Why Should Your
Resume Be ATS-Optimized?

Maximize Your Job Prospects with an ATS-Optimized Resume

Traditionally, job seekers would find a job opening that interested them, create the perfect resume and cover letter, and submit their application, hoping their credentials would catch the eye of the hiring manager or recruiter. Nowadays, recruiters are no longer the ‘first eyes’ to review a job application. This is especially true for big-name corporations that need to fill numerous open job positions quickly.

When you apply at these companies, your application papers will likely go through an applicant tracking system (ATS) before a recruiter or hiring manager reads them. The system may not shortlist your application for further review if your resume is not ATS-optimized. Understanding these systems and following ATS best practices can optimize your chances of securing an interview and offer.

What Is an ATS, and How Does It Work?

An ATS is a resume-scanning software application that manages the hiring process. It can sort, collect, scan, and rank thousands of resumes very quickly to find potential job candidates. Here is how an ATS works:

  • When a candidate submits a resume for an open position, it goes into the company's ATS.
  • These systems primarily use keyword matching to scan and score resumes, similar to how a search engine ranks websites. The more keywords you hit, the higher the score you'll get, and the better your chances of being shortlisted will be.
  • Hiring managers and recruiters review the ATS shortlist to find the best candidates for the job.

Why Do Companies Use ATS for Resumes?

ATS was initially created for large companies that receive thousands of job applicants for open positions. Today, this technology is used by companies of all sizes in the recruitment process. ATS is primarily there to:

  1. Help recruiters streamline their hiring process: Many companies lack the resources required to manually review all the resumes they receive. ATS automates this process so recruiters can focus on the best candidates.
  2. Store large swaths of applicant data: An ATS database can store thousands of applications at a time for all of the company's past and current open positions.
  3. Organize and pre-screen candidates: ATS parses resumes to find the best candidates for a position, serving as a prescreening process so recruiters don't have to look through all the applications themselves.

ATS moves the least qualified candidates to the bottom and pushes the best candidates to the top. If you're a job seeker, ATS can help get your resume in front of a manager as long as it's optimized for the system.

What Does ATS-Optimized Mean?

ATS assists in filtering and ranking resumes, but it is highly unlikely for a resume to be deleted or eliminated by it, which in turn means that there is no “beating ATS.” That being said, having an ATS-optimized resume will increase your chances of being shortlisted and identified as a potentially suitable candidate. An ATS resume is optimized to:

  1. Analyze and add relevant keywords: ATS scans resumes for keywords — usually the job title and the specific skills the role requires. A recruiter can search the ATS database for these keywords to find a qualified candidate.
  2. Make sure your document is formatted correctly: The ATS resume format has easily identifiable sections that highlight your key skills, qualifications, and work history.
  3. Format all essential elements to be easily parsed and read: ATS parses a resume's content and headers to find ATS keywords. ATS also relies on chronological data to parse resumes.

What Are the Key Pieces of Information That Should Be Included in an ATS Format?

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There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to ATS, as different companies and positions set different requirements and conditions. With that in mind, you also need your resume to consider not only ATS algorithms but recruiters and hiring managers as well. And so, your resume needs to:

  • Be written uniquely for each and every company you apply to.
  • Be formatted simply yet effectively.
  • Contain vital ATS keywords based on the job description.
  • Address job requirements directly.
  • Highlight crucial details in your work experience.

Why Should You Get a Professional Writer to Optimize Your Resume?

ATS-optimizing a resume requires in-depth knowledge of how these systems work. A professional resume writer will know what to include in your resume and how to structure it properly so that information is conveyed in a focused and cohesive manner. If you feel your profile is not getting prioritized due to ATS, it might be time to seek an expert's help.

Applicant tracking systems are here to stay, and there is not much you can do about them except to understand how they work and how to best optimize your resume so as not to be overlooked by them.

Optimize Your Resume for Applicant Tracking Systems With Resumeble Today

Resumeble offers premium resume-writing services for professionals entering the workforce or looking to climb the ladder. Our cost-effective services include crafting an ATS resume to increase the chance of your application getting prioritized in the software and reviewed by a hiring manager.

Ready to secure your dream job with Resumeble? Order one of our resume-writing packages or contact our support department for more information. Our team can also review your resume to see if it follows the ATS format and provide feedback.