Whether you are starting from scratch or giving your resume an overhaul, you might be thinking about what recruiters and hiring managers would like to see. Often a resume acts as a candidate’s first impression, so it’s important to present the right information in the best manner possible. Below we’ll offer tips and advice for crafting a resume that will convert for you.
Writing a Resume for ATS
Application tracking systems, or ATS for short, are tools that HR professionals and recruiters (like us!) use to filter large pools of candidates without having to read every resume they receive. In fact, by
some estimates, an ATS filters out 75 percent of applications before they are read by a sentient human being. Almost every Fortune 500 company uses ATS, and the market for the software is
nearing double digit growth, suggesting that smaller businesses and startups are sure to adopt ATS if they have not already. That means you the candidate have to adapt to how they work.
1.) Template and Design Basics
Don’t go overboard with an overly customized resume template because it will “confuse” the ATS and your contents may not be read properly. The safest bet is to keep your resume as simple as possible: Do not place any copy in the header or footer of the document. Avoid tables and images altogether. Use a single column design. Standard bullet points are OK; custom bullet points use at your own peril.
In terms of file format, stick with a Word .doc or .docx. Long gone are they days when PDFs were preferred for maintaining your clean margins and visually pleasing white space. ATS doesn’t care about any of that—but should you land an interview in a creative position, you might bring along with you a fancier PDF version of your resume printed on classy 24 lbs. bond paper.
2.) Use Standard Headings
It is also important to format the resume in a manner that an ATS can read. ATS search algorithms are designed to find commonly used resume section headings for matching keyword data under those headings. It is best to use plain language for these—work history, professional history, professional skills, education, and so forth.
3.) Professional Statements and Objectives Paragraph
Nowadays, consensus holds that experienced candidates can usually skip the objectives paragraph. However, candidates that are recent graduates, or need to explain a charge in careers can use an objectives paragraph to make a statement about their career goals. A good objectives section is short, as in one or two sentences, and incorporates quantifiable examples of how your skills and background can benefit the company in the position that you are applying for.
4.) How to Present Your Work History
A candidate a few choices about how they present their work history. A chronological presentation is good for providing the reader a candidate’s career arc at a glance. A list of job titles that reflect progression in your field are a clear way to demonstrate value and proficiency, for example showing movement from assistant to coordinator or analyst, and then to manager. Remember to match desired job titles in the ATS. For the sentient human reading your resume, it’s important to speak to tangible accomplishments and skills honed at each position.
Candidates with less experience might opt for a functional work history instead. A functional work history highlights skills and abilities. Instead of listing positions held, a candidate would organize skills by theme, and under each theme, provides specific examples of projects they completed that honed that specific skill set. Skills might include “Administrative” or “Problem Solving” or “Project Management” and specify tasks related to development.
5.) Find Keywords in the Job Description
Recruiters and hiring managers set the parameters in ATS software around “best fit” metrics for the job. The way this works is that the software essentially locates keywords (and keyword density) that pertain to the ideal candidate. What might those keywords be? Check the job description—they’re right in front of you.
Broadly speaking, tech recruiters program ATS queries and filters to look for candidates’ years of experience, job titles, industry verticals, hard skills, and proficiency with the tools for the job. A vast majority of the time what the recruiters enter into the system is pulled directly from the job description. Therefore, it serves candidates to tailor their resume to the job description, making sure that you speak to your skills, experience, work history, and previous job titles to match what the job description wants from the candidate.
6.) Mind Your Spelling and Spacing
Search queries can be finicky. It should go without saying your resume needs to be flawless in regards to spelling and punctuation. Make sure to mind the spacing in proper nouns like software and programming frameworks and languages. When in doubt, spell out terms that are commonly abbreviated in the first reference and use parentheses for subsequent mentions—JavaScript (JS), Masters in Business Administration (MBA). You can probably roll with something like HTML in the first reference, but it never hurts to check the job description to match how it appears there.
7.) Professional Skills Section
The skills section is a chance for you to directly highlight that what you bring to the table as a professional is exactly what the company wants from a candidate. Customize this section to align as closely as possible to the position to which a candidate is applying. Remember to format for ATS. The closer the match, the better the chances are a candidate will receive a call for an interview.
Final Thoughts
A successful candidate that wants to convert a job application into a job offer must write for both ATS and sentient human beings, as both are involved in modern onboarding processes. Candidates that tailor their resume to the opportunity—if only in the slightest bit—stand to gain an advantage. Remember to keep your resume simple, clean, accurate, and let the job description guide how you present your skills and experience.
View and download the full resume example HERE.
Now that you're prepped to have an amazing resume, apply to new opportunities at CyberCoders.com and see for yourself how far a great resume will take you.
