- December 22, 2022
- by Kalam Kagaz
- Resume Writing
Have you ever felt restless while searching for a job? Does it feel like hitting a rock with your hand and getting hurt? It is like a game of gambling, where you win based on probabilities.
As you know, these days everything is computerized so your resumes also go through an application that rejects your resume before it reaches a human hand. That application is called ATS (Applicant Tracking System). A company gets a thousand applications at once and they cannot look into those thousand applications. So, they have a system that works for them. This system entertains ATS-friendly resume.
The Internet has changed everything. Long gone are the days when you used to see pamphlets of jobs on the street and call on the number given. Now, with digitalization you see many jobs online so do the number of applicants. It becomes chaotic for HR to entertain a thousand applications at once.
Almost, every company uses ATS to hire the right candidate. It may sound tough to pass an online application right now but it may become easy if you will go through this blog. This blog has everything that you need to create an ATS-friendly resume.
What is an ATS (Applicant Tracking System)?
Applicant Tracking System is computer software that controls the whole hiring and recruitment process of a company. It speeds up the recruitment process by reading all the applications themselves.
It does not only read applications but also posts a job, makes a job offer, keep a track of the application process, and all the related activities. It hires the most qualified and deserving candidate on its own.
Most importantly it saves the company’s recruitment time that may have been spent picking out the best competent candidate. These ATS allow a candidate to apply for the job without logging in to anything. It also allows a company to send feedback about a candidate, in case of rejection. The ATS uses the latest technology such as artificial intelligence to screenshot a candidate’s resume.
What is ATS-friendly Resume?
An ATS-friendly Resume is a resume that is designed with an ATS-friendly trick to receive an email from recruiting firm. If you want to fall among those few candidates that reach the hiring manager’s hand, then you have to create an ATS-friendly resume.
To create an ATS-friendly resume, you need to choose an easy-to-read format, include keywords, label your sections right, and remove all the tables or images. It will help you make an ATS-friendly resume.
Always, create a resume keeping ATS software in mind because that is the only way to make your resume stand a chance to get into the hands of managers. If you will reach there, then you will probably be getting an interview call.
Continue reading to know how you can create an ATS-friendly resume in a few steps.
Why do organizations use ATS?
The reason for using ATS by so many organizations is very clear. They all want to save their time in the recruitment process. You also know the importance of time in your life. Similarly, for organizations, it is the most crucial thing.
This is one of the main reasons for using ATS while there are many others, which are stated below;
- Many organizations believed that ATS has improved their organization’s recruitment process.
- ATS narrows down the pool of applications which saves their time and resources in selecting the competent candidate for the organization.
- As more and more organizations are becoming eco-friendly, it saves them paper because everything is happening online. Earlier, the organizations used to have stacks of paper applications.
- One of the major reasons is that it is a non-discriminatory system. That means it does not consider the factors such as age, race, or gender.
- The ATS works in an organized way with no hustle-bustle. There is a fixed system how ATS works, like first, it creates a job posting, then it publishes on the organization’s website, job boards, email, etc., later when an application comes, ATS scans it.
These are some of the main reasons why organizations are using ATS.
Why do you need an ATS-friendly resume?
I guess you might have got an idea why you need an ATS-friendly resume. If not, then let me tell you. As every company is using ATS software which helps them to find the right fit for their company. It becomes important for you to be ATS-friendly so that your chances of selection increase.
Even if you have a well-designed and optimized resume, it still may fall short if it is not ATS compliant. When you submit your resume into an ATS, it looks through your resume text to make it searchable for a hiring manager. If ATS is unable to look through your resume, then it creates fewer chances for you to be picked up for an interview. Even if you are excellently qualified for the job.
This may happen because of muddled content or an incomplete profile based on faulty formatting. But if your profile is not having these issues then no machine can stop you from raking as a viable candidate.
The best way to see if your resume is ATS friendly is to pay attention to reverse-chronological format, use of relevant keywords, simple formatting, etc.
You may have understood the importance of having an ATS-friendly resume to win the chance of getting an interview email or call.
What are the ways to make sure that the resume is ATS-compliant?
I know how it feels when you don’t hear back from the company you have applied to. This is the most saddening part of any job hunt. During this process, you indulge in thinking that it is you, who don’t possess the ability to qualify the requirements. But it is not true at all. It is not you, it’s never your potential, it is only your resume that is not ATS-compliant. The recruiters are not even getting a chance to read your resume.
The resume that reaches the recruiter is a resume that is ATS-compliant. So, here you need to know how you can create an ATS-compatible resume. Following are some of the ways to make sure that your resume is ATS-compliant;
- Use of Relevant Keywords– Using relevant keywords is the basis of an ATS-compliant resume. Because the ATS algorithms are created in such a way that it catches certain keywords which are right for the post. It depicts to the employer that the candidate has certain skills which are necessary for the job. The commonly used keywords are job titles, industry terms, degrees, etc.
- Use of a related job title– The ATS will pick your resume if your job title will match the one you are applying for. You can simply add the industry-related or generic job title to make your resume ATS compliant.
- Use the ATS-compliant formats– Your resume may get rejected if it doesn’t have ATS-friendly templates. Don’t use fancy templates to get the recruiter’s attention because it does not matter how fancy your resume is, if you don’t get noticed. Using fancy templates makes it hard for ATS to read your content. To avoid this mistake, search for ATS-compatible templates on the internet, you will find a lot.
- Use of standard fonts– Just like, fancy templates hamper your chances of getting noticed, the use of fancy fonts does the same. It is advisable to use standard font so that your text doesn’t get scanned incorrectly. The right font can be Calibri.
How do ATS (Applicant Tracking System) work?
You must be still confused about how a robot is deciding on your future? You must be anxious to know how it can reject you based on its algorithm?
Now, I will tell you how it is doing this to you.
An ATS system follows a standard procedure where it helps an organization to streamline the hiring process by doing job postings, publishing jobs on the company website, undergoing applications, tracking the status of the application, storing relevant information, and facilitating the hiring process by extending the offer.
This system may have varied features that based on the software brand you have invested in. Some brands may have a great reputation and advanced features.
Some of the common features in ATS system are;
- Candidate sourcing
- Resume parsing
- Filters
- Resume storage
- Job posting distribution
- Keyword search
- Automated email customization
- Applicant communication
8 tips to create an ATS-friendly resume to get your dream job
I know how important it is for you to get your dream job. But when ATS is becoming a threat to that dream, then you need to work on creating an ATS-friendly resume.
After getting an understanding of the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), now you can create an ATS-friendly resume. Creating an ATS-friendly resume will facilitate you in getting your dream job. It is easy to create an ATS-friendly resume, just follow the below tips.
1. Apply to roles that you are qualified for
The reason why your application doesn’t reach the recruiter’s hand is that you are not qualified for the job they have posted. Most of the candidate doesn’t fit the qualification criteria that organizations put forward. And when you don’t fall in those criteria, you get rejected which is very obvious.
For example, if the job is posted for someone who has 5 years of experience and you are someone with 1 year of experience. Yet you are still applying for that job. Then, isn’t it evident that ATS will be going to reject your application?
So, firstly make sure that you have the relevant skills, experience, and qualifications for the post you are applying to.
2. Apply to one job at a time in one company
The practice of applying to various positions in the same company looks vague. When the ATS allows a recruiter to look at all the positions you have applied for. It infuriates the recruiter. They get confused as to which position you are interested in because you are applying to every single opening in the company.
If the company has an opening for two similar roles which you are qualified for, then you should apply to both. But you need to tailor the resumes you are submitting for both openings.
If you will bluntly apply to each opening of the company with the same resume, it will look like you haven’t considered reading the job title or job description. Avoid doing this.
3. Include the right keywords
As I have mentioned earlier, the keywords play an eminent role in creating an ATS-friendly resume. The keyword helps ATS to know whether you are matching with the job opening or not. ATS algorithms are just like human algorithms, we all sneaking for the same thing. When you are creating a resume, always make sure to add a keyword so that it can pass through ATS.
For ATS, searching for a specific keyword helps narrow the pool of applications.
The keywords are generally based on the skills, qualifications, job title, experience, or qualities. Because all these things are important for the job. Depending on your industry some degree and certification may also work as keywords. You can also look for those keywords which are used more than once in the job posting.
4. Choose the correct skills
A lot of you do a common mistake by adding a lot of non-sensical skills to your resume. It decreases your chance of getting spotted. Take some time and find out all the relevant skills that are necessary for the job opening you are applying for. Then, put down all those skills in your resume.
This is how you can show ATS that you are a deserving candidate for that profile.
While writing those skills try to write the original word not synonym or abbreviated. If you will be able to pass through ATS, then the recruiter will also see that you are perfectly qualified for the post. It will happen only when you choose the right skills.
5. Try not to trick ATS
What ATS doesn’t like is getting tricked? There is a lot of content giving you advice on how you can trick ATS to grow your chances of getting selected. These blogs will ask you to repeat keywords, write job descriptions in white, write keywords in white, etc. Avoid doing this practice.
All of these tricks can be discovered through special features in ATS. It will show that you are failing for the job as well as you are cheating with the recruiting system.
6. Choose a right file type
There is only two best file type and those are docs. and pdf. Although, pdf is the best way to keep your resume intact, the docs. is most likely to be parsed through ATSs. So, if you want to parse through the ATS, use a docs file.
Yet, certain organizations asked for a different file. In that case, you should have to follow their directions to qualify. If you are using an online resume builder, then first check the file type.
You can also use Google docs to create your resume.
7. Make your resume easy to scan
Besides, assuring you have the right content for an ATS you also have to make sure that ATS can read your content easily. This is important for creating an ATS-friendly resume.
Choosing the right resume format will assist you to create a readable ATS-friendly resume. There are three formats which are Functional, chronological, and combination. ATS preferred the chronological and combination formats.
At the end of the day, recruiters want to find the relevant information as quickly as possible. Using the right format will make your resume easy to scan and increase your chances of selection.
8. Avoid using too much fancy formatting
As I told you earlier, fancy formatting tends to make your resume less readable and hard to parse through ATS. Don’t heavily design your resume because it will not let you stand any chance. Creative fancy resumes are hard to read for both ATS and recruiting managers.
What most ATS will do is to convert your resumes, which will result in a loss of formatting and all the fancy stuff you have put. It may happen that ATS will not be able to pull out the important information.
The things you should avoid while designing your resume are tables, logos, text boxes, images, graphics, columns, headers and footers, hyperlinks, etc. If you are creating an ATS-Friendly resume, then avoid using these designs.
Conclusion
By now, you have got an idea of how important role a resume play to get you a dream job that you wanted. I know you haven’t thought that creating a resume can be an important aspect of your job search.
But as you can see, it is very important to have an ATS-friendly resume. Consider everything that I have written above and create a resume that will help you get your dream job. Believe me, it is not that hard. Just use the right method of doing it. And you know already where to find the right method.
