CV or Resumes are one of the oldest yet most widely used recruitment processes in the world. Almost every job imaginable starts its recruitment process by calling for resumes from prospective applicants. Sometimes the number of applicants can get overwhelming. It becomes almost impossible to scour through each and every curriculum vitae to match compatibility. That is where ATS or Applicant Tracking System comes in. Here’s a comprehensive guide on what ATS is and how you can make an ATS-friendly resume to grab your dream job.

Why is it Necessary to Make ATS Optimised CV?

Statistics show that Google, one of the largest internet organisations in the world receives an average of 2 million applicants per year. The sheer volume of applicants makes it impossible to deal with the applications on an individual basis.

The ATS was devised specially for such scenarios. There are several software that makes up the ATS. It checks for compatibility and profile match for the respective position. The process makes it easy for recruiters to shortlist only the best match candidates without taking the trouble of going through every applicant.

Also read: How to Get a Job in Google from Bangladesh?

According to a report by Balance Career, almost 70% of the CVs are dropped by the ATS before they are even considered by the recruiters. The ease on the recruiter's end however poses a grim situation for the prospective applicants.

Since ATS is an AI-powered software, it will strictly look for indicators that match the requirements for the specific position. The problem here is that there is no way to know whether a company is implementing ATS technology or not. This means that the days of dropping the same resume to every place are virtually over.

Any renowned company or an above-average competing one will definitely use ATS to minimise the recruitment hassle. That makes it imperative to know how to beat the ATS mechanism to make sure the CV reaches the hands of the recruiting manager. And you get the coveted call for an interview.

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Best Ways to Make Your Resume Machine Friendly

Selecting the Right Keyword

The first major point to take care of is the selection of the right keywords. ATS software scans for relevant words to the JD to seek the perfect match. For example, if you are applying for the position of Business Analyst, the CV should be sprinkled with words like Big Data, SQL, critical reasoning, etc.

It's important to identify the correct keywords as it’s a set benchmark in every selection process.

Creating a Skills Section

A traditional resume often outlines the skills in the experience and educational qualification section. But to make the curriculum vitae more machine friendly, it’s better to create a separate skills section. This will allow the applicant to highlight the important keywords again. And considering ATS is just a metric-based calculator, it’s better to mention the important keywords more than once.

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Forget Generic CVs

Most people think that using the same resume will work everywhere. But the thing is, every job description or every position has its own set of requirements and a generic CV is the last thing any recruiter wants to see. An ATS software will simply ignore a generic curriculum vitae because of a lack of keywords and relevance. So, the best approach is to take the time and craft or modify a resume for each applied position.

File Format

The file format of the CV also plays a role in ATS optimization. Most people go with the PDF format. The PDF format is best suited for human recruiters. But the Docx format works best for the ATS software. So considering that ATS is the first barrier to beat, it’s better to stick with the Docx format. Some job advertisements will specifically ask for PDF, in that case, stick to PDF.

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Including the Employment Date for Previous Experiences

Many job advertisements come with experience requirements. In that case, ATS will specifically check for previous work history and durations. In addition to outlining previous workplaces and positions, including the duration of service to be better visible through the screening.

The Length Doesn’t Matter

There is an unsaid rule that most traditional CVs should be at best 2 pages long. Anything more than that and the recruiter loses interest. This is a myth that doesn’t hold anymore, especially with ATS at play. It’s an automated program and the length isn’t a factor for it.

So make sure to write everything in detail about the position. This might mean that the CV might very well exceed 2 pages. But remember, only a handful of CVs reach the hands of the recruiter through the ATS, so the recruiter will take notice either way.

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Avoid High Graphics

There are a lot of fancy curriculum vitae makers online. They incorporate eye-catching graphics with colours and designs. But ATS bots or robot recruiters are not looking for designs here. All they want to see is the qualification, experience, and compatibility.

That’s why it's important to shed out the graphics, if possible, completely. Avoid headers and footers as well. Use bullet points to make the CV more concise. The formatting shouldn’t be eye-catching, it should be simple and easy to read.

Focus on Personal Brand

This point isn’t directly related to the resume but rather on the personal end of the applicant. All applicants have to attach their LinkedIn or social media contacts along with their CV. These platforms act as a personal branding point for the applicants. More often than not, the ATS or the recruiter will scour the social media of the applicant as well to check for organisational fit.

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So, make sure that your social media aligns with the thoughts and ideas presented in the curriculum vitae.

Final Words

As the competition for jobs rises, it is becoming increasingly difficult to stand out from the herd. There are a lot of qualified candidates applying for a position which forces recruiters to be uber selective. So far, we have discussed how to create ATS or robot-optimised resumes. Following these strategies your CV can stand out in the ATS bot screening. And beyond that, a well-organised CV or resume will also help to make a positive impression on the human recruiter.

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