In today’s highly competitive job market, having a well-formatted CV isn’t enough. Candidates must ensure that their resume is well-optimized for the ATS.
More than 70% of the large firms are currently using an ATS system. An ATS plays a key role in identifying the ideal candidate for the job.
The key role of these advanced systems is to scan your resumes for specific keywords.
An ATS-friendly resume can significantly increase your hiring chances. And for that to happen, this blog will discuss,
- How to identify the relevant keywords for resume
- How to incorporate them in your resume
- What mistakes do you need to avoid
What Is an Applicant Tracking System?
An applicant tracking system is an automated software used by companies to streamline the hiring process. The technology acts as a resume guide for recruiters. It understands the job criteria for a specific role and then analyzes resumes according to it.
It then filters and ranks resumes based on the job requirements. In short, this software decides whether your resume is relevant enough to be seen by the hiring manager or not.
However, there is a common misconception that an ATS scans the resumes for keywords only. While this is the truth, the process is accompanied by a few steps as well.
The table below will discuss how ATS resume screening works.
| Comparison | Matches the keywords in your resume with the job description |
| Ranking | It assigns a score to your resume based on the matching levels |
| Minimum criteria | It immediately rejects candidates who provide an incorrect answer to the knockout questions |
| Deep analysis | Uses parsing technology to analyze all sections of your resume writing more deeply |
| Algorithms | Uses machine learning algorithms to recommend candidates who fit perfectly for the job role |
Hence, an ATS-friendly resume is not about keyword stuffing. Instead, requires a strategic approach to balance keywords in a way that can easily pass these automated systems.
This is the key reason many applicants choose to go for professional resume writing.
In fact, many job seekers today rely on CV writing services in NZ to ensure their applications are tailored, professional, and ATS-friendly.
The Importance of Keywords for ATS
The keywords for a resume are specific characteristics associated with a job role. They are mentioned in the job description and reflect the specific attributes an employer wants in a candidate.
However, 88% of the recruiters believe that candidates submit resumes without keywords.
This means that even the most highly qualified candidates are rejected due to the submission of a CV that is not ATS-friendly.
To land your dream job role, you need to remember that your experience, education, and skills highlight the relevant keywords for resume.
The table below will discuss the common types of keywords in a resume.
| Job title | Should match the job position you have applied for ( e.g, Project manager) |
| Skills based | Should demonstrate your soft and technical skills (e.g, data analysis, leadership) |
| Certifications | Official titles that show your expertise. ( e.g, CPA, OSHA) |
| Action verbs | Used to highlight your achievements (e.g, improved, designed) |
| Industry specific | Proficiency in a relevant field (Budgeting, forecasting for the field of accounting) |
Strategies for an ATS-Friendly Resume
Do you know that about 70% of the resumes that are not according to the ATS criteria are instantly eliminated from the entire database?
This means that one minor mistake can stop your CV NZ from being viewed by the hiring team.
ATS systems are not keyword counters. Instead, these advanced systems are equipped with advanced technology to detect the right keyword usage.
Resumes that are stuffed with keywords are labelled as spam or given low rankings in the ATS.
As a result? A resume never reaches the human recruiter just because of its unnecessary keyword repetition!
To avoid losing an interview opportunity, take a look at the following strategies you need to implement for a well-optimized resume.
Pro tip: If you are struggling to find the keywords to use in a resume, you can choose to go for professional resume writing services.
1. Analyze The Job Description Carefully
Before incorporating irrelevant keywords in your resume, take a look at the job description. A recruiter is most likely to direct the ATS system to the keywords they have mentioned in the job description.
The skills, education, and experience requirements discussed throughout the job description would have all the relevant keywords. Make use of them to ensure that your ATS-friendly resume gets a high ATS score.
Tips to remember,
- Select the most repetitive phrases mentioned in responsibilities and requirements
- Identify the core skills required for the roles e.g, data analysis, marketing)
- Decide their placement based on how highly repetitive to once used
Pro tip: Read the job description carefully. Determine whether it is specifically asking for a CV or a resume. Understand the CV and resume difference, and then submit your document.
2. Use Long Form As Well As Acronyms For Keywords
An ATS system can recognize the acronyms as well as the long-form used for your keywords. To ensure that the system doesn’t overlook the keywords you have used, make sure to add both forms.
In this way, either the system is trained to analyze both, or one of them, it will easily catch the keywords mentioned in your resume.
Some examples include,
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
If understanding these details is getting hard for you, make sure to ask a professional for make my resume related services.
3. Avoid Keyword Stuffing
Your resume should have appropriate keywords, but you should use a balanced approach. Overloading the resume with keywords can affect its readability. Even if the resume passes the ATS, the recruiter is going to question your professionalism.
A lack of a proper story that describes your professional journey and expertise can leave a negative impact. Moreover, ATS systems flag resumes as spam and suspicious that have repetitive and irrelevant terms.
So make sure to,
- Use keywords in the main sections, such as Experience and Skills
- Place your keyword into a sentence that discusses your achievements
- Naturally integrate keywords in a way that improves the readability of your content
If you are still struggling with keyword placement, an expert recommendation would be to ask for help with resume writing.
4. Use the Exact Keywords While Providing Context
If your keyword placement is correct, you need to ensure that the sentence demonstrates the real impact of your work. Some ATS scanners also look for measurable accomplishments. The perfect way is to use a keyword where you are sharing the results of your work.
Instead of writing ‘’ Customer service representative’’
You can write,
- Resolved about 45+ client enquiries per day with a 96% client satisfaction rate
- Handled customer complaints with empathy, leading to a 98% conflict resolution rate
- Executed loyalty program strategies that improved the customer retention rate by 25%
5. Focus On The Skills Section
According to research, 76.4% of recruiters look for specific skills in the candidate. And for that, you already know that you want to analyze the job description section thoroughly.
After that, you need to use these keywords for resume in your skill section. You can use bullet points for better readability and use a keyword for each.
For an ATS-friendly approach, you can separate the skills section into technical skills and soft skills. But you need to make sure that you use the exact same phrases mentioned in the job description.
For instance, your skill section should look like,
- SQL
- Excel
- Programming languages
- Statistical analysis
While listing technical skills, you can also choose to mention the name and versions of software and tools you have used.
6. Make Use Of Industry Specific Jargon
Using the language of your field reflects your association with the industry. These precise details show that your resume is tailored according to the specific job role.
Moreover, your resume is more likely to pass the ATS if it uses industry-specific language instead of using a generic approach.
However, you need to ensure that you are using the jargon present in the job description. Don’t make your resume difficult to read by using complex terminology.
Examples include,
For marketing, A/B testing, conversion rates, and KPIs
For Software development, agile, beta testing, and debugging
For Finance, regulatory compliance, risk assessment, and asset allocation
7. Use Keywords With Achievements, Not Only With Responsibilities
Keywords shouldn’t only be placed while discussing the job duties. Instead, you should use them when you are quantifying the achievements. Numbers are said to capture the attention of algorithms and human eyes as well.
So, while you are demonstrating metrics, make sure to place the keywords between these sentences.
The combined usage of figures and keywords can significantly boost your resume to match the ATS standards.
Remember,
Don’t stay limited to duties such as ‘’ Responsible for handling social media’’
Discuss the quantifiable outcomes of your duties while embedding the keywords
Try using, ‘’ Handled social media and used SEO optimization techniques to achieve a 55% increase in organic traffic’’.
8. Tailor Resume For Each Company While Focusing On Keywords
If you are applying to multiple companies, there is no need to build a resume from scratch. Although you need to tailor your resume for each company, make sure to use the right keyword strategy.
To save time, here is what you should be doing
Create a strong base for your resume
Focus on the top 5 keywords used in each job description
Prioritize the usage of keywords depending on the tone of the job description
9. Spread Keywords Throughout The Resume
While the skill section requires significant attention, make sure to integrate the keywords throughout other sections as well. The advanced ATS systems are more likely to recognize the resume that has keywords naturally distributed throughout the sections.
Make sure to,
- Begin by adding 2-4 keywords in the professional summary section
- Use keywords while discussing your accomplishments in the experience section
- Present a clear and concise view of your skills using the keywords
Formatting Criteria for ATS Compatibility
A successful implementation of these strategies will ensure the right keyword placement. However, the ATS compatibility also demands a specific formatting criterion. The table below will discuss the formatting details you need to keep in mind.
| Standard layout | Only use typical headings such as Education, Skills, and Experience |
| Fonts | Make use of easy-to-read fonts such as Calibri or Arial |
| No graphs | ATS systems can’t read graphs and tables, so don’t use these elements in your resume |
| File format | The most preferred file format by ATS systems is the (.doc or .docx) |
| Readability | Improve readability by presenting information clearly using bullet points |
| Text pictures | Don’t add text to graphics or any other type of images; an ATS can’t see or read them |
Common Mistakes You Need To Avoid
| Skipping the job description | Ignoring the job description can lead to missing out on the most important keywords |
| Stuffing keywords | The resume can get flagged by the ATS due to its unnatural look |
| Complex formatting | Lack of clear headings and bullet points can lead to misinterpretation of the information |
| File format | Not using the file format mentioned in the description can affect the submission |
Wrapping Up
ATS systems monitor your resume for keywords, but their placement is what matters the most. Without the use of the right keyword strategies, your resume might get filtered out by the applicant tracking systems.
Even if you are the ideal candidate, the wrong placement of keywords in for resume can take away your chance of securing the job role. So make sure to use the strategies above and let your resume make its way into the hands of decision makers.
Senior executives often benefit from an Executive CV writing service, where specialists emphasize leadership impact while ensuring ATS-friendly keyword optimization
FAQS
1. What is an ATS-friendly keyword?
An ATS-friendly keyword ensures your alignment with the company’s job description. These phrases are the skills and experiences that hiring managers are searching for in a candidate.
2. What is an example of ATS keywords for machine learning?
Keywords for machine learning include,
- Deep learning frameworks
- Natural language processing
- Reinforcement learning
3. How can I find ATS keywords?
Finding the ATS keywords is an easy process. You can look for them in the job description. Choose keywords from sections such as educational requirements, job responsibilities, and qualifications required. There is a high chance that the hiring manager will add the same words into the ATS.