If you are applying to a job that requires a specific skill set or relevant past work experiences, you may want to specialize your resume to show that you are qualified for the role. In such cases, you should include information about special training, education and past work experience that has provided you with the necessary credentials to succeed in a given role. Though, it is important to note that some jobs don’t require such targeted information—candidates without relevant experience are often hired for some roles, such as general laborers or call center representatives.

It is important to include essential informational components on your resume, like your work history, educational background, relevant certifications, contact information and an objective statement. While what you should include in your resume will vary depending on the position you’re applying for, how experienced you are and the industry you work in, there is some personal information that you may want to leave off of a resume. Details about your age, marital status, religion, birth country and whether you have children shouldn’t be included, as such information isn’t necessary for hiring managers to make an informed decision about your candidacy.

When listing your past work experiences, you’ll want to list your work achievements alongside any duties and responsibilities you’ve held as an employee. Hiring managers are typically looking to see whether you’ve added practical value in your past roles by accomplishing key goals and achieving measurable results. In addition, listing your past work achievements can help you stand out from others during the application process and interview cycles.

There are many resume formats available for candidates to use—from the chronological resume to a curriculum vitae (CV), it can be challenging to choose which format is best for you. Most hiring managers expect candidates to submit reverse chronological resumes, or resumes where you list your experiences and accomplishments from most recent to oldest. Despite this, though, it’s important to pay attention to which resume format is most popularly used in your field. For example, a CV is usually used in the educational sector by professors, teachers and researchers. It’s a good idea to do some research regarding industry standards for resumes prior to writing yours.

In recent years, many hiring managers have started using automated software to scan resumes for specific keywords that may signify that a candidate is a good fit. This is an easy way for hiring managers to filter out candidates with little relevant experience, but sometimes, this process can mistakenly filter out perfectly qualified candidates as well. To ensure that your resume passes scanning tests, you’ll want to use specific industry keywords when writing your resume. You can sometimes find keywords within job postings themselves or through targeted research.

Though mistakes happen frequently and aren’t typically a cause for concern, it is common for resume writers to make grammatical and spelling errors, which can be a challenge to overcome. In order to avoid these types of mistakes, you’ll want to proofread your resume with a meticulous eye—look for misspelled words, clunky run-on sentences and awkward wording that you can fine tune. Reading over your resume and asking a friend or trusted colleague to do the same can help you avoid committing such mistakes.

Because most candidates submit their job applications electronically, the way they send in resumes has changed as well. Some candidates use their technological knowledge to create complex e-portfolios and high-quality resume designs, but these formats aren’t the norm. It’s commonly expected for candidates to send their electronic resumes in word document format or portable document format (PDF). Using a PDF is a great option to ensure that your resume’s formatting will be maintained when a hiring manager opens the file on their computer.

Many candidates choose to write more than one version of their resume in order to appeal to hiring managers in different industries or at different companies. As mentioned above, some fields necessitate specific resume formats, and if you’re applying to jobs within more than a single industry, you’ll likely need multiple versions of your resume.

In addition, different jobs within the same industry require varying skill sets, so when applying to multiple positions at once, you’ll want to target the information on each resume you submit. Comparatively, if you’re applying to the same role within one industry at different companies, you may not need multiple versions of your resume.

This is a common question for candidates who are told to specialize their resume by including only industry-relevant experience. If you don’t have any work experience in the job field you’re applying to, try to highlight other past activities and experiences that may help portray any sought-after soft skills you possess. Though you may not currently possess the technical skills necessary to perform a role, you may still be capable of honing such skills and succeeding as an employee. Therefore, you’ll want to demonstrate your professionalism, competency and ability to learn new skills.

In addition, you can try to emphasize your educational background, volunteer experiences or extracurricular projects you’ve worked in the past. These components can help give hiring managers a fuller picture of who you are and your capabilities, even if you don’t have a strong experiential background.