The Applicant Tracking System is a nightmare that haunts most adults looking for a job.
You spend months perfecting your resume. From finding the right keywords to the right font, most of us pour our heart and soul into it. We know that a resume is our most valuable weapon against the job hunt. It is our ambassador who lobbies our worth to the employee or company. Besides, we rely on this tiny document to change our lives. However, most of our resumes don’t even make it to the hiring managers.
How does it feel when the words you carefully picked don’t even make it to a pair of human eyes?
Well, most companies now utilize the applicant tracking system to help them narrow down their search to find the right candidate quickly. In doing so, they have taken out the human factor in the first steps. The automated system scans your resume in minutes and rejects or accepts applicants based on set criteria.
You may be the best person for the job, but your resume might be underselling you on paper. Let’s learn how to beat the ATS tracking system and get your dream job.
How do you tackle Applicant Tracking System?
Applicant tracking systems streamlines and automates the hiring process for most large and mid-size companies. Additionally, a whopping 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS to assist with their hiring processes. You need to beat the applicant tracking system to apply to any of these companies. Here are some of the best practices you can use to pass the ATS scanner.
Keyword Optimization:
The Applicant Tracking System algorithm recognises and prioritises relevant keywords matching the job description. Basically, to beat the ATS scanner, you must tailor your resume to that specific job. Adding relevant keywords from the job description to your resume will help increase your possibility of ranking higher. Identifying the necessary keywords in the job posting and then strategically adding them to your resume will help optimise it to the ATS standard.
Document Format:
Microsoft Word is the way to go! The word format is the likeliest format to be favored by the Applicant Tracking System. Even though most people think that pdf is the way to go, the .doc file format is easier to parse; thus, it’s more effective. Make sure to build a simple and clean resume template on a word document to increase your probability of getting recognized by ATS software.
Standard Headings:
Don’t get too creative! Contrary to popular belief, being creative will not help you stand out. When it comes to ATS-friendly resumes, simple is the way to go. Always use standard headings like “Experience”, “Qualifications,” and “Skills.” By doing so, you are optimising your resume to the ATS standards.
Grammar and Acronyms:
The bot may or may not recognize acronyms. It’s best to use the full form along with the acronyms. The Applicant Tracking System is not designed to understand the context and may skip over the abbreviations. Adding the whole title will help explain your intent better, thus increasing your possibilities.
Nonetheless, optimizing your resume for the ATS tracker is necessary for this day and age. It can be hard to stand out among hundreds of applicants. Let Merit services help you make this process easy and less tedious. Connect with us today, and lets us help you find your dream job.
