You have probably read in each of our resume tips blogs that you have to make ATS-compliant resumes, but what exactly does it mean?
To shed more light on this, we are going to discuss it in more detail.
In this blog, we will take you through the nitty gritties of an ATS friendly resume and even share an ATS friendly resume template to help you understand better.
But first, let’s begin with the basics, and understand what ATS is and Ats Resume Optimization Techniques
Let’s begin!
What is ATS and how does it work
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a software that organizations use to filter the best applications for a job position quickly.
Companies put in their requirements into the system and the software scans and rejects applications that do not match with the set requirements.
What is an ATS friendly resume
Now, we know the question that’s running across your mind... what is an ATS friendly resume and how do we draft ours if we don’t know what the set keywords are?
The answer is rather simple. Let’s start with what is an ATS friendly resume. A resume drafted specifically to pass the software is called an ATS compliant resume.
But how can you make it ATS compliant? Simple. When you see a job posting, don't just jump into the application. Instead, go to the job description and read it very carefully, that's where the key to passing the ATS software lies.
The job description highlights all the important skills and requirements the recruiter is looking for and can be assumed that the same keywords are incorporated in their ATS software.
Tips to writing an ATS compliant resume
Here are some tips that will help you make your resume ATS friendly:
Use an ATS friendly resume format
Before going about drafting your resume, you need to remember that its format plays a crucial role in passing the ATS scan. There are 3 resume formats,
Functional: A functional resume is used to focus on skills and abilities. This allows you to emphasize what you excel at more than your work experience.
Combination: A combination resume is a mix of functional and chronological resume format. This format allows you to emphasize both skills and work experience.
Chronological: This resume format allows you to list your work history in a reverse chronological order. This means you start with the most recent job in the list of work history.
Out of the three, the most ATS friendly resume format is the Chronological format as it is better organized and is easy to read.
Label and separate each section carefully
Another factor to consider when tailoring an ATS friendly resume is to label each section as per popular resume headings such as "Work Experience" and "Education".
Avoid any fancy headings as that will not get recognized by the ATS and your resume will be rejected immediately.
ATS compliant resumes should comprise of the following headings:
- Resume Summary
- Work Experience
- Skills
- Education
Highlight job-related keywords
As mentioned earlier, to pass the ATS software scans, your resume needs to have the right keywords.
Therefore, ensure to use the keywords from the job description when drafting your ATS friendly resume to increase your chances of getting the interview call.
Follow the same when you are listing skills in the resume as it will help the software to recognize whether you are qualified for the position.
Use proper resume font
A resume is a professional document and unless you are applying for a creative role, it is best to stick to basic fonts like Times Roman, Arial, and so on.
Here are the 10 best fonts for resume to choose from when drafting your ATS friendly resume.
Proofread, proofread, Proofread
The final step to having the perfect ATS friendly resume is to proofread, proofread and proofread!
The most crucial factor in ensuring that your resume passes the ATS scan is by making it error-free.
Grammar errors, typing errors, formatting errors or any error can toss your chance of getting to the interview round out the window.
The reason being, the ATS scan won’t recognize the errors and reject the resume.
ATS friendly resume templates
We hope you find these tips useful and if implemented correctly, you will have an ATS friendly resume of your own!
With companies using the ATS software to skim through to the right candidates for a job role, it is extremely important that your resume be ATS compliant.
All the Best!
