Top tips to make your resume more ATS-friendly

Job searches are often described as akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. That could be even more so in the digital age, an era when online job boards feature hundreds, if not thousands, of listings. Sifting through those listings can be time-consuming and force job seekers to wonder if their resume will even be seen.

Conventional wisdom regarding resumes may no longer apply. A resume can still be a useful asset, but job seekers must recognize the game has changed, specifically in regard to how resume submissions are received and reviewed. Many companies now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to sift through resume submissions before they ever land in the inbox or on the desk of an actual human being.

Because ATS is so popular, job seekers would be wise to embrace strategies to make their resume more ATS-friendly to increase the chances the document finds its way to a hiring manager.

The right keywords can help get a resume seen. Though a resume was once viewed as a tool that allowed job seekers to illustrate how they were unique from other applicants, uniqueness on a resume may now be a detriment. ATS serve as virtual gatekeepers that scan documents submitted for job openings. If those documents don’t feature certain keywords, they’re likely to be relegated to the virtual scrap heap. Professionals should research which keywords are likely to get their resume past the first stage of the hiring process and include them in the body of the document.

There’s more to it than keywords. Though the right keywords can ensure a resume gets past the virtual gatekeepers, they’re not the only features of a good resume. ATS are programmed to read resumes that are formatted in certain ways. The experts at Jobscan note that the most ATS-friendly resume is one that is chronological. That’s something most job seekers are already familiar with, as professionals have long listed their professional experience in reverse chronological order. That approach still works, and Jobscan recommends including company name and location, job title, start and end dates, and achievements and responsibilities for each job listed in the work experience section.

Avoid unique formats. resume data included in graphs, tables and columns might seem invaluable, but ATS software might make a mess of it. In addition, maintain a uniform font throughout the document. Sans serif fonts like Calibri and Helvetica won’t be difficult for ATS programs to read, increasing the likelihood that the document will ultimately be seen by a hiring manager.

Make the resume mobile-friendly. A resume that is easily opened and read on a mobile phone is likely to be just as easily read in an ATS program. Professionals can design their resumes and then open the documents on their phones. Documents that open quickly and easily are probably formatted in an ATS-friendly way, while those that don’t may need to be simplified and reformatted. In the age of digital job-seeking, professionals can take steps to make their resumes ATS-friendly to ensure the documents are ultimately seen.