Resume Tailor vs Improver: When to Use Each

ReviseCV has two tools for enhancing your resume: Tailor Resume and Improve Resume. They do different things, and knowing when to use each will save you time and get better results.

Here’s the simple breakdown.

The Quick Answer

Use Tailor Resume when you have a specific job you’re applying to.

Use Improve Resume when you want a better resume without targeting a particular role.

Tailor Resume: Job-Specific Optimization

Tailor Resume takes your resume and optimizes it for a specific job posting.

What It Does

• Analyzes the job description for required skills and keywords
• Reorganizes your content to highlight relevant experience first
• Rephrases bullet points to match the job’s language
• Emphasizes skills that appear in the posting
• Optimizes for ATS keyword matching

When to Use It

• Applying to a specific job you found
• Want maximum match with a job description
• Need to get past ATS screening for a particular role
• Preparing for a specific opportunity

The Input

Your resume + the complete job description

The Output

A resume tailored specifically for that job

Improve Resume: General Enhancement

Improve Resume enhances your resume without a specific target. It makes your resume stronger overall.

What It Does

• Improves clarity and readability
• Strengthens action verbs and language
• Adds metrics and quantification where possible
• Polishes professional tone
• Ensures ATS-friendly formatting

When to Use It

• Updating your resume for general use
• Preparing for a job search but don’t have specific jobs yet
• Want a polished base resume to customize later
• Your resume feels outdated or weak but you’re not targeting specific roles

The Input

Just your resume (no job description needed)

The Output

A generally improved version of your resume

Choosing Between Them

Situation	Use This Tool
Found a job posting I want to apply to	Tailor Resume
Updating LinkedIn or general resume	Improve Resume
Sending resume to a recruiter for consideration	Improve Resume first, then Tailor when they find matches
Applying to multiple similar jobs	Tailor Resume for each (they’re different enough to matter)
Resume feels stale, need a refresh	Improve Resume
Got a referral for a specific role	Tailor Resume

Using Them Together

The most effective workflow combines both:

1. Start with Improve Resume to get a strong base version
2. Save that improved resume in ReviseCV
3. Use Tailor Resume for each specific job application

This way, you’re not starting from a weak foundation each time. You’re tailoring an already-polished resume.

Focus Areas in Improve Resume

Improve Resume lets you choose focus areas. Here’s what each one emphasizes:

Focus	What It Improves
Clarity	Makes descriptions easier to read and understand
Impact	Strengthens action words and emphasizes achievements
ATS	Optimizes formatting and keywords for tracking systems
Metrics	Adds numbers, percentages, and quantifiable results
Tone	Polishes language for professional consistency
Concise	Removes redundancy and tightens descriptions

You can select multiple focus areas. If you’re not sure, “Clarity” and “Impact” are good defaults for most resumes.

Cost Comparison

Both tools use credits. Check your current credit balance in the Tools page. If you’re running low, prioritize Tailor Resume for jobs you really want, since it provides the most targeted optimization for specific applications.

Still Not Sure?

If you’re uncertain which tool to use, start with Analyze Resume. It will show you how well your current resume matches a job description. If the score is low, use Tailor Resume. If you don’t have a specific job in mind, use Improve Resume.

Next Steps

• How to Use Resume Tailor: Detailed walkthrough of the tailoring process
• Getting Started with ReviseCV: Overview of all tools
• Understanding Your Resume Score: What your match score means

Ready to optimize? Choose your tool.