A majority of job seekers share everything about them in resumes. The result is often a cluttered, overwhelming, and sometimes irrelevant resume that does not appeal to the recruiter. Most importantly, such a disorganized CV is the worst enemy of the new standard of the recruiting process, the applicant tracking systems.
Today, it is not only sufficient that your resume impresses hiring professionals. First, you have to cross the gateway of the applicant tracking systems (ATS). This article will tell you all you need to know about creating bot-beating resumes.
Find the Best Resume Writing Services
A resume needs a clear purpose, conveying to the recruiter how your skills translate to the position you are applying for. In general, recruiters find that the applicant resumes that caught their attention had the following features in common:
- A clear objective and summary at the top of the page;
- A logical flow of content presented through titles and bullet points;
- Relevant skills are organically included in the content.
Though it might appear simple enough, many fail to create an impressive resume that can highlight their accomplishments.
If you are not hitting the mark with your current resume, it might be a good idea to get professional help. Finding the best CV writing service will allow you to present your case most attractively.
The specialists can help you draft resumes that can beat ATS and land an interview. Working with the best resume service is a great choice to invest in your career.
Keep It Simple
Recruiters are experts in hiring. They are not always experienced in the position you’re applying for. For this reason, it is best to keep your job application readable and straightforward. Make it a point to present your key skills without using too much technical jargon.
Instead, focus on the relevant work experiences and your best marketable skills. There is no need to include experiences that do not cater to the position. If more than one role has a similar job description, you can state, “duties are substantially similar to..” This will avoid repetition and keep your resume neat.
Include Keywords in the Job Description
The first step to beating the applicant tracking system is to ensure that you are offering exactly what they are looking for. These ATS bots look for specific keywords to identify the ideal resumes.
As a job seeker, you can no longer overlook the role of the ATS. It is imperative that you tailor your resume to include certain keywords. However, make sure that you only use them if you have the relevant experience.
Communicate Your Value
Once the recruiter reads your resume, one will want to get a glimpse of what you are bringing to the table. They do not want to read dissertations of your achievements but rather seek a succinct presentation of your value.
Jot down all your professional achievements, and identify how these helped solve problems for your previous employers. If you did not know already, STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Results. Explain what you were up against in your previous roles and how you addressed the situation. Importantly, to improve your resume, try to quantify your results.
For instance, “Led a team of 20 people to attain 50% growth” is a good example of simple sentences that give a clear account of your accomplishments. This is the most effective way to convey what value you can bring to the organization.
Revise Your Content
If you are claiming to be detail-oriented in your CV, it would be a shame to have your resume prove otherwise. You need to make sure that you follow the correct tenses and avoid any spelling or grammatical errors.
As a general practice, you should refrain from using first-person pronouns. For example, instead of saying, “I hit the sale quota every time,” you can add it as a bullet point of “Hit the sale quote every time.”
When possible, share your resume with a few trusted advisors who can offer you a fresh perspective. You do not want to land on the reject pile because you spelled the organization’s name wrong or due to a misplaced comma.
Make It Visually Appealing
Hiring managers spend only a few seconds before deciding whether your file is worth taking a second look. And it is not always because they are super fast in reading your entire resume.
More often, an organized, well-presented resume will maximize your chances of passing both the ATS system and the employer’s sharp eyes. You need to divide your resume into multiple sections, each capitalized and bolded.
While at it, you will find templates at websites offering career resources to use as the base. However, if you choose an overly graphic format, your key skills might not get recognized by the ATS.
If a bot-beating resume is your priority, you can create one in a Word Processor and export it as a PDF. This format is most likely to get through all ATS.
What Not to Include
While you focus on what to include, it is also necessary to know what to avoid in your resumes.
- There is no need to write “References will be provided upon request.” Unless specifically mentioned, have your references ready in a separate sheet to provide only when requested.
- Cover letters: If you are sending your resume via email, the email body will serve as your cover letter. You do not have to send a separate cover letter as an attachment unless required. The email body should be an elevator pitch of who you are, your career summary, and why you are contacting the email recipient.
Final Words
The resume writing business has come a long way since mailing in your CVs by post. These tips will help you in understanding how to communicate your value to not only the hiring professionals but also the ATS to stay ahead of the competition.
