How to Create an ATS-Friendly Resume That Gets Shortlisted

        If you are in search of getting a job in this competitive job market, having the right qualifications is not enough to get a job. Nowadays, all recruiters use ATS software to filter candidates. If you want your resume to reach recruiters, your resume must pass through the ATS ( Applicant Tracking

 System ). Many of the highly qualified candidates’ resumes are rejected if their resumes are not optimized for those automated filtering systems.

        Much research shows that many medium and large companies use ATS software to filter resumes before a human recruiter even sees them. If your resume is not ATS friendly, definitely it wont be available to be noticed by the hiring manager, even if you are the best candidate for this role. So, Many people think that creating a resume using ATS Software is difficult, but it is very easy to create a resume. If you are ready to follow these best practices, you can able to improve your resume chances geting shortlisted.

        In this comprehensive guide, you can learn everything about ATS resumes, which includes tips on formatting issues, optimizing keywords in your resume, and other common mistakes you need to avoid, and shows a step-by-step process for creating a resume that stands out in all types of job hunting processes.

What is an ATS?

        Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is the software used by all employers to rank, scan, collect, and organize resumes that are submitted for job openings. They use this ATS instead of manually reviewing hundreds or even thousands of job applications. Hiring managers fully rely on this ATS software to correctly identify the candidates who are the best match for these job requirements.

        This ATS system mostly runs these types of scans on your resume. Those scans are Technical skills, Certifications, Relevant Skills, Job titles, work experience, Industry keywords, Educational Qualifications. If your resume gets the highest score even after these scans, it will definitely be forwarded to the hiring managers.

Why ATS-Friendly Resumes Matter

        Imagine if you are applying for more than 100 jobs, yet you are not getting any interview calls. Definitely, the issue is not about your qualifications; it’s your resume. In this situation, an ATS-friendly resume plays a major role in passing automated screening; it improves your resume visibility, it can help your resume to match employer requirements, increases interview opportunities, and helps your resume to get noticed faster. So, an ATS-based resume looks especially professional to the hiring managers; it will definitely create a win-win situation in the job hunting process.

How ATS Works

        Let’s see how the ATS system works. The first step is Resume submission. You can upload your resume through the company’s job portal. The Second step is resume parsing. This software extracts basic information like Name, Skills, Contact Details, Work history, education, and other certifications. The Third Step is that Keyword Matching; this software compares the job description with your resume. The Fourth Step is ranking the resume; resumes with the highest keyword relevance always get better scores. The Fifth and final Step is that Recuriter Review. Only shortlisted resumes are normally reviewed by the hiring managers.

        So if you are seriously searching for a job, kindly choose the correct resume format. Resume format plays a major role in the job search process. Many recruiters say that the best ATS-friendly format is that Reverse Chronological Resume. This format helps the recuriters to notice your latest job experience first in the recruiting process. It lists the job experience, like the current job you are working in, previous jobs, and other older job experience. Recuriters are interested in prefering this because it is very easy to read.

        Always use standard resume headings or section titles like  Professional Summary, Work Experience, Skills, Certifications, Education, Achievements, and other projects. Please avoid some different headings like Career Highlights, Professional Story, My Journey, etc., because this software gets confused and is not able to recognize them.

        Always try to include some relevant keywords; these keywords play an important role in this ATS resume. So read the job description and requirements carefully and identify some common terms like Python, Java, SQL, Problem Solving, etc. So try to include these common terms naturally in your resume and avoid unnecessary keywords.

 Customize Your Resume for Every Job

        One ideal resume doesn’t fit for every role, so always try to customize your resume before applying for the job. If you are interested in applying for roles like Software Engineer, HR Executive, Data Analyst, and marketing-related positions, you must customize your skills section based on the job description; this can help your resume get high ATS scores. If your resume starts with a professional summary, try to write a strong summary instead of generic, common statements, and write something unique. These type of statements highlights your strengths. 

        Don’t forget to highlight your skills clearly. So you should create a dedicated Skills section on your resume. In that Skills section, there should be both technical skills and soft skills. If you have technical skills like Python, Java, HTML, SQL, it will definitely boost your ATS score. And try to add some of the soft skills (Communication, Teamwork, Critical Thinking, Time Management, etc ) in your resume.

        If you are not a fresher, you are having job experience means dont just list your previous job experiences; try to write impactful work experience. You can refer to this example: Write like this: “You have resolved 100+ Customer queries daily with a 99% satisfaction rating.” Instead of: ” You are responsible for customer support”. 

        Always try to add some of your achievements from your previous job, like completing 20+ client projects Managed a team of 10+ members. If you are in marketing, write like this: “Improved sales every year by a minimum of 5%”. So hiring managers will easily get attracted to these numbers; it will help you to secure a job.

Keep Your Resume Simple

        Your Resume should be clear, concise, and simple. Use these tips ( Black Font, Standard Fonts, Clear Spacing ) while creating a resume. Avoid elements like Text boxes, Graphics, Charts, Fancy borders, etc. Try to choose ATS-Friendly Fonts like Calibri, Arial, Georgia, Times New Roman, etc., and the font size for the heading should be around 13 to 16, and the font size for the body of the resume should be around 10 to 12. 

        Always keep in mind to save your resume in the right format, like PDF or DOCX. And try to use your name in the file name, because a professional, valid KYC name creates a better impression. Every resume must have this most important information, such as Full Name, Professional Email, LinkedIn Profile, Mobile Number, and GitHub Profile if you have one. If you have done certifications and internships, and if they match the job description, include those in your resume, or else dont need to add them in your resume.

Keep Resume Length Appropriate

        If you are a fresher, a one-page resume is enough. If you are an experienced professional, one to two pages may be needed to list all the achievements and past job experiences. Don’t add unnecessary information, because recruiters only spend a few minutes reviewing your resume. Always check spelling and grammatical errors in your resume.

Common ATS Resume Mistakes

        Many job seekers are unknowingly making mistakes while creating their resume; it will backfire on them in this job-searching process. I recommend some of these mistakes you must avoid. Mistakes include using graphics, Fancy Fonts, stuffing a lot of keywords, Multiple colors, Incorrect file formats, etc. Please keep your resume clean and straightforward; it improves your Resume Score. These small things can make a huge difference in ATS rankings. If you have checked all these things, your resume is ready for ATS screening.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: Is a PDF resume is ATS-Friendly?

Answer: Yeah, most of the modern ATS platforms are able to read PDF format. If they asks specific format, try to upload your resume as per the requested format.

Question: Should I use multiple Colors in my resume?

Answer: Just use one color; a simple black-and-white design is the best option for the job search process.

Question: Can ATS read icons?

Answer: Definitely not; they cannot recognize the icons, so please use clean, simple text for the resume creation.

Question: Do keywords really matter in the job search process?

Answer: Many recruiters are saying yes to this question. ATS software uses some factors that search keywords in your resume to compare with the job description. So if you are including matching keywords in your resume, you have a higher chance of getting shortlisted. 

Conclusion

        You must know this: creating an ATS-friendly resume is not about using tricks for getting selected; it’s just about showcasing your qualifications in a clean format that is easy for both technology and humans to understand. A customised approach and a clean-layout resume have a great advantage for getting shortlisted. Always remember your resume is your personal marketing tool, so spend extra time making it.