Did you know that your job application has about a 12% chance of being seen by an actual human recruiter?
Although the job market has improved, and your chances are better, one obstacle still prevents Kiwis from getting their dream jobs – Applicant Tracking Systems (or ATS).
These are software used to scan resumes and streamline the recruitment process. Research shows that ATS rejects up to 88% of qualified candidates!
In this article, we will help you better understand ATS and give you tips to beat the bots.
How does ATS work, and why do employers use them?
Many organisations have adopted applicant tracking systems in the recruitment process. When a company advertises a job opening, they specify details of the ideal candidate. They often include skills, experience and other factors like CV format. Company HR feeds these criteria to the settings of the ATS, and the software automatically rejects any incompatible application.
Employers use ATS to narrow down the best candidates from a sea of applicants. You might be the best candidate for a position. However, if you submit an application in a crazy format or fail to include keywords and crucial information, your application will be rejected or relegated to the bottom.
Below are tips to help you beat the bots
Get help from professional CV writers
Although you are qualified and believe you could be the best candidate, an ATS-compatible resume is crucial. Without it, the recruiters may not notice you. You need help to craft an ATS-friendly CV and boost your chances of landing an interview.
Reach out to professional CV writers at ExecutiveOne. We will walk you through the application and help tweak your resume so that the bots don’t reject it.
Here are some pointers on how our team will help you beat the bots.
Keep the layout simple
Most applicant tracking systems read resumes from left to right. Unless specified, your resume should appear in this format. Avoid excessive tables or columns. Also, stick to the specific file format. It could be PDF, or DOC. If it is not specified, a standard Microsoft Word document will do.
If the ATS scans your resume and cannot read it or finds it incompatible, it will be on the rejected file.
Use standard descriptions in your resume
A simple layout will enable the ATS to scan your resume in seconds. What the bots find in there is also crucial. If they find unrecognisable jargon, acronyms, and initials, they will yet again relegate it to the bottom. Keep technical words and non-standard descriptions minimal in your resume. Simplicity is essential.
Include keywords
Applicant tracking systems scan for specific keywords and crucial pointers. For example, the ATS could look for keywords related to the applicants’ skills. They could also reject any applicant who does not meet a particular qualification criterion, like, five years of experience.
Be honest and strategic. No one expects you to be a jack of all trades. An experienced professional CV writer can help you pick crucial information from the advert and include it in your resume.
Avoid fancy fonts – use traditional, easy-to-read
Stick to traditional easy-to-read fonts. Some fancy fonts may be impressive to the human eye but confusing to ATS. Remember, if the ATS cannot make sense of what is in your application, it will be in the rejected file.
A final word on ATS-friendly CVs
Although an ATS-friendly CV should beat the bots, humans should also find it easy to read. Thus, it is crucial to have a professional CV writer help you prepare one. Our team at ExecutiveOne can tweak your resume and include the above tips. But more importantly, your resume will still be easy to read and bring out the best about you.
