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Employment tips: Tip two – why you need an ATS friendly resume

The ATS scans each resume for relevant keywords and formatting.  These are the same keywords found in the job description, enabling the software to determine if the applicant fulfills the job requirements.  

The ATS gives the resume a score and uses it to rank against other applicants. The highest-ranking resumes are then passed on to the hiring manager. 

This means you need an ATS friendly resume if you want it to progress through to the next stage.

It’s estimated that only 15 percent of resumes make it past ATS and into the hands of recruiters.   

With these sorts of statistics, it is essential that every resume meets the ATS criteria to stand the best chance of jumping the first hurdle and being seen.  

Tips on making your resume ATS friendly:

1. Avoid columns, text boxes, graphics or tables
   While it might be visually appealing, they can cause the system to read the text out of order or miss information entirely.
2. Use relevant keywords and phrases
   ATS loves to find the exact words used in the job’s position description in someone’s resume. That’s how the system determines if a candidate is suitable. Make sure you add those words in.
3. Use standard section headings
   It helps the ATS read your resume. Keep them simple, like Education, Work Experience, Skills, Certificates or training.

You can find even more tips and tricks in this useful article from job website Seek.

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