Nowadays, many organizations use the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to find suitable job applicants for specific positions. ATS systems automatically compare your resume to the job description. The comparison is based on work experience, skills, and education qualifications. Creating an ATS-friendly resume is crucial to increase your chances of standing out among other applicants. It means making it easy for an ATS system to scan and understand your resume.
To improve your resume, include keywords that align with the job requirements. Additionally, you can use multiple ATS-friendly resume templates to create your CVs. Learn about ATS-compatible resumes and get tips to create one below!
What is an ATS-friendly Resume?
An ATS-friendly resume is a type of resume that can be easily read and understood by any applicant tracking system (ATS). The resume is designed to be easily understood by any ATS system. To optimize your resume for ATS, include relevant keywords that the system can quickly identify. Additionally, the resume format should be adjusted to meet the requirements of an applicant tracking system.
Why Do You Need an ATS-friendly?
Most resumes don’t reach recruiters because they are not correctly formatted and lack complete job information. ATS rejects these resumes during the application scanning process. To pass the initial screening process, your resume should be ATS-friendly.
To ensure your resume is ATS-friendly, focus on formatting it correctly and including all the necessary skills and experience for the job you’re applying to. When your resume is ATS-friendly, you have a better chance of being considered as a top applicant and increasing your chances of being selected.
This article will teach you how to make an ATS-friendly resume in a few easy steps.
What is Your Match Rate and How Can You Increase It?
The match rate is the percentage of your resume that matches the job description. A low match rate means your resume needs to meet the job requirements. If the match rate is high, your resume’s experience and education qualifications match the job description.
Recruiters use the match rate to sort applications and find the most relevant ones. You can improve your match rate by following these practices if your match rate is low. Ensure you include all the relevant data needed for a specific job description.
1. To start, carefully review the job description you’re interested in and identify the necessary skills, qualifications, and expertise.
2. Please take a moment to carefully examine your resume and see how well it aligns with the job description. If you lack certain areas, acquire the necessary skills, experiences, and qualifications.
3. Finally, include relevant keywords in your resume, but be careful not to use them too much as it may affect readability.
4. You can use an ATS-friendly template for your resume too.
How to Create an ATS-friendly Resume in 6 Steps?
To create an ATS-compliant resume that is easily read by an applicant tracking system, follow these steps:
Find the Job Title and Put It in Your Resume Headline
Ensure your resume headline is concise and directly related to the job you’re applying for. If you’re a Finance Manager, your headline could be “Experienced Finance Manager in the banking sector for over 10 years.” Always include the job title clearly in your resume headline. Follow these tips to ensure your resume stands out to the ATS and gets noticed.
Find Relevant Skills and Add Them to Your Resume
The recruiter will look for job titles, skills, and experience needed for the specific role. It’s essential to include all relevant job experience in your resume to match the job description. Remember to have relevant experience and skills such as communication, project management, and content management in your resume when applying for a marketing manager position.
Also, make sure not to use too many keywords in your resume. It can make understanding difficult for the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) and the recruiter.
Add Relevant Keywords to Your Resume
To increase your chances of getting selected by a recruiter, include relevant keywords from the job description in your resume. If you’re applying for the “Marketing Manager” role, be sure to include this keyword in your resume. Also, have work experience and skills in your resume that match the job description’s keywords.
Also, make sure not to use too many keywords in your resume. It can make it difficult for ATS and recruiters to understand.
Choose an ATS-friendly Resume Format
After including relevant keywords, ensure your resume is in a format that an ATS system can easily read and understand. If you don’t create your resume in an ATS-friendly format, your job application may be rejected.
The most popular ATS-compliant resume format is reverse chronological order. In this format, your work experience will be listed in reverse order. Recent expertise will be shown first, followed by past experiences. When highlighting your work experience, remember to include essential details such as the company name and location, job title, start and end dates, achievements, and responsibilities.
Make Your Resume Easy to Scan
Make sure your resume is easy to read for recruiters and ATS systems. Forming your resume correctly is essential to be easily read and understood. Here are some tips you can use for this purpose:
1. Please use plain, easy-to-understand language that recruiters and ATS systems can easily comprehend.
2. Use fonts like Garamond, Calibri, and Times New Roman to create a professional-looking resume.
3. To avoid overcrowded sentences, maintain 1-inch margins on all sides of your resume.
4. You can use formatting options such as bold, italics, and underlining to emphasize essential data and keywords.
5. Use Word and PDF files for easy scanning to ensure compatibility with ATS software.
Things to Avoid When Formatting Your Resume
When making ATS-friendly resumes, be sure to avoid these mistakes:
1. Use a straightforward and concise approach when presenting your data. Instead of using tables and columns, explore alternative methods.
2. Avoid using headers and footers, as they can make it hard for ATS to read your information.
3. Avoid using images, symbols, and graphics, as they can confuse the ATS.
4. Use simple and clear headings when listing your Work Experience, Education, Achievements, and other relevant information. Avoid using fancy or creative titles.
Try ATS-friendly Resume Templates
ATS-friendly resume templates make it easy to create resumes that can be read and understood quickly in an ATS system. Here are some common templates you can use for this purpose:
Key Takeaways
1. Create a resume using ATS-friendly templates to ensure it can be easily read and understood by an ATS system.
2. Including job-related skills and keywords in your resume can boost your chances of standing out among other applicants.
3. To ensure your resume is easily read by ATS software, save it in Word and PDF formats.
4. Separate and label sections for easy searching by ATS.
5. You can use the free ATS resume scanning tool to get a match score for your resume.
FAQs
What is an ATS compliant resume?
An ATS-compliant resume is a type of resume that can be easily read and understood by applicant tracking software. The resume should have a clear format and include relevant keywords and information.
How do I make an ATS-compatible resume?
To make an ATS-compatible resume, try using different templates that are ATS-friendly. Use these templates to format your resume correctly and include relevant keywords.
What is a good ATS resume score?
An ATS resume score of 80% means that 80% of your resume content should match the job requirements.
Can I run my resume through ATS for free?
You can use free online ATS software to run your resume through ATS for free. After scanning your resume, the software will give you a match score, showing how well it matches the job requirements.
Which resume format is ATS-friendly?
ATS uses the reverse chronological format to read resumes. In this format, the focus is on work experience. Keep all your work experiences at the top of the page.
Can ATS systems read PDFs?
Most ATS systems can read PDF CVs easily.
Why is ATS rejecting my CV?
Your CV was rejected by the ATS due to potential formatting issues. To make your resume easily readable by any ATS, remember to include relevant keywords and format it properly.
Does ATS read a 2-page resume?
An ATS can read a 2-page resume or longer easily.