If you’re applying for jobs, optimising your resumes for ATS is going to set you apart from other candidates (especially in today’s competitive job market, where companies receive more resumes than they can read)! However, education about what ATS resumes are and how to create one is still pretty scarce.
To help you navigate this new terrain, we’re running you through all things ATS-related, including what ATS stands for, how to create an ATS resume, and what benefits you’ll reap from sinking some extra time into creating the perfect resume.
What is a Resume?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s start right at the beginning by covering what resumes actually are. After all, it’s pretty tricky to write the perfect resume without knowing why they’re important! In short, resumes are documents that outline your skills and experience to hiring managers, and they can truly make (or break) a job application.
Think of your resume as your elevator pitch; you want to convey all the information that makes you a great candidate in a concise and easy-to-read manner. Trust us, the clearer your resume is, the more hiring managers will love you!
Resume vs. CV: What’s the Difference?
To keep our answer short and sweet, there is no real difference between resumes and CVs in Australia. The two terms are used interchangeably, but ‘resume’ is a lot more common here.
However, if you’re travelling abroad, things get a little more complicated. For example, in the U.S., resumes and CVs are two distinct documents. U.S. resumes are more or less the same as ours, but CVs are much more detailed (and a lot longer, so be thankful they’re not popular here)!
What is an ATS Resume?
In short, an ATS resume includes keywords that are highly relevant to the job title and is formatted in a way that allows it to be read by applicant tracking systems (otherwise known as ATS)!
ATS resumes are quickly increasing in popularity as more and more businesses use applicant tracking systems as part of the hiring process. In fact, many of these ATS programs filter out resumes they don’t see as fitting the job description (and the ones that aren’t optimised!) before they even reach the hiring manager’s hands. Thus, if you want an actual human to see all the work you put into creating your resume, it needs to make it past artificial intelligence first.
This might sound like yet another hurdle in your job-hunting journey, but we encourage you to look at it as an opportunity instead! Because many applicants don’t yet know about ATS resumes (or simply can’t be bothered optimising their resumes), doing so can set you apart from other applicants and potentially even land you the job!
How to Make a Resume ATS-Friendly
Identify the Main Keywords in the Job Listing
This step is potentially the most simple: all you need to do is figure out what keywords stick out in the job listing and ensure they’re peppered into your resume. For example, if you’re applying for a fashion retail job, you’ll want to focus on words such as customer service and retail.
However, if you don’t have retail or customer experience to list, don’t worry too much. You can still find a way to integrate these keywords into your resume! One idea is to make your tagline ‘Aspiring Customer Service Professional’ or ‘Future Retail Assistant’ to express your enthusiasm and optimise your resume for the applicant tracking system. You could also pop the keywords into your personal statement by writing something along the lines of:
I have a very outgoing disposition and love helping others. Thus, I would thrive in a retail assistant role where I can provide exceptional customer service and spend my workday helping meet our customers’ needs.
Outline Relevant Skills and Responsibilities
Most job listings contain a list of skills and requirements for applicants, which you’ll definitely want to include in your resume (if they’re actually true; it’s never a good idea to lie about your capabilities). These usually include both hard and soft skills, so even if you have no experience, there will likely be a couple that you can claim!
For example, a job listing for a role in hospitality might state that the applicant needs to be skilled at:
- Communication
- Problem-Solving
- Time Management
- Customer Service
- Multitasking
- Teamwork
- Adaptability
Then, you’ll want to take all the skills that apply and make sure they’re listed in your resume! That way, the applicant tracking system will be able to identify you as a suitable candidate. Simple as that!
Use an ATS-Friendly Resume Format
There are a bunch of free ATS resume templates on the internet, but not all are created equal. You’ll want to keep it simple; if a template is listed as ATS-friendly, it isn’t automatically a winner. You still need to avoid bright colours and ‘funky’ formatting.
As a rule, ATS software prefers reverse chronological resumes that organise your experience by how recent it is. That is, it starts with the most recent position and works its way back. Reverse chronological resumes usually include the following structure:
#1 Contact Information
This should cover your name, phone number, email and LinkedIn profile (if applicable). A lot of templates offer space to write your address, too, but we don’t recommend doing so.
#2 Professional/ Personal Summary
The summary section of your resume is one of the trickiest parts to write, but because it’s so close to the top of the first page, you’ll want to nail it. Write 2-4 sentences outlining your experience, skills and, potentially, your ambitions.
#3 Skills
Your skills section is the place to get bragging about all of your impressive work skills (regardless of whether they’re hard or soft, but it’s best to categorise), and don’t forget to include those sweet skills from the job listing!
#4 Work Experience
This is the section where workers with any experience list their professional history. However, if you’re applying for your first job, you can swap it out for volunteer experience (trust us, you’re probably more skilled than you realise). If you don’t have much work experience to list yet, don’t feel discouraged. We all start somewhere, and hiring managers totally understand that!
#5 Education
The education section is your opportunity to brag about all your academic pursuits. As a base, you’ll want your school’s name, the year you started, and the year you’re set to graduate. From there, you can add details about extracurriculars, clubs, and awards, too! Include anything that could help your case and prove you’re right for the job!
Before you head off to write, don’t forget about these non-negotiable formatting rules that help your resume become as optimised as possible!
- Avoid graphics
- Ensure you have 1-inch margins on all sides
- Use single spacing between text
- Use a clear font
- Use clear headings for each section
Go Forth and Land Your Dream Job!
Now that you’re equipped to craft the perfect resume (and make sure it’s ATS optimised), we think you’re ready to start sending out those applications! Be sure to check out our guide to help you ace your job hunt too!
All you need now is an equally perfect future employer, and you can find a tonne of them by checking out our employer pages today!
