In today's crowded job market, even highly qualified professionals are finding it hard to get interviews. With applicant tracking systems (ATS) now filtering most applications, a traditional resume often gets ignored. But one cyber expert's experience, shared on Reddit, shows how small, targeted changes can make a big difference.

The professional, with 20 years of Cybersecurity experience, plus a Master's, PhD, and certifications, initially sent out 60-70 applications and got just one callback. Frustrated, he tried a new approach: tailoring each CV and cover letter to match the job description exactly. The results were immediate — 2 callbacks from just 10 applications, and progression into interview rounds.
His strategy was simple:

• Use the job title word-for-word in the CV summary and cover letter headline.
• Name the company directly in the opening paragraph of the cover letter.
• Mirror the job description language by swapping similar words for the exact terms used in the advert.
• Keep the CV to two pages, focusing on recent, relevant roles and cutting outdated details.
• Add an 'expertise' section listing tools, standards, and key skills in bullet points.

To stay organized, he created a folder for each application, saving the job description alongside the customized CV and cover letter. He also stressed applying early, ideally within hours of a posting, and avoiding re-advertised roles which may be for quotas or resume collection.

On privacy, he suggested using separate emails and passwords for job portals and choosing “prefer not to say” in diversity forms.

His takeaway: in a market where algorithms screen first, matching the language of the job advert is often the key to landing interviews.