ATS compliant resume technology has streamlined the job application process. Years ago, you would summarize your work history and education, print it out and mail it to a potential employer. The personnel department would assign a stack of résumés to a recruiter’s assistant to search for the best of the bunch. It was an inefficient, time-consuming and often imperfect method to select candidates.
Nowadays, the first step to a résumé being considered in the application process is computer scanning and analysis by an algorithm that searches for keywords inherent in skills, job titles, education and experience. This method is referred to as ATS/automated resume screening.
To improve the odds of your résumé being chosen for consideration by a recruiter, it is crucial that your résumé format is Applicant Tracking System (ATS) compliant in terms of layout and design to pass scans. This reduces the process to a fraction of the time formerly consumed. However, since it is electronic and impersonal, unless you follow ATS compliancy guidelines your résumé may slip through the cracks.
ATS cannot read charts, images, etc.
Many applicants make the mistake of choosing formats that are visually appealing to their own sense of aesthetics. Hence, they choose decorative boarders, multi-colors, a staggering number of different fonts, newspaper column format, photos and illustrations, icons, graphics, and innumerable other cosmetic affects that would be better used in poster art than a résumé.
ATS cannot read charts, digital or photographic images, etc. Because of unbalanced formatting or convoluted design, the applicant tracking system cannot isolate important information, resulting in the résumé being passed over and never being seen by a recruiter. So, to paraphrase the old-school sales mantra of KISS – Keep it Simple and Sharp.
inconsistencies can red flag your resume
A résumé is a promotional flyer that is intended to pique a recruiter’s interest so they call you for an interview. What you’ve written on the résumé has to hold up under scrutiny – both during the vetting process and in the interview. So, don’t exaggerate or lie.
Content has to be factual, concise, and comprehensive. You don’t want to get tripped up by inconsistencies. So avoid exaggeration and do not lay claim to skills you don’t possess. Once disproved, you come across as a braggart. Lean in to demonstrated strengths, emphasizing impressive qualifications and accomplishments and downplaying weaknesses at the same time.
The language on an ATS compliant resume should be articulate and easily understood, no jargon or ambiguous acronyms. That still allows for an element of vocabulary sophistication. Most importantly, no typos or grammatical errors. The takeaway from content flaws is that if you lie about any thing, you are probably not trustworthy. And if you let a résumé be published with errors, you project a cavalier, inattentive attitude. Ask yourself, who wants to hire a sloppy liar
Appearance is equally crucial, because once past the automated screening phase, it will be printed out and submitted to a recruiter. At that point, you want it to be appealing to the eye, sharp and easy to read. The layout should make the information easy to follow. So brevity is the watchword.
An ATS compliant resume ideally one- to two-pages, encompassing 10 to 12 years of experience, but no more than 15 years, with simple, succinct, bulleted sentences is best. No one wants to read a book with text-dense paragraphs. First impressions are the bell that cannot be unrung.
Use simple layouts for an ats compliant resume
Layout styles can vary and your choice will depend on which aspects of your qualifications you wish to showcase. Whichever layout you choose remember, ATS cannot read intricately-designed layouts. Character and personality should be showcased in content.
The styles include: Basic, Chronological, Functional, Targeted, and Creative.
- The Basic style is best for those entry-level applicants lacking work experience and focuses on education and training.
- The Chronological style is traditional and preferred by most recruiters. Best suited to those with extensive career-specific experience.
- The Functional style focuses primarily on skills and accomplishments rather than job titles. Experience is outlined in a subordinate section just listing name of employer, position and dates. It is most useful to applicants re-entering job market after a hiatus or those who want to change fields, or have been working freelance or part-time.
- The Targeted style focuses on how the applicant qualifies for a specific job, has a clear idea of what they want to do and who has proven skills in the targeted area. These skills and accomplishments are stated immediately after profile. Education and Experience is listed in subordinate sections.
- The Creative style is primarily for people in the arts or entertainment fields who have an artistic background and creative flair.
Few useful tips to stay compliant with the ATS
Applicant Tracking Systems use Automated Résumé Screening Software. The following guidelines will ensure your résumé adheres to the ATS screening requirements.
- Contact Information. Don’t split contact information in headers and footers. Footers should not be used. The résumé should begin with your name centered on one line, followed by address, phone/cell numbers, email and/or Linkedin addresses centered at the top of the page in one or two lines.
- Objective This is an outdated category and no longer used. Instead, we center your profession or body of expertise under contact information. For example, “Litigation Attorney” or “Director of Operations” This states who you are and ostensibly the type of position you are pursuing since your career trajectory should be progressively in keeping with the type of work you have been pursuing all along. People seldom change horses in midstream unless they are preparing for a career transition, in which case their recent training and education will validate the logic of such a change.
- Profile A summary of qualifications or professional profile give the recruiter a thumbnail sketch of who you are and, by logical extension, what you can do for them in your new position. This summarizes expertise, skills, strengths, attributes, and other positives that showcase you in the best light. The experience will elucidate those qualities in greater detail. Liberally use role-specific terms mentioned in job vacancy notices or job descriptions as the keywords, but don’t cram or overuse the terms so that it looks silly. Do not place skills at the end of the résumé since it is inefficient for a recruiter to have to go all the way to the end of the résumé to learn what skills the applicant possesses.
How recruiters screening through resumes
Order of Categories: At this point, you have to consider what order you want to bring information to the attention of the recruiter.
- Credentials Special certifications, licenses, etc. inherent to your profession can be listed as a separate category, or they can be included in the heading Training & Credentials.
- Distinctions If you have special citations, awards, honors, etc. they can be listed here so they are quickly seen and not buried in the experience.
If your Training (and Professional Development) is the most recent that would be the next heading. And you would list technological training institutes or online courses and their content. lf Education is recent (within the last 5 years) it should be the next heading. If not, it follows Experience.
- Education Itemize degrees in reverse chronological order listing school, location, degree and graduation date; or major and years of attendance. Then list relevant courses and/or projects.
- Experience Don’t go back more than 15 years. The term Experience includes Employment and Volunteer activities. If the position being pursued is not consistent with all experience, you can isolate relevant experience under heading “Relevant Experience” or the specific experience such as “Teaching Experience” and list irrelevant experience under “Other Employment” or “Other Experience.”
- References Available Upon Request is an outmoded phrase. It is understood you will supply them when asked. Instead, have a separate page entitled “References” and list 3 personal and 3 professional references including name, title, address, email, phone, length and nature of of relationship.
In any event, list experience in reverse chronological order including name of employer or hosting organization, location, position held, and start and end dates comprised of month and year. This is followed by position held on a separate line, followed by bulleted detailed functions encompassing job description.
At this point, since an American résumé is more achievement-oriented rather than task-oriented, you want to emphasize how you added value to an employer through your accomplishments.
This value is measured in dollars or percentages. For example, in the course of being a Supervisor you reduced overtime by 20% and saved the company over $25,000 in payroll monies, or increased productivity by 15% through innovative incentive plans; or as an Office Manager you saved the company $100,000 by sourcing more competitive vendors. Ensure that specific details and keywords are incorporated throughout the various position descriptions.
Professional references should not be people on the job who have hiring or firing authority over you. Instead, list someone who knows you in a work context such as vendor, colleague, interdepartmental supervisor, etc.
Personal references do not include family and should not include friends. Instead, choose people you know on a non-professional level who can comment on your reliability, etc. For example, high school teacher, college professor, family lawyer, doctor, or pastor.
Appropriate File Formats: PDFs are useful when preserving data exactly as keyboarded. However, it is not always well suited to ATS. With the various type of tracking software available, not all recognize PDFs. Always check for a list of acceptable file formats before uploading. Viable options are Corel WordPerfect, MS Word .doc or .docx.