How to Create an ATS-Friendly Resume in 2024
Written By : Pitch N Hire
Tue Jun 11 2024
5 min read
An ATS-friendly resume can help you land your dream job. It is because this software plays a crucial role in recruitment. It manages online applications, screens resumes, and filters candidates. Continue reading the blog further to learn how to create the best resume format for ATS systems.
Modern technology is changing how we live. This change also includes how we create our resumes. We need to have the best resume format for ATS systems if we want to survive in the highly competitive job market. Recently, both big business enterprises and start-ups have been using ATS software to judge the applications received by online applicants.
Most candidates do not know that the first step of hiring is resume screening by ATS software. The software uses keyword research technology to rank candidates and shortlist the most suitable candidates for the role. Thus, it becomes necessary to create an ATS-friendly resume to get shortlisted for further hiring rounds. We shall discuss how to prepare the best resume in the blog below.
What is ATS Software?
When organizations find it challenging to manage the hiring process, they conveniently rely on ATS software. Manually scanning all the job applications submitted by candidates online is impossible for HR professionals. In this case, an ATS helps companies scan and extract the relevant information from thousands of resumes. This information includes candidate skills, job title, educational qualifications, and experience.
Applicant tracking system or ATS is a modern AI-based recruitment software that saves recruiters time and effort. ATS does this by streamlining the hiring process and automating all the recruitment tasks. The main focus of ATS software is on the keywords included in the resume. The software scans keywords to judge which candidates will be the perfect match for the vacant job. So, it will be safe to say that the ATS only gives the most qualified applications to the recruiter.
If you want your resume to pass an ATS scan, you must know about the working of ATS software to create the best resume format for ATS systems. Now, we will discuss how you can increase your chances of getting selected for different types of job interviews after clearing the ATS scan round.
How Does an ATS Software Work?
When employers attract candidates to apply for the open job role, they post jobs on different platforms. Candidates apply for the job after reading the recruitment consultant job description. Rather than just looking for the necessary information in the resumes, an Applicant Tracking system also looks for keywords included by the employer in the job description.
In this way, the resumes with few relevant keywords and resumes that fail to meet the job requirements get rejected by the ATS. The best resume format for ATS systems is sent to the recruiter so that he can proceed with the next steps in the hiring process. The best resume for ATS systems will be the document easily scanned and selected by the ATS system.
Getting your resume read by the ATS is not as difficult as it seems. All you need to remember is two simple steps. First, the resume formatting should not be too fancy. Instead, it should be simple and easy to scan by the ATS. It means that the resume should have a decent font and layout. Second, your CV should contain the relevant keywords related to the work, experience, and skills required for the talent acquisition.
What is the Need to Create the Best Resume Format for ATS Systems?
Did you know? Your resume will never reach the recruiter if it gets rejected by the ATS software. The software rejects many resumes because they do not include proper keywords matching the job description, skills, and experience required for the role. Candidates should format their resumes properly and add the required keywords. The submitted resume will then be the best resume format for ATS systems.
The recruiter uses ATS software to screen thousands of resumes quickly. The software reduces the workload of the recruiters. Using an easy-to-read and understandable format, not including any tables and images, and adding important keywords in your resume is essential. By doing this, your resume will become ATS-friendly. It means the ATS providers can easily scan your resume.
In other words, keeping ATS software in mind while creating a resume is necessary to ensure a higher chance of getting selected. You will only get shortlisted for the interview round once you clear the ATS resume scanning round. So first, your goal should be to create an effective ATS-friendly resume and update it with your current skills, experience, certifications, and accomplishments.
How to Create the Best Resume Format for ATS Systems?
Are you wondering how to make the best resume format for ATS systems? Do not worry, as we have got you covered! You should know the ways to make your resume ATS-friendly. At the same time, you have to consider all the factors that might cause ATS to reject your resume. Here are some ways to get your resume read by the Applicant tracking system and become eligible for the next hiring round:
Use a Simple Format
Your resume’s format leaves a positive first impression of you in the recruiter's mind. The ATS scans it easily and efficiently. Job seekers should use the chronological resume format to create the best resume format for ATS systems. This is because ATS software finds chronological resumes the most compatible to read. The reason for this is that they are easy to organize as every piece of information is from the recent to the oldest format.
But remember, only create a chronological resume if you have a regular working history. A regular working history is one with not many employment gaps, year drops, and career changes. Besides this, using a minimalist design and template is always a wise choice. The ATS software may fail to read a resume that is too fancy or contains various formatting.
Label All Sections Correctly
There are many sections in a resume. You must label the sections in your resume correctly and clearly to ensure recruiting ATS can identify the requirements. If you labeled the skills section in your resume as accomplishments, the ATS may fail to scan your resume efficiently. Thus, give the most suitable labels to all the sections to create the best resume format for ATS systems. Education, skills, certifications, experience, and accomplishments are the most common labels in a resume.
The best ATS provider in the market offers both advanced and basic ATS. The basic ATS software can only read simple text and not advanced formatting. Leaving the reputed and big companies, almost all other business organizations use the most common ATS that can only read simple text. Therefore, you should avoid writing content in tables, columns, images, charts, and graphics.
Select the Right Font and File Type
You will find many fonts while creating a resume. A font can look attractive, but it does not mean that all fonts are ATS-friendly. Usually, ATS can only read simple fonts like Arial and Calibri. Thus, you should choose a simple font rather than a fancy one to create the best resume format for applicant tracking systems. The font size depends on the content you have included in your resume and the font style you choose. However, the font size should not be more than 12.
The file type you choose to submit your resume to the employer is also vital in your selection. Therefore, while you are about to send the resume, clearly check the accepted file formats and then choose the best format wisely. Mostly, ATS software can scan .doc, .docx, and PDF file types.
Include the Job-Relevant Keywords
Including keywords while creating the best resume format for ATS systems is crucial. Employers program their resume parsing software to search for specific keywords in the resumes submitted by the candidates. Usually, these keywords are specific to the job. You can find these keywords in the job description provided by the organization on different job posting platforms.
If your resume has everything but not the right keywords, you might be tossed aside during the screening process only. Thus, if you possess any skills required for the specific role, try to include it in your resume. But this does not mean that you should do keyword stuffing.
The best ATS system checkers available online can even help you double-check if your resume is ATS-friendly or not. Also, you can find many resume templates online already formatted as per the working of the ATS software. You can effectively use these online tools to create the best resume format for ATS systems.
Conclusion
Many job applications do not get through, and job seekers still have no idea how. But now that you know that the applicant tracking systems does all the resume screening, you should follow the steps mentioned above to create the best resume format for ATS systems. So, build an effective resume and land your dream job quickly.
If you are looking for high-quality ATS software to manage and scan thousands of resumes, you can rely on ATS software by Pitch N Hire. Our ATS has all the high-end features and functionalities required for organizations to find the best candidates. So, check out our website now to know more about our exceptional ATS software.
Related Articles:
Related Posts