What is an ATS Friendly Resume?
- By Rafiah Shaikh
An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) friendly resume is a resume that is optimized for use with an applicant tracking system. These systems are used by many companies to streamline the job application process and help them to more efficiently sort and review resumes.
An ATS friendly resume is designed to be easily scanned and parsed by an ATS, which means it needs to be structured in a specific way and use certain formatting elements. For example, an ATS friendly resume should be in a standard format such as Word or PDF and should not use any special formatting or fonts.
Here are some tips for creating an ATS friendly resume:
Use a simple, easy-to-read format: Choose a clean, straightforward font and use bullet points to list your experiences and skills. Avoid using dense blocks of text or complex formatting, as these can be difficult for an ATS to process.
Use specific job titles and keywords: Use the exact job titles and keywords from the job posting in your resume to show that you’re a good fit for the role. This will help the ATS to understand the relevance of your experiences and skills.
Use standard headings: Use standard headings such as “Education,” “Work Experience,” and “Skills” to organize your resume. This will help the ATS to accurately parse and categorize your information.
Avoid using images or graphics: While images and graphics can be eye-catching, they can also cause issues with an ATS. These systems may not be able to properly process images or graphics, which could result in your resume being rejected or overlooked.
Save your resume as a Word or PDF document: While there are many different file formats you can use to save your resume, Word and PDF are the most universally accepted and are the safest options to use when applying through an ATS.
By following these tips, you can create a resume that is optimized for use with an applicant tracking system. This will help to ensure that your resume is accurately parsed and considered by potential employers, increasing your chances of getting noticed and landing an interview.
