We spent so much time and put in so much effort crafting our resumes for job applications. Therefore, it is vital that we must adhere to the right format and customisation to get it ATS-compliant (Applicants Tracking System-compliant) since the resume is both our branding and our ultimate marketing tool.
Here, I have put up a simple yet relevant key pointers checklist for consideration.
Standardised Headings on Each Section
A standardised resume heading consists of:
• Contact Information
• Summary
• Work Experience (or Work History)
• Education
• Skills
Should there be other sections to add on, you may include them subsequently after this.
Resume Format
For your resume to navigate past the ATS, it is advisable to avoid any complicated formatting elements. Any complex elements such as symbols, logos, tables, headers and footers will pose an issue to the system.
To ensure that your resume is scannable and readable for the Applicant Tracking system, position your important details such as name, contact details and email address within the mainframe of the resume.
The Importance of Keywords
The ATS works based on algorithms looking for relevant keywords that match the job posting content.
Most job posting carries a job description of all the responsibilities it requires, the qualifications and experiences the company is looking for, and the skills candidates should have. ATS will be looking for these matching keywords but refrain from overloading them.
No Shortening of Terms
As the ATS does not necessarily recognise abbreviations, it is prudent to spell out all acronyms correctly, such as companies, job titles, and accreditations. Your resume has to be understood easily without the gibberish code that the ATS seems to detect.
Written by: Veronica Lim