When you apply for a job your resume is usually the thing a potential employer sees.. Before it even gets to the person who is hiring it has to go through an Applicant Tracking System. This system looks for words and qualifications in your resume. If you make your resume friendly to the Applicant Tracking System you have a chance of getting an interview.
Understand How ATS Works
To do this you need to understand how the Applicant Tracking System works. The Applicant Tracking System looks at resumes. Picks out the ones that have the right words and experience for the job. So you should read the job description carefully and make sure you include the important words that show you are qualified for the job. Do not just put in a lot of keywords your resume should still be easy to read and sound natural.
Use a Simple and Professional Format
You should choose a resume format that’s easy to read and has the usual headings like Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills and Certifications. Use a font like Arial or Calibri and do not use pictures, tables or complicated designs that the Applicant Tracking System software might have trouble reading.
Highlight Relevant Skills and Achievements
Instead of just saying what your job was talk about what you actually did. For example you could say how you made sales go up or how you made things more efficient or how you led a project that was successful. When you can prove what you did it makes your resume more impressive. Shows the employer what you can do.
Actionable Tips
●Customize your resume for each job you apply for. .
●Put in keywords from the job description. .
●Save your resume, as a PDF or Word document if that is what they ask for.
●Keep your resume short one or two pages is best. .
In the end an ATS-Friendly Resume is one that has the keywords looks professional and shows what you can do. If you make your resume fit each job you apply for and make it easy to read you will have a chance of getting past the automated screening and getting noticed by the people who are hiring.