With over ninety percent of recruiters and hiring managers adopting the Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) system to save time and costs of going through tons of applications, it is vital that you, as a job seeker, should have an ATS-friendly resume. Why is this so? The ATS is responsible for filtering out seemingly irrelevant resumes. Recruiters program the ATS to only shortlist the resumes that have specific details in it. This is why it sometimes seems as though resumes disappear into a black hole and never gets to the end-user. So how can you then tell if your resume is ATS-friendly? Here are a few tests to help you see if your resume can beat the bots:
Simplicity
An ATS-friendly resume must be free of excessive design. The ATS cannot read words that are embedded in pictures and charts. The same is also applicable for words written in unique characterization. This is why it is best to stick with a simple and easy to scan resume.
Keyword presence
Certain keywords are essential while sending out an application. If you check a job listing, it would most likely be present there. These keywords are mostly in the form of “experience” and “key skills.” Because of this, it is vital to incorporate these keywords into your resume so that the ATS can consider it relevant.
Word formats
It is mostly preferable to save your resume in word format. This is because some ATS systems cannot adequately parse resumes in PDF or HTML. To prevent your resume from being discarded, it is simply advisable to keep it in .doc format. Docx formats are also difficult to parse, so take note of that.
Converting to plain text
Applicant Tracking Software systems, as mentioned before, cannot correctly read information written in pictures. Due to this, it is necessary to convert your resume into a text format. After doing this, the information on your resume should be appropriately arranged. You can then view it yourself to see if any information in it is garbled. If it is, your resume is not ATS-friendly.
Requesting an ATS scan
There are professional services that can scan your resume and help you tell if it is ATS-friendly. One of such services is Jobalytics. Jobalytics can help you tailor your resume to be ATS-friendly by providing you with two powerful tools that would help you get your dream job. The Jobalytics plugin first helps you edit your resume to beat the ATS bots. It then provides you with specific keywords to increase your chances of job offers. This puts you in prime position to secure the job you’ve always wanted. You can also use the Curate service to get exciting jobs in your field. Check it out today!