To push your job application to the top of the pile on a hiring manager’s desk, applying smarter is a no-brainer. Strategically applying to positions, sending an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) friendly resume, and locating keywords that will boost your resume to those parsing robots are three of the best job hunting resume hacks.
Below are our top 3 job hunting resume hacks you need to know in order to land the job of your dreams.
Quality over Quantity
Some applicants think that a productive job hunting means spamming companies with resumes until a few responses. Flooding recruiters with resumes is a quick and easy tactic in the short run but will lead to unideal results.
The truth is, the more you tailor your resume to the company and job description, the more likely you are to receive a response. This is the first step in applying smarter. Although it will take more time and thought, you’ll increase your chances of hearing back from more companies even if the number of applications is smaller.
As in many other parts of life, quality matters more than quantity.
Make Your Resume Robot Friendly
Many job seekers don’t know that nearly three-fourths of job applications are rejected before they are even seen by a human. Almost all resumes today are reviewed by a resume parsing software, known as an “ATS” (Applicant Tracking System).
The purpose of an ATS is to scan resumes for relevant keywords and rank them accordingly. If your resume is not ATS friendly, you risk your chance of not getting your resume seen by the hiring manager.
There are a couple of different ways that you can set your resume apart and ensure your resume gets into the hands of the recruiter:
- For online applications, the number one rule is that you must use common file formats for your resume. While some more advanced ATS software can read PDF files, most are better able to read .doc or .docx file types.
- When saving your resume document, the file name should allow the recruiter to easily rank resumes. Rather than attaching a file called “CV2013_ok_version2.docx”, choose a file name such as “Resume_LastName_FirstName.docx”.
- Images, colors, and tables will disrupt the ATS software so you should avoid these unless asked otherwise.
Making your resume organic enough to feel real to a recruiter, while making it consistent for a robot is a challenge. Make sure that no matter what, your resume is warm, engaging, and informative.
Use Keywords That Fit The Role
When you submit a resume or fill out a form online through a company’s career site, your information is put into a database. Your resume is stored with everyone else who has applied to the same position.
The challenge you have is to stand out in this sea of applicants. When recruiters go digging into a database like this, they search based on keywords corresponding to the positions they need to fill.
When you prepare your information, make sure that you search for keywords that fit the necessary skills for the position you decide to apply for. Thoroughly read the job description and research the company to find keywords that align with the information on your resume.
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