Automated tracking systems are becoming more common for employers as a way to filter out many of the resumes they receive and save time. But these tools can also make it much harder for job seekers to get seen by a human which means that they could be sending out hundreds of resumes and never hearing back. Automated tracking systems may cause a lot of frustration for job seekers (and sometimes employers if they aren’t used correctly), but they can be ‘beaten’ or at least managed. How can you create a resume that stands a much better chance of passing the ATS filters?
Keep it Simple
It’s really fun to make cool looking designs in Word (when Word behaves), but it’s not very helpful for resumes. There used to be a trend for using things like graphics to make a resume more eye catching or tables to line up columns more easily, but these things can really confuse a tracking system and your resume gets kicked out. Instead, use a clear, simply format with tools like basic fonts, easy to find sections, tab stops, simple bullets, and a consistent layout. It’s worth knowing how to use the not so interesting tools (like tab stops and margins) as these things are easier for ATS to handle and makes you look more skilled at work.
While on the subject of fonts, it’s best to use a clean font and an easy to read size. This doesn’t mean you have to stick with the default fonts, but you should also avoid using incredibly fancy fonts. Clear, professional ones like Arial, Calibri, Ebrima, or Times New Roman can showcase your personality while not causing issues for the ATS. Font size 10-12 is large enough to be readable without wrecking your page size (and you can reduce your margins to as low as .5” to get more printable area if you need it). Finally, make sure to use more universal file formats such as .docx or even .pdf to ensure that the employer can read it.
Clear section headings are important too: Work experience, Skill, education, professional summary, etc. You don’t need to be too creative here.
Aiming Your Resume for the ATS
The job post has always been an important resource for people looking to apply for work. A well written job post can give you a lot of information about what the employer is looking for. The job post is also used by the automated tracking system to help filter resumes in or out, so it’s even more important to use it.
In order to best use it, make sure your resume is doing the following:
- Make sure you know what the keywords are. You can find them by looking for words that are repeated, things that are in the required skills, and any certifications that are required
- Once you know what your keywords are, make sure to integrate them into your resume. Do this organically and naturally without overloading the resume.
- Make sure every resume is customized for every role. 1 job post = 1 custom resume
- Be specific in your job achievements with measurable results. It’s always better to talk about quantifiable aspects of your work experience rather than vague descriptions
Automated tracking systems are an important part of many employers’ toolboxes when it comes to finding new employees. But they can also filter out a lot of perfectly good candidates who didn’t gear their resume to get beyond the filters. By utilizing these techniques, you can get through more of the filters and hopefully get your resume in front of some humans and get those interviews!
Good luck
