Did you know that 75% of all submitted resumes in the USA never even get seen by a human being? That’s the modern world of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and it’s changing the way we need to write our resumes to make sure we’re able to get past the digital gatekeepers that stand between us and even having a chance of convincing hiring managers to interview us.
Resume.io has come up with a guide to writing a winning resume and it includes top tips for giving the ATS what it’s looking for, like using keywords and phrases from the job listing as this is what it will be skimming for.
That’s also the way real people will read it too, so you need to make it easy for them to find what they’re looking for by using bullet points, lots of white space, and aligning your text to the left-hand side.
In terms of what you write, be sure to use strong action words and phrases and cut out the bland or vague jargon. Tell them what you did and what you achieved, rather than unsubstantiated claims about what you’re good at. Don’t list soft skills, stick to specific and concrete skills that tell them what you can do for them.
Check out this anatomy of a great resume and make sure you’ve optimized yours the next time you apply if you want to have a chance of getting to the top of the pile.
The Anatomy of a Winning Resume, courtesy of Resume.io
