Tailoring a resume to a job description: a 15-minute gap check

Most resume advice says "tailor it to the job." Very little says how. Here is the 15-minute check I use before sending an application. It works with a text editor and two browser tabs, and you don't need an AI tool for it. 1. Split the job description into three piles Read the ad once and copy each requirement into one of three lists: Must-haves. Phrases like "required", "you have", "X+ years of", and anything in the first bullet list under "Requirements". This is what a recruiter screens on in the first 30 seconds. Nice-to-haves. "Bonus", "a plus", "familiarity with", "ideally". These break ties, but they rarely get you filtered out. Context. Team size, product, stage, what the first 90 days look like. None of this goes on your resume. It's for your summary line and the interview. Most people tailor against the whole ad. Tailoring against the must-have list alone is faster, and it's where the filtering happens. 2. Use their words, not your synonyms For e