10 Tips to an ATS-friendly CV that Stands Out

Gone are the days when companies manually went through hundreds of resumes. Your resume now goes through an applicant tracking system, and even your CV won’t directly reach seniors. Jobseekers are asked to fill in an application or upload their resume in a Word/PDF format. This application goes through the system and has robust application tracking systems; recruiters go through one’s application.

For instance, a hundred job seekers filled out their applications and submitted them. The ATS would decline the applications that have unrecognizable keywords like, “How did I reach here?” or “Things I am proud of,” instead of a common word like “Experience” or “Achievements.” Every organization’s ATS is filled up with a set of keywords that could help you pass or fail these systems. A recruiter receives around 25 out of a hundred applications, and less than six candidates make it to an interview. Barely three candidates get a second round of interviews, and out of them, only one is onboarded.

It is essential to learn how to write an ATS-friendly resume if you want to land an interview and be the one to get the job offer. Around 64 percent of recruiters eliminate unqualified candidates with the help of an applicant tracking system. This means it is essential to be well-informed about recruiters and the hiring teams' keywords.

So, how can you create a resume that stands out and is ATS-friendly at the same time? How can you top the ATS ranking and impress your recruiters? Well, you just need to follow the below-mentioned ten tips to land that dream job.

1. USE OF STANDARD HEADINGS

One should use standard headings and subheadings in their resumes. The more familiar words you use, the closer you are to passing an ATS. For instance, you can use words like summary, experience, education, skills, hobbies, or interests rather than complicating your CV by writing things like, “Where my heart is,” or “How did I reach here?”

2. THE ORDER OF WRITING

A resume looks best if it is in chronological order. This way it becomes easier to understand and go through rather than getting lost in the script. If your information is without a certain order, your chances of getting rejected are high.

3. REVIEW JOB POST

A job post is your cheat sheet. You must go through a job post thoroughly before applying to the job and sending your resume. Why? Well, if they require a person who has pursued MBA and you don’t have a degree in it, then you mustn’t apply. The job descriptions are cheat sheets as they can help you with keywords, specific skill sets, and other terms that they seek in their ideal candidate.

4. CHECK FOR SPELLING AND GRAMMAR

An ATS is operated via an AI, and it isn’t as smart as the human brain, which is why you must watch out for spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. It is better to proofread anything you send across as one letter here, and there could cost you a loss in an opportunity. For example, if the title they’ve mentioned is “Accounts & Development Manager,” and you’ve written “Account Development Manager,” the ATS might reject the application.

5. THE CORRECT USE OF KEYWORDS

Yes, keywords are necessary, but you do not have to fill your entire CV with keywords. These terms are meant to be used wisely and without error. For example, you can use them in your skills and experience, only if relevant.

6. YOU CAN NOT TRICK THE ATS

There is no way that you could cheat the application tracking system. If the job post requires an MBA graduate and you write, “I am not a graduate in MBA, but I have done BBA,” or something similar would lead to rejection, especially by your employers. This also decreases the chance of being selected, and recruiters could leave a negative remark for you. Adding the keywords in the white-colored font is a sly idea, but the recruiters could blocklist you for doing the same.

7.NO REPETITIVE WORDS

Say it once, say it twice, but say it too many times, and it is frowned upon. No one likes to read or hear the same thing. Increasing the same keyword in every sentence won’t assist in grabbing the attention of your hiring managers. Instead, they would turn the other way because of the repetitions.

8. TGI – TITLE, GEOGRAPHY, AND INDUSTRY

The recruiters may or may not mention it in their job posts, but they want to know these three things. So, it is better to note the job title you are under and which title you are applying for, the current residence location, and the type of industry you are working for at present.

9. WRITE FOR AI AND HUMAN

The resume passes to a recruiter. If the applicant tracking system rejects your application, don’t lose hope as newbie recruiters go through your CV before leaving it entirely. Therefore, keep it precise yet informative.

10. AUTHENTIC INFORMATION

Once you pass the ATS and the recruiters, your paperwork through thorough verification, you create the perfect resume. You are one of the selected candidates; your information goes through a background check. If the organization finds any information false, you could be blocked and labeled “Do Not Hire.” So, avoid inaccurate data on paper or in-person.

Cracking the application tracking system code seems easier with these nine insightful tips. Give it a try for your dream job and create a resume just for your recruiter, keeping the authenticity of your information. To sum it up, make sure your application is free of grammatical and spelling errors. Write the application supporting the job post in mind, add the keywords mentioned in that post, and focus on both AI and human mindset before finalizing your document. Avoid repetitive words or tricks, and use simple synonyms. Before hitting the submit button, thoroughly proofread the information you have provided.

Contingent Workforce Programs like FlentisPRO provide an in-built application tracking system and several other benefits that assist in hiring and recruitment.