It’s not very often that recruiters find a resume impressive right away. There are several things they look for in the perfect resume. But, it’s difficult to understand what companies and recruiters look for in employees.
More often than not, job profiles and resumes see the rubbish bin before recruiters read them. In other words, your application may never see the light of day despite the efforts you pour into it.
So, it makes sense to start with finding out what recruiters are looking for in an application. Then, you can work on crafting a perfect, ATS-friendly resume to help you ace your chances of scoring a job.
These tips will help you learn more about the same.
Stick To the Basics
If you’re familiar with how the application tracking system (ATS) works, you’ll know keywords play a big role here. The software employed by companies to screen resumes is top-notch. This software filters job applications by keywords. So, it’s important for you to focus on these.
You should tailor your keywords to fit into the job you’re looking for. Many people looking for jobs shy away from using keywords in this manner. This hesitation stems from appearing insincere in a job application.
But, many people don’t understand that there are ways to avoid this. You can use job-specific keywords without losing the essence of your application. ATS recruitment is a tricky ground to navigate, but sticking to the basics can help.
For instance, you could start by looking at well-crafted resumes in your field or area of interest. They say experience is the best teacher and in the world of recruitment, this is especially true.
Try not to use generic words and phrases like ‘hard-working’ or ‘enthusiastic’. Instead, focus on words that relate to your skills and the role you’re looking to fill.
But, note that using too many keywords could be overkill. After all, you don’t want it to look like you’ve added these words to cheat the system (even if you have). Most HR recruitment software can’t detect an insincere job application.
So, as far as the first step in the recruitment process goes, this is a pretty good strategy.
Format It Well
A surprising amount of applicants neglect the formatting aspect of their resumes. Most HR recruitment software focuses on looking for a simple, easy-to-read format. This format should include a summary of your qualifications, skills, and work experience.
Also, ensure you mark different aspects of your resume so recruiters know what they’re looking at. You don’t want an applicant tracking system to reject your resume because of poor formatting. Being the first step in the application ladder, this would be quite a shame.
Use short headings throughout your application and keep the contents under them concise. Remember, you’re here to summarize your skills and more, not elaborate on them. The reason many companies have several rounds of interviews is so as to gauge what you’re offering them.
So, you needn’t try to impress them with your resume alone. Keep it simple, always. Follow a chronological order for your job experience and academic qualifications. Doing so will help the HR recruitment software favor your application. You’ll thus gain preference over applications that highlight skills.
Use Resume Building Services
More often than not, job seekers hesitate to look for solutions and useful advice. These solutions can help them score points on their interviews. After all, who can blame them? Several agencies in the industry provide people with ineffective advice. Besides, they charge exorbitant amounts of money.
For those applying for a first-time job, shelling out so much on resume building isn’t a solution at all. But , there are many companies in the industry offering affordable resume building. Job seekers can thus make the most out of them.
These companies understand how recruitment agency software works. They also understand how they can make the most out of this knowledge. In other words, they understand how to get the system and get recruiters to notice you.
Now, this might not be a fool-proof solution. After all, companies don’t accept every resume built by an agency. But, it improves your chances of putting out an ATS-friendly application.
If you’re new to the world of recruitment and haven’t crafted a resume or CV before, don’t fret. This solution should work wonders.
Apply to Different Companies
The catch with a good job application tracking software is pretty interesting. This software can glean whether you’ve applied to several jobs in the same company. Recruiters often reject such applications right away for various reasons.
One, candidates applying for many roles within the same organization appear uninterested. Think about it from a recruiter’s point of view: can a candidate be interested in every role they’ve applied for? It’s very rare to find job seekers good at everything they claim to be.
So, the more you claim to be passionate about or good at, the more skeptical you make your recruiters of the same. Also, it’s not a good idea to apply for several jobs at the same company because it displays a lack of self-awareness.
Recruiters assume that anyone who thinks they’re good at everything is lying. Often, such job seekers are average or worse at most things they dabble in. Thus, this isn’t always a good idea. But, if you have enough skills to take on more than one role, then, by all means, apply to more than one job.
Bear in mind, though, that you should alter your resume for each role you’re applying to within the same company. The same set of recruiters often handles the recruitment in various departments.
But, even if they don’t, you don’t want to fall into the trap of creating a generic resume. Also, remember to include your soft skills in your application alongside your qualifications.
Companies value these skills when they interview candidates with similar qualifications and experience.
Conclusion
Finally, the tips mentioned above will help you build a strong ATS-friendly resume. This resume will help you highlight your skills and qualifications. Highlighting your skills and qualifications, in turn, will help recruiters notice you.
Building a resume that passes the best HR applicant software is no piece of cake. This software features top-notch filters to weed out unworthy candidates. But, with some practice and skill, you’ll get past them and score an interview in no time.
