When you look at the job market, it is so vast that employers and recruiters cannot handle the job applications no matter how many people they hire to sort the most suitable applications. The latest trend in the market that most recruiters use is artificial intelligence for sorting out the most suitable applications from thousands of applications they receive. The software program they use for this purpose is the Applicant Tracking System. The software efficiently sorts out the applicants that do not match the company’s requirements and records all the acceptable applications. The companies still have teams responsible for hiring, but they don’t have much time to check each application, so they now use ATS for this purpose.
What Types Of Applications Get Acceptance?
Today, only those applications considered acceptable pass the test of ATS. The applications that pass this test are more likely to get the recruiter’s attention and ultimately get hired. Creating an ATS-optimized resume is a specialized task that needs special skills. ATS-Optimized ResumeIf you don’t have those skills, you may have to hire resume writing services and create your job application according to the latest trends in the job market.
Tips For Making an ATS-Optimized Job Application
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Use Keywords
Include keywords throughout your resume. A resume keyword is a word or phrase that describes your qualifications for a particular job. Keywords vary by job title, years of experience required, company, and related factors. The best way to find suitable resume keywords for a particular role is to review the job postings carefully. Look for specific words to describe your ideal candidate’s experience or skills in your ad. Include exact words and phrases in your resume
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Put Keywords In Context
Incorporate your keywords into the rest of your resume. Most ATS programs prefer applications that don’t list one keyword at a time. A qualification section filled with keywords only. Most probably ATS software will approve resumes that adjust keywords into the rest of the text. Once you have decided on a keyword, describe your skills and experience related to that keyword.
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Choose a File Format that ATS Can Read
Many people save and send their resumes in PDF format because PDF is a popular file type, and it helps keep the resume format. However, if you think that ATS software might show your resume in front of employers, you should save it in a plain text format instead. ATS programs often have problems reading the text in PDF files, as they may scan the PDF as one large image instead of a text document.
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Limit Your Formats
Unique and professional formatting can help your resume stand out from recruiters. However, the proprietary format often confuses resume ATS checker software and can cause the ATS to misread or ignore important information in the resume. If you are applying that you know ATS may scan or suspect, please remove the following parts of your resume:
- Tables
- Graphics
- Boxing
- Chart
- Column
- Picture
- Animation
- Multi-Colored Fonts Or Elements
- Special Characters.
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Make Resumes Readable by ATS and Employers
Present your resume information in an understandable way to both ATS robots and human employers. Choose a standard resume format: time series or functional form. Consider using the resume templates to list your key qualifications logically.
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Minimize Header or Footer Information
Limit how much you write in your resume header or footer. Many people use resume headers or footers to include contact information. It’s a great way to format a resume reviewed by a human expert, but ATS programs have trouble reading header and footer text. Instead, put your contact information in the body of your resume.
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Customize Your Resume for Each Release
Personalize your resume for each job you apply for. You can use the same basic template for each resume, but try adapting different versions of your resume for each application.
A company often programs its ATS software to search for specific words or phrases in job listings, company values, or mission statements. For each job you apply for, scan the description, research the company, and find keywords specific to that company. Include these on your resume to ensure your application passes its free ATS resume scan.