We've all been in that frustrating position where we endlessly send out resume after resume to different companies, hoping for a call for an interview to finally impress them with our knowledge and skill set. The catch is, many of these companies aren't even noticing your resume because it isn't optimized.
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a powerful tool that helps you analyze your resume's score based on relevant keywords and structure. If your resume doesn't achieve a good score, it's likely to go unnoticed. In this article, I will explain what an ATS is, how it works, and how you can optimize your resume to achieve a score of 90+ and land that dream job.
What is an ATS Resume and how does it Work?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a software application used by employers to manage and streamline the recruitment process. It collects, sorts, and ranks job applications, allowing recruiters to efficiently handle large volumes of resumes.
The ATS scans resumes for specific keywords related to the job description and evaluates the format and structure to ensure compatibility. Resumes are then scored based on how well they match the job criteria. High-scoring resumes (usually 80% or above) are passed on to human recruiters for further review, while lower-scoring resumes may be stored for future reference or rejected. By automating these tasks, ATS helps organizations save time, reduce bias, and improve the overall hiring process.
The ATS Market
The ATS market refers to the industry surrounding Applicant Tracking Systems, which are software applications used by employers to streamline the recruitment and hiring process. These systems manage everything from posting job openings to screening and sorting resumes, scheduling interviews, and onboarding new employees.
Key Statistics:
99% of Fortune 500 Companies: Nearly all of these large corporations regularly use ATS platforms.
70% of Large Companies: A significant majority of large businesses utilize ATS for their hiring needs.
20% of Small and Mid-Sized Businesses: A growing number of smaller enterprises are adopting ATS solutions.
75% of Recruiters: Most recruiters use ATS or other tech-driven tools to review applications and enhance the candidate experience.
94% of Recruiters: An overwhelming majority agree that ATS has positively impacted their hiring processes.
The ATS Score
Upon review, your resume is graded on a scale of 1 to 100%. The scoring criteria are as follows:
80% or Above: Resumes scoring 80% or higher advance to a human recruiter for potential interview consideration.
20% to 80%: Resumes in this range are stored for future reference but may not be immediately considered.
Below 20%: Resumes typically face immediate rejection.
Key Points:
Use Standard Formatting: Avoid complex layouts, graphics, or fonts. Stick to a simple, clean format.
Incorporate Keywords: Use relevant keywords from the job description throughout your resume to align with what the ATS is searching for.
Use Standard Headings: Use common headings like "Work Experience," "Education," and "Skills" to help the ATS categorize your information correctly.
Avoid Tables and Graphics: These can confuse the ATS. Stick to bullet points and straightforward text formatting.
Customize for Each Job: Tailor your resume for each job application by adjusting the keywords and focusing on the most relevant experience and skills.
How to Create an ATS Resume with 90+ Score
ATS optimization is crucial for job seekers aiming to enhance their chances of getting noticed by employers. While the process itself isn't excessively complicated, achieving a high score requires strategic use of specialized tools. One such tool is Teal, which aids in optimizing keywords throughout your resume to align with the specific job requirements and increase visibility within ATS scans.
When it comes to crafting your resume, choosing the right software is equally important. WPS Office is highly recommended for creating ATS-friendly resumes due to its compatibility with various file formats that ATS can easily parse. Its user-friendly interface and robust features allow you to design and format your resume effectively, ensuring it retains clarity and professionalism.
After preparing your resume using WPS Office and optimizing it with Teal, it's essential to validate its effectiveness. Jobscan offers a valuable service by analyzing your resume against job descriptions and providing an ATS score. This score indicates how well your resume aligns with ATS requirements used by potential employers. By leveraging these tools together, job seekers can significantly enhance their resume's chances of passing through ATS screenings and securing coveted interview opportunities.
Step 1. Keyword Optimization from Job Description- Teal
As we know by now, an ATS will skim through resumes based on keywords. But what keywords need to be in there? Yes, this can be tricky if you're trying to figure things out on your own, but if employers are using tools like ATS, why don't you? Tools like Teal help you look for keywords in different job applications to make sure your ATS resume format has all the required keywords that an ATS might look for while filtering out resumes.
Teal helps job seekers, whether newly graduated or experienced professionals looking to switch jobs, to increase their chances of passing the ATS. Rather than going through the job description manually, job seekers can use the Teal tool that scans through the job description and returns the required hard and soft skills that need to be present in the resume, helping you achieve a 90+ ATS score. Let's see how we can work through Teal to find keywords to optimize our resume:
Step 1: First, visit Teal on your preferred browser. It is recommended to use Google Chrome because Teal's extension is available for Chrome.
Step 2: Next, simply visit the Chrome Web Store and download the Teal Chrome extension by clicking on the "Add to Chrome" button.
Step 3: Once you have installed the Teal Chrome extension, visit a website such as LinkedIn where you might have a job application you would like to apply for.
Step 4: Once at the job application, you will see the Teal icon on the left side of the screen, click on it to expand.
Step 5: Now you can see all the hard skills and soft skills that the employer is looking for in a potential candidate. These are the keywords you need to consider while creating your resume.
Step 6: Users can also click on the "Save Job" button to later review the job application on Teal's interface.
Step 2. Use an ATS-Friendly Resume Template- WPS Office
So now that you have all the keywords, you need to incorporate them into your resume strategically in key positions. But before you do this, you need to ask yourself: is your resume following the correct ATS resume format? ATS scores are not just based on keywords; an ATS resume does not follow a specific format, but there are specific formatting guidelines, such as proper sections, flow, and the overall feel of the resume.
I know all of this can be hard to follow, so I hired a professional to do this job for me: WPS Office. WPS Office is a professional office suite that allows job seekers to create resumes using ATS resume templates for free with its resume builder tool. So, let's see how we can use the WPS resume builder to create an ATS format resume:
Step 1: Let's head over to WPS Office on your desktop. If you haven't downloaded WPS Office yet, get yourself a copy to create your very own resume in a few easy steps.
Step 2: In WPS Office, click on the Tools tab in the left side pane.
Step 3: In WPS Tools, click on the "Resume Master" option.
Step 4: In the OUResume interface, click on the "Create My Resume Now" option.
Step 5: Previous resumes will appear here. If you want to create a new resume, click on the "Create My Resume" button to start creating your resume.
Step 6: You will now be redirected to the OUResume resume builder interface. Here you can see all the sections that will be present in your resume on the left side pane.
Step 7: If you don't like the template, click on the "Switch Resume" button.
Step 8: A library of resume templates will be loaded on the right side of the screen. Click on the template you like to continue.
Step 9: Simply fill out the information for each section and then click on "Download" to save a copy of your newly created resume.
WPS Office gives you the option to download in PDF, Word, or TXT formats.
Step 3. Resume Customization [Combining Keywords from Job Description]- Teal
Now that we have an ATS format resume created using WPS Office and all the keywords required for the job application, the next task is to update our resume according to these keywords to ensure it doesn't get filtered out by the ATS. The manual method is to input the keywords into your resume manually using WPS Writer. However, to make this task a bit easier and quicker, we will head back to Teal.
In Teal, you can upload your resume, and with the correct formatting, Teal identifies the content of the resume. The keywords are displayed side by side, making it easier for job seekers to update their resumes for each job application. Let's see how we can carry out this process on Teal.
Step 1: Let's visit the Teal website on our preferred browser.
Step 2: Click on the "Resume Builder" tab on the left side pane.
Step 3: Click on the "New Resume" button on the top right to create or upload a resume to Teal.
Step 4: You now have the resume builder interface open, where you can create a new resume from scratch by entering your information.
Step 5: If your resume is already ready, click on the "Menu" button on the top right and then select the "Import Resume or LinkedIn" option.
Step 6: Click on the "Upload" icon to select a file from your desktop or simply drop your resume in the upload location to upload your resume on Teal.
Step 7: Once your resume is uploaded, the next step is to match it with one of the saved jobs to review keywords and add any missing keywords. For this, click on the "Matching" tab.
Step 8: In the "Search Jobs in Your Tracker" field, select the job application you want to optimize your resume for.
Step 9: You will now have the Matching section on the right, with the match score being displayed.
Step 10: To improve your match score, scroll down and see the list of keywords relevant to the job application. Simply add the missing keywords in your resume to improve your match score.
Step 11: Once your match score reaches 90 or more, click on the "Export PDF" button and select "Resume" to download a copy of your optimized resume.
Step 4. Free ATS Resume Checker Tool- Jobscan
Once the resume is ready, the final step is to test it yourself before submitting. I've found a great tool for this purpose: Jobscan. Jobscan not only provides you with the ATS score but also shows areas of suggestions where you can focus to further enhance your resume.
Let's take a look at the steps needed to get your resume's ATS scores using Jobscan:
Step 1: First, head over to your preferred browser and navigate to the Jobscan website.
Step 2: On Jobscan's homepage, click on the "Scan your resume" button.
Step 3: The page will scroll down automatically. Here, click on the "Upload your resume" button to upload your resume from your desktop.
Step 4: Once the resume is uploaded, the next step is to paste the job description and then click on the "Scan" button.
Step 5: After posting the resume or job description, Jobscan will process it, and the results will then be shared, including a score and suggestions on how the resume can be improved.
How to Convert ATS Resume to PDF without Losing Format
You’ve created your ATS resume with sections, columns, and a lot of hard work, but there's a common issue of Word documents losing formatting. Imagine all the information in your resume shifting to different lines, and columns getting messed up. To avoid such problems, converting your resume to PDF format is the best solution. WPS Office offers free tools to easily convert your Word document to PDF, ensuring your resume maintains its formatting and reaches employers as intended.
WPS Office’s editing tools simplify post-review adjustments. Whether you need to refine content or tweak formatting, WPS Office makes the editing process seamless, helping you present your qualifications effectively and professionally.
Here is how WPS Office can help you convert your resume documents to PDF while keeping the formatting of your document intact:
Step 1: Open the resume document in WPS Office.
Step 2: Click on the Menu button located in the top right corner of the WPS Writer interface.
Step 3: In the Menu drop-down, select the "Export to PDF" option to open the WPS PDF Converter.
Step 4: In the WPS PDF Converter window, if you wish to change the folder where you want to save your resume PDF, visit the "Save path" field and change the path.
Step 5: Finally, simply click on the "Convert" button to export your resume to PDF format, preserving the formatting, and your PDF will be ready to be sent with your job application.
FAQs
1. Should I customize my resume for each job application?
Customizing your resume for each job application is crucial because it ensures that the skills and experiences you highlight closely match the specific keywords and requirements outlined in the job description. This alignment increases your chances of passing through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which many employers use to screen resumes based on relevance. This personalized approach enhances your chances of standing out and securing an interview.
2. Are there any common mistakes to avoid when optimizing my resume for ATS?
It is crucial to pay attention to the following points when optimizing your resume for ATS:
Avoid excessive design elements like columns, fancy text, colors, or photos, as ATS may not interpret them correctly.
Ensure your resume includes keywords directly aligned with the job description to meet ATS screening criteria effectively.
Customize your resume for each application to address specific requirements and enhance your chances of passing through ATS filters.
Refrain from including images, charts, graphs, or outdated information that could hinder ATS scanning capabilities, and focus on relevant and up-to-date content.
3. Can I still make my resume visually appealing while ensuring it's ATS-friendly?
Yes, you can create an aesthetically pleasing resume that is also ATS-friendly by following these guidelines:
Opt for a professional layout with clear fonts such as Times New Roman.
Eliminate the use of colors and ensure you are not excessively bolding or italicizing elements of your resume.
Keep your resume concise to one page by removing unnecessary details.
Choose a modern and clean format to enhance readability and ensure easy navigation.
Incorporate relevant keywords from the job description to align with ATS requirements.
Replace the objective statement with a summary to emphasize your skills and qualifications.
Land Your Dream Job With WPS AI
Landing a good job is like a headstart for a fulfilling future in the career you've chosen for yourself. To ensure your resume stands out in today's competitive job market, leveraging WPS AI Tools can be of massive help. These tools are designed to help you create an ATS-optimized resume that meets the stringent criteria of Applicant Tracking Systems. By using WPS AI Tools, you can easily tailor your resume with the right keywords, structure, and format to maximize your chances of getting noticed by recruiters. Download WPS Office today and take the first step towards securing your dream job with a powerful, AI-enhanced resume.
