5 do’s and don’ts of writing an ATS-friendly resume

Things to avoid when writing a ATS-friendly resume

These are common mistakes that might not seem harmful, but they have a high chance of getting your job application rejected.

Don’t get distracted

While applying for a job, applicants see different opportunities with various demands. and it is easy to get distracted. Moreover, people do want to apply for the other jobs too, but remember that there might be more experienced people for that spot. So, just go with the best option you have from the company and leave the rest.

On the other hand, people applying for various positions in the same company might trigger the ATS bots, especially if they are contrasting in the field of work. Even if the application passes the bot, then the human recruiter will question the applicant’s experiences.

Avoid hacks

Another mistake people make is to try to cheat the automation system using different tricks. Some change the text font to white and write the keywords absurdly. For some people, the best option would be to take inspiration from professional resume examples at Skillhub to know about how to write a perfect one. It may be time-consuming, but it pays off eventually.If an applicant wants to get their dream job, they should not give the ATS any reason to reject the application. Also, if you are using some paid options like make sure that you cancel your subscription after you have completed your resume, there are many resources that can help you to cancel Resume Now for example , or Resumebuild and many other popular resume builders and template providers.

Don’t disrupt the flow of the text

Never put keywords inorganically in between the sentences. It not only makes the resume hard to read but sometimes nearly impossible as well. People make a lot of grammatical errors trying to use multiple keywords. This results in immediate rejection by the ATS bots.

Keep it simple and make short sentences. Don’t use unnecessary complex words. The bot may not consider it, but the hiring manager should easily read and understand the motive of the application.

Even if the application passes the ATS, the core success is acceptance by recruiters. And sometimes even recruiters make hiring mistakes so it is important to make it as clear and concise as possible to avoid any confusion.

Don’t add many graphical details

The prime mistake people make is putting some graphical elements on their resumes. This stuff may attract a human but not a software system. In fact, it will read and present your application to the recruiters in a text format.

The graphical details that ATS removes are:

• headers;
• footers;
• charts;
• columns;
• colored texts;
• highlights;
• illustrations;
• pictures.

The humans in the next hiring stage will see black text on a white background. So, avoid wasting time on putting images and graphics.

Go easy on the formatting

Lastly, to make the application presentable, applicants put in a lot of formatting. They apply colors in text, highlight the area, and use fancy fonts. All this stuff takes out the professional look of the resume.

The suitable formatting is to use bold and underline. Try to write your application in simple fonts like san-serifs. Make it less stressful for ATS to handle constantly changing formats.

5 must-do things to writing a friendly ATS resume

Now, here are the points on what the applicant should do to increase the approval chances.

Use the proper keywords

It is better to stay within limits and use the related ones. Use proper keywords according to your duties and job demands. Try to sprinkle them everywhere.

Use keywords while you explain how you can solve a company’s problem and show you are a perfect fit for the job. Make sure your resume includes the key requirements from the job description.

Opt for word format

Although an ATS system accepts files in PDF, it would be best to write and submit the work in .docx format. If the preferred file format is indicated, then create your resume according to those instructions. 

Make sure you qualify for the job

Another crucial thing is to check the required qualification. Are you eligible for the job application? You need to evaluate the relevance of your high school diploma, work experiences, and key skills beforehand. If anyone applies for positions they have vague experiences with, then they will hardly land a job.

Avoid special accent letters

Another important thing to remember is never to use accent letters like “e” in “résumé.” ATS bots cannot identify these special characters. They will appear like “r?sum?.” So, in the end, you will make a bad impression on recruiters. Also, if you want to rank higher among other candidates and land an interview, you need to show professionalism.

Reread twice

Last but not least, reread your job application before submitting it. You might find some inconsistencies and errors in the text. Rereading also helps look at your resume from another perspective and understand how to make your document clearer and simpler for the ATS to scan. In short, it helps a lot to improve the quality of your resume.

Conclusion

Creating an ATS-friendly resume is not a difficult task. You just need to make your resume understandable for both bots and recruiters. Your application should be primarily easy to read and concise.  If you explain yourself in an efficient way, your acceptance chances will automatically increase.