?
Shape the CV for the role's level and answer the will-you-stay worry in one sentence.
How do I write my CV after redundancy or a layoff?
No mention on the CV, one neutral line in the letter, and a week to choose targets.
How do I apply for an internal job or promotion?
Tailor anyway, talk to the hiring manager first, and tell your own manager early.
How do I keep track of my job applications?
Eight columns, six statuses and a ten-minute weekly review that shows what's working.
Is LinkedIn Easy Apply worth using?
When a one-click application makes sense, when to use the company site, and how to stand out.
How do I fill in job application forms faster?
Details ready, an answer bank for repeat questions, and autofill you check before submitting.
Can I apply for more than one job at the same company?
Two or three close roles is normal; many unrelated ones looks unfocused.
What happens to my application after I click apply?
The tracking system, screening questions, the recruiter's skim and the shortlist, and where applications stall.
How do I look for a new job while I still have one?
Personal devices, references only after an offer, and a small weekly target around work.
Do recruiters actually read cover letters?
When a letter changes the outcome, when to skip it, and a 20-minute structure.
What CV mistakes cost you interviews?
Ten common CV mistakes, from a generic top third to unreadable layouts, each with a fix.
Interviews, offers and after
The questions every interview asks, researching and negotiating pay, comparing offers, rejections, references and resigning well.
Practise for any post with OffLadder CV and Laddie, free for Chrome17 guidesHow do I answer 'Tell me about yourself' in an interview?
Present, proof, next: a 75-second answer built from the post.
How do I answer 'What is your greatest weakness?'
A real weakness, what you do about it, and a sign it's improving.
How do I answer 'Why are you leaving your job?'
One honest sentence on why, then what draws you to this role.
How do I explain a career change in an interview?
Thread, evidence and commitment, so the move doesn't read as a whim.
How do I do well in a one-way video or AI interview?
How recorded and AI interviews work, a ten-minute setup, and your rights.
What questions should I ask at the end of an interview?
Questions about the work and team that also tell you whether to say yes.
How do I find out what a job should pay?
Official pay data, posted ranges and people in the role, turned into three numbers.
How do I answer 'What are your salary expectations?'
A researched range with a bottom you'd accept, said calmly.
How do I negotiate a job offer?
Thank them, make one clear request, and know what else you can ask for.
How do I compare two job offers?
A weighted table for pay, the work, the manager, growth and commute.
Should I accept a counter-offer from my current employer?
Only if pay was the reason you were leaving, and the rest gets fixed too.
How long does it take to hear back after an interview?
Why timelines vary, the usual stages, and the question to ask every time.
What should I do after a job rejection?
Reply graciously, ask for feedback, and find the stage where things stop.
How do I ask for feedback after an interview?
One polite email with one or two specific questions.
How do I resign from my job well?
Notice, the conversation, a short letter and a handover people remember.
How do I update my LinkedIn profile for a career change?
A headline for where you're going and an About section that bridges.
Who should I ask for a job reference?
Recent managers first, asked early and reminded of what you did.
OffLadder CV compared
How OffLadder CV differs from Jobscan, Teal and Rezi, from each tool's own pages.
3 guidesOffLadder CV vs Jobscan: which should I use?
A match score and missing keywords, or a tailored CV and help with gaps.
OffLadder CV vs Teal: which should I use?
A job tracker and resume builder, or tailoring on the post itself.
OffLadder CV vs Rezi: which should I use?
An AI resume builder with a score, or tailoring the CV you already have.
Also worth a look
Guides shelved elsewhere that answer part of this question too.
23 guidesHow to explain a layoff and career pivot without sounding rehearsed
Explain a layoff and career pivot with specific evidence instead of rehearsed passion statements.
How to build a career-change portfolio when you have no clients
Build honest portfolio evidence using practice briefs, even before you have clients.
How do I write a CV with no experience?
A one-page first CV built from school, clubs, volunteering and home, with a worked example.
How do I prepare for my first job interview?
The six questions a first interview asks and three stories that answer all of them.
How do I get an apprenticeship?
Where vacancies appear, the timeline for a September start and what makes an application stand out.
What will they ask in an apprenticeship interview?
Seven questions every apprenticeship interview asks, with answers that work without a job history.
What is a graduate scheme?
How schemes work, what they pay, how they differ from a graduate job and who each suits.
When should I apply for graduate jobs?
The recruitment calendar month by month, why rolling deadlines matter and what to do if you've missed the autumn.
How do I write a graduate CV?
Section order, turning modules and a dissertation into evidence, and writing part-time work as results.
I've graduated with no job. What should I do?
What the outcomes data say, a twelve-week structure and the week-six check that tells you what to change.
Can I get a graduate job with a 2:2?
Which big employers dropped the 2:1, where filters remain and how to build a case that beats the grade.
What happens at an assessment centre?
The exercises, how assessors score, pass rates and a one-week preparation plan.
How do I pass psychometric tests for graduate jobs?
Numerical, verbal, logical, game-based and personality tests, how scoring works and a three-week practice plan.
What is a situational judgement test and how do I pass it?
How the scoring key is built from the employer's own staff and a method for ranking responses.
How do I use the STAR method with no work experience?
The proportions of a STAR answer and two worked examples from a group project and a café shift.
How do I answer 'Why do you want to work here?'
A three-part answer, thirty minutes of research that produces it and the answers every candidate gives.
How do I write a resume as a teenager with no experience?
Five sections on one page, what counts as experience and a worked example that gets read.
How do I get an apprenticeship in the US?
Application windows, the aptitude test, pre-apprenticeships, the interview and what to do when waitlisted.
How do I get an internship as a college student in the US?
The recruiting calendar, where internships really come from, paid against unpaid and the conversion rate to offers.
What is a rotational program and is it worth joining?
The structure of leadership development programs, who runs them, pay, how to get in and when to say no.
How do I write a new grad resume?
One page, education first, bullets as results and the formatting that gets past screening software.
I graduated and have no job. What should I do?
The 2026 numbers for recent graduates, a twelve-week structure, the week-six check and the loan grace period.
How do I use the STAR method in an interview?
The proportions of a STAR answer and three worked examples from a group project, a café shift and a lab.
308 guides. Many ways forward.
How we write & check our guides