Technology has made job hunting stress-free. You can apply for many jobs in a day from your laptop or even your smartphone anywhere in the world. This means that everybody can apply for the same job, leaving recruiters with thousands of resumes for just a single opening.
To make the process seamless, recruiters use an Application Tracking System (ATS) – an AI resume scanning technology that acts as a filter, checking every resume submitted and forwarding only the most relevant to the hiring managers. If the job-hunt feels like throwing resumes in a black hole, ATS might be the cause. Maybe your resume has not made it to human hands.
In this article, we have put together 5 tips for building an ATS-friendly resume that can land you an interview with a recruiter. Take note of the most important point, you can use an applicant tracking system in Canada to post all media like Facebook, Instagram, etc.
Tips for Building and ATS-Friendly Resume
There are several ways to create a resume that will improve your chances of getting a job for an ATS position. Take a look.
Use simple layout and design
Just like humans, ATS finds it hard to read heavily designed resumes. The chronological resume format is the best option to use. Arrange the resume so that highlights your experience and skills chronologically. Avoid fancy fonts and complicated graphs, charts, or symbols.
More importantly, ensure you put everything under the right label. List your experience under “Work Experience” and skills under “Skills”.
Optimize your keywords
Using the right keywords is the most important part of making your resume ATS-friendly. Keywords are simply words or phrases that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. They can be easily found in the job description, especially the specific requirements.
When putting the keywords in your resume, pay attention to job-related skills and action verbs. The skills (Communication, SEO, problem-solving) tell what you can do and action words (organized, maximized, utilized) tell what you have done.
It is also vital to use a combination of long-tail keywords and acronyms. You can also use slashes to combine potential synonymous keywords like “proofread/edit”.
Avoid using keywords randomly, as your resume will be reviewed by the hiring manager after it passes the ATS.
Customize your resume for each employer
After failing to get interviews, you might fall into the trap of submitting your same resume to other employers without reviewing and editing. Although the position might be the same, every employer has its specific requirements. You need to acknowledge them in your resume to get past their ATS. Creating a custom resume for each employer can be time-consuming, but your effort will pay off in the long run.
Choose the right file format
PDF has been the number one format for resumes. It is universal and also best for maintaining the design and integrity of your file. However, some Application Tracking Systems are old. They can only read one particular format.
It is essential to check for the provided list of acceptable file formats before deciding on the file format to use.
Final Word
Building an ATS-friendly resume feels like a lot of work. One thing is for sure, what an ATS checks for is similar to a human. So, even if the employer does not use an ATS to parse resumes, you’ll still end up creating a resume that will impress the hiring manager. Finally, you can use an applicant tracking system from Canada to post all media like Facebook, Instagram, etc.
