Decoding the job description

A job description is a scoring rubric in prose. Your job is to map your proof to their priorities — not rewrite your whole career for every application.

Read it in three passes

1. Pass 1 — Skim for title, level, and must-have tools
2. Pass 2 — Highlight repeated phrases and outcomes they care about
3. Pass 3 — Note culture clues (pace, stakeholders, ownership) for your letter and interview

Find the hidden signals

• Repeated phrases = must-have skills
• “Nice to have” vs required — weight required higher
• Tools named twice usually matter more than soft skills listed once
• Seniority words (lead, own, strategy) tell you the voice to use
• “Cross-functional” often means you need proof of working with design, sales, or ops

Build a quick match matrix

Make two columns: Their priority | Your proof. You only need 5–7 rows. If a priority has no proof, either skip the role or be honest about adjacent experience — do not fabricate.

Mirror, then prove

For each priority skill, pick one bullet that proves you used it. Rewrite that bullet with their language and your metric. Leave everything else alone. A focused CV beats a fully rewritten fiction.

“Keyword stuffing is noise. Keyword placement next to real outcomes is signal.”