Checklist: Matching Your CV to the Job Advert

To turn your CV into a complete job application system, you need to ensure it aligns perfectly with the job advert. This means not just writing a general CV but tailoring it to the specific requirements, language, and expectations of each role.

Here’s a clear checklist — drawn straight from the outlined process — to help you systematically match your CV to any job advert.

✅ Step 1: Build Your Shopping List

• Copy the job advert or description into a document.

• Strip out all filler words and soft behavioural requirements.

• Focus on hard skills, technical skills, and functional skills.

• Create a bullet-point shopping list, keeping the most important items at the top (just as they appear in the advert).

✅ Step 2: Highlight Key Elements

• Highlight the job title — make sure your CV mentions this right away.

• Identify the job mission or overarching remit — this should inform your Value Proposition Statement.

• Pick out the top three or four key requirements — these will become the foundation of your key strengths section.

✅ Step 3: Build Your Profile and Strengths

• Make sure the first line of your CV tells the reader what you are (matching the job title).

• Write a Value Proposition Statement that reflects the overarching mission of the role.

• Create three key strengths as Feature-and-Benefit (FAB) statements, aligning them to the top requirements from the advert.

✅ Step 4: Integrate Evidence

• Provide STAR case studies that prove you can deliver on the key requirements.

• Select the best three case studies each time, ensuring they are relevant and strong.

• Make sure the outcomes are quantifiable, measurable, and aligned with your role’s KPIs.

✅ Step 5: Optimise Keywords

• Mention each important requirement from the job advert at least once in your career history bullet points.

• Use the same terminology the organisation uses (linguistic mirroring) to improve ATS optimisation.

• Try to repeat each keyword twice across your CV to reinforce relevance.

✅ Step 6: Final Check

• Ensure your CV covers:

  • What you are

  • What you do

  • What benefit you bring

• Confirm that the entire document speaks directly to the key remit and requirements of the role.

• Double-check that you’ve written everything in a powerful, benefit-driven way, not just listing responsibilities.

Final Thought

By following this checklist, you transform your CV into a targeted, compelling document that directly addresses the employer’s needs. This process is what elevates a static CV into a complete job application system — one that increases your chances of getting shortlisted and invited to interview.