Have you had enough of applying to companies and not getting a response, even if you have all the necessary skills? Your CV might be the cause. Have you verified that the ATS will accept your resume? We will talk about creating an ATS-friendly résumé in this blog.
Ensure that your CV is prepared to interact with applicant tracking systems (ATS) is crucial while looking for a job. To go through resumes and identify candidates with the most relevant experience, many companies use applicant tracking systems. Making sure your CV is prepared to work with applicant tracking systems (ATS) will help increase the likelihood that potential employers will find it.
What is ATS?
Many businesses utilize an application tracking system, or ATS, as a piece of software to manage the employment process. Employers may locate the best applicants by searching through a large number of resumes using keywords, abilities, and experience with the use of applicant tracking systems (ATS). They are frequently used by larger businesses with a high volume of job seekers to expeditiously and effectively sift through resumes and reduce the pool of potential candidates.
How Do You Use ATS?
In order to identify certain keywords, abilities, and credentials that meet the requirements of a job posting, an applicant tracking system (ATS) scans and analyzes resumes. This makes it simple for hiring managers and recruiters to identify the top applicants fast and exclude those who don’t fit the standards.
A candidate’s resume is transmitted to the applicant tracking system (ATS) and is kept in a database. After that, the ATS scans the CV to extract data about the applicant’s experience, education, and talents. Next, it scans the material using algorithms to identify pertinent keywords and phrases.
Following resume scanning, the applicants are ranked by the applicant tracking system (ATS) according to how closely their qualifications meet the job criteria. The top candidates are often listed in this ranking, which is determined by a scoring system.
Recruiters and hiring managers may then review the resumes of the top-ranked individuals and reach out to those they believe are the most qualified for the position. Employers may more quickly and easily identify the top candidates for their vacant positions thanks to this accelerated recruiting procedure.
How to Make an ATS-Friendly Resume?
This is how you can make your basic resume into an ATS-friendly resume:
1. Use Standard Formatting
Avoid use excessive forms. Use an application tracking system (ATS)-friendly resume format with bullet points and clear headers to make it easier for the system to understand and process the information you provide.
2. Use Relevant Keywords
To improve your chances of passing the application tracking system’s (ATS) first screening, include keywords and phrases that are relevant to the job description in your application. Specialist knowledge, job designations, and industry-specific terminology may be examples of this.
3. Customize Your Resume for Each Job
Don’t apply for jobs with the same résumé every time. To customize your application materials for the specific position you are looking for, use terms and phrases that you have directly extracted from the job description. They add those to your CV and always bring up the keywords.
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4. Use Clear, Concise Language
When writing, avoid using jargon or extremely complex phrases that the ATS might not comprehend. Instead, write in a plain and succinct manner. Your CV is not the place to showcase your literary prowess or extensive vocabulary.
5. Use a Readable Font
Avoid using photos, graphics, or tables as they might cause issues with the ATS. Instead, choose a typeface that is simple to read, such Arial or Times New Roman. Steer clear of ornate, ornamental typefaces.
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6. Spellcheck And Proofread
A resume with a mistake doesn’t provide a positive image, does it? Make sure your resume is simple to read and makes sense by editing it and doing a thorough spell check to make sure there are no mistakes.
7. Include Relevant Job Titles
Make sure to include accurate and pertinent job names when summarizing your prior work experience. By doing this, you can make sure that the applicant tracking system (ATS) understands your experience easily. Keep irrelevant employment experience out of your resume.
8. Keep It Simple
Your resume should always have a simple, easy style; avoid using any complex formatting, images, or tables that can cause the automated tracking system to malfunction.
9. Make Sure to Use the Correct Formatting
To guarantee that the applicant tracking system (ATS) can comprehend and process the data you submit, make sure to format dates, job titles, and other facts correctly.
10. Save Your Resume in a Compatible Format
Be sure to save your resume in a format that is compatible, such as a Word document or a PDF file, so that the applicant tracking system (ATS) can simply read and parse it.
Conclusion
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are computer programs designed to help employers find suitable candidates for open positions by mining resumes for certain phrases. They review resumes to find experience, skills, and keywords that match the job requirements of vacant positions. The applicant tracking system (ATS) receives resumes and stores them in a database. It then ranks candidates based on how well their resumes match the job description. This expedites the hiring process overall and helps companies find competent candidates for open positions.
Include pertinent job titles, be brief, format correctly, save your resume in an appropriate format, follow standard format guidelines, incorporate pertinent keywords, customize your resume for each job application, speak clearly and succinctly, choose a readable font, spell- and proofread your work, and format consistently throughout. If you supply these details, the applicant tracking system (ATS) will handle your application much more efficiently.
Visit EnrichMyCareer to know more.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do you write a resume for ATS-friendly?
A successful resume that is ATS-friendly must have strong action verbs, success metrics, and proper structure in addition to keyword optimization. And never forget to give quality experiences precedence over quantity.
2. Is 72 a good ATS score?
Indeed, when an Employer uses an ATS, the ATS score counts a lot. Nowadays, the majority of organizations employ ATS; very few use CTRL+F to narrow the pool of qualified individuals who meet the necessary skill sets. To pass any ATS, aim for a score of 70% or higher. However, consider several additional factors for success.
3. Is PDF ATS friendly?
The claim that ATS software cannot read PDF resumes is among the most persistent falsehoods about them. Exclude photographs from resumes to maintain compatibility with applicant tracking systems (ATS). Most modern ATS efficiently scan and process text content in PDF format.
Nishant is an Internationally Certified Career Coach, a Career Counsellor, an Education Consultant, a Soft Skills Trainer, and an ardent advocate of youth empowerment through personalized guidance, mentoring, and developmental interventions. He is also an International Economic Development and Business Consultant. Over the years, he has helped many students of different age groups and working professionals in discovering their true selves, setting appropriate career goals, and walking the right career paths.
Nishant is a mechanical engineering alumnus from R.V. College of Engineering, Bangalore. He has been widely featured in top media and also delivered talks at Cambridge University-UK and IIT-Guwahati among others. He has also delivered workshops at many reputed schools and colleges on various careers and skills-related topics.
