05/07/2023
Step #1 – Identify the job title or required experience and add it to your resume heading.
The first step is to look at the very top of the job description. This is where you’ll find the job title or required experience you’ll need. Here’s an example:
Senior Manager/Manager-Sales (Americans)
Let’s say you want to apply to this job. On your resume, try to include the keywords “Senior Manager” and “Sales” in your headline.
A resume headline is a brief summary of your professional identity. It appears at the top of your resume, just below your contact information.
It’s important to include the keywords “senior manager” and “sales” in your headline because a hiring manager will likely type those exact same keywords into an ATS when they search for suitable candidates.
Here are some examples of what your resume headline could look like if you were applying for this job:
Accomplished senior manager and sales leader focused on delivering outstanding results.
Dynamic senior manager with a strong background in sales and business development.
Senior manager with extensive sales experience and a knack for building high-performing teams.
Now that you’ve got your resume headline optimized for the ATS, it’s time to work on the rest of your resume.
Step #2 – Identify the essential keywords
The next step is to carefully read through the rest of the job description and highlight the skills, or keywords, that appear most often.
These are usually hard skills. Hard skills are specific abilities and knowledge based on experience and training.
Examples of hard skills include technical writing, data analysis, graphic design, project management, Python, Java, and Salesforce.
Here’s an example of a job description with one of the most important skills highlighted – “marketing”. This keyword needs to feature prominently in your resume if you hope to land a job interview.
The point is to use the same language on your resume that the hiring manager used in the job description. This will help your resume stand out.
Jobscan’s resume scanner simplifies this process. After you upload your resume and the job description to the scanner, it produces a Match Report. This report highlights the skills and keywords you should try to add to your resume.
Here’s an example of a Match Report:
In the above example, the term “required” means that those skills are crucial qualifications for the job.
Don’t add keywords just for the sake of adding them. Instead, tweak the keywords that already appear on your resume so they exactly match the keywords in the job description.
This is important because many ATS cannot differentiate between synonyms, abbreviations, or similar skills.
For example, if you have experience in “customer service” but the job description asks for “customer support,” your resume may not make it to the next round.
It’s also important to include both long-form versions of keywords and acronym versions. Let’s say you are a certified public accountant (CPA). You should try to include both “certified public accountant” and “CPA” on your resume.
This will ensure that your resume will be found by employers who are searching the ATS for either term.
If your resume has any searchability issues, the match report created by Jobscan’s resume scanner will point them out.
Step #3 – Format your ATS resume correctly
The final thing you need to do is to make sure the formatting of your resume is ATS-friendly. After all, if the ATS can’t read your information properly it’s unlikely a hiring manager will find your resume.
Many job seekers want their resumes to look visually appealing. This might seem like a good idea, but graphic design elements can confuse the ATS.
Your best bet is to stick to a simple design that’s easy to read.
Follow these tips so your resume can be properly read by an ATS:
Use simple, clear language. Using jargon or overly complicated language will just confuse the system.
Stick to traditional resume section headers like “Education” and “Work Experience”. Avoid more creative headers like “Where I’ve Been”.
Use a common, easy-to-read font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Helvetica for optimal readability.
Make sure your margins are 1 inch on all sides so your resume doesn’t look crowded.
Avoid using unnecessary graphics or embellishments. They can make your resume appear unprofessional and could confuse the ATS.
Avoid using special characters or symbols that the system might misinterpret.
Do NOT use tables and columns to help organize your resume. These can result in critical information getting garbled by the ATS.
Use a Word document when you are creating your resume. This will ensure that it looks good and is easy for the ATS to read.
Check every resume you send out to make sure it’s formatted correctly. It’s no exaggeration to say that only one small mistake can ruin your chances of getting a job interview.
