If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s worth tailoring your CV and cover letter for every job application, you’re not alone. Job seekers debate this daily and recruiters often give conflicting advice.
So, should you really tweak your resume and cover letter each time? Or is it just wasted effort?
The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Let’s explore what real recruiters and job seekers say on Reddit, what the data shows, and how AI tools like SmartCVs.ai make tailoring effortless.
Reddit is full of brutally honest career advice, and discussions around tailored resumes spark lively debate. Here are some takeaways:
In r/resumes, one user wrote:
“It sounds like a pain, but you should be tailoring each resume and cover letter for every job application you submit.”
Hiring managers can instantly tell if your application was written for their role or just blasted out.
A recruiter on r/recruiting admitted:
“Tailoring a resume only eases the recruiter’s job of spotting what they’re looking for.”
Translation: the easier you make it for them, the more likely you’ll get noticed.
In r/jobsearchhacks, another user explained:
“When recruiters do read cover letters, most fail because they’re too generic. The good ones sound like a real conversation about the role.”
On r/jobsearchhacks, one frustrated applicant said:
“NEVER TAILOR YOUR RESUME FOR EACH JOB … Just create a few strong resumes and mass apply.”
Their argument: over-customizing slows you down when you need volume.
In r/recruitinghell, a recruiter bluntly wrote:
“Cover letters are almost never used anymore. Waste of time.”
On r/careeradvice, the consensus was:
“The more senior the role, the more the resume is tailored.”
Many keep a master CV and create a few variants for different industries or job types.
👉 Reddit consensus: Tailoring helps, but balance matters. A master CV + smart tweaks beats rewriting from scratch.
While Reddit shows the frustration of job seekers, research backs up the benefits of tailoring:
Bottom line: tailoring isn’t just about effort it’s about signaling fit in a noisy job market.
Here’s the method most effective Redditors (and recruiters) recommend:
Start with a Master CV
Keep a detailed, all-inclusive version of your experience.
Extract 3–5 keywords from the job description
Example: “SEO strategy,” “cross-functional leadership,” “CRM tools.”
Reorder and highlight relevant experience
Push the most relevant achievements higher on your CV.
Tweak your cover letter, don’t rewrite it
Use a template and swap in a few sentences that speak directly to the role and company.
Focus tailoring on mid-to-senior roles
For entry-level jobs, recruiters may skip cover letters. For leadership roles, tailoring is expected.
Let AI do the heavy lifting
Instead of rewriting from scratch, tools like SmartCVs.ai instantly analyze your CV against the job posting and generate a tailored version that scores higher with ATS.
Generic CV Statement:
“Responsible for managing marketing campaigns and creating content.”
Tailored CV Statement (for a Digital Marketing Manager role):
“Led SEO and PPC campaigns that increased web traffic by 42% and boosted ROI by 25%, using Google Analytics and HubSpot CRM.”
See the difference? Same experience, reframed in the employer’s language.
On Reddit, cover letters are divisive. Some recruiters skip them entirely, others use them as a tie-breaker.
The safe bet:
Pro tip: Even a few personalized lines (“I admire [Company]’s mission to…”) can make your application stand out.
SmartCVs.ai can generate job-specific cover letters in minutes so you don’t waste hours rewriting.
Here’s the truth backed by both Reddit threads and research:
With SmartCVs.ai, tailoring isn’t extra work it’s automated. You upload your CV, paste the job description, and get:
All in a few clicks.
Don’t let your applications vanish into the void.
👉 Try SmartCVs.ai for free and start sending CVs that actually get noticed.
