How annoying it is when you continuously submit your resume to some sort of black hole? It is like no one even picks up your resume, let alone goes through it, a total wastage. We understand your pain very well. Getting your resume through an ATS is a real struggle and we are here to make it a cakewalk for you.

Most common mistakes you do when making a resume for ATS

• Typos

This is the most important factor to keep in mind while submitting your resume in an applicant tracking system. Make sure you spell resume keywords correctly so that the system would be able to track them.

• A Big No to Fancy Formatting

Remember it is not a school project. Indeed, you need to make your resume visually appealing and beautiful but ATS has no eyes. It only understands algorithms. Therefore, save resume embellishment for later like interviews and keep it simple.

• Another No to Fancy Vocabulary

Mention words that are being used in the market currently. Now you will ponder which are those words? One of the best ways is to use such words or keywords that have been mentioned in the job description (JD).

• Red Cross to Short Forms

Even the most reputed ATS like Bullhorn and Greenhouse aren’t yet advanced enough to read abbreviations. Try to use complete keywords like Bachelor of Arts or Master of Business Administration. And, even if you want to mention abbreviations, mention them in brackets.

• Keep Tables off the Table

Most of the ATS find it challenging to read tables and their content. When an ATS converts the data into its system from the resume, the content of the table usually gets jumbled up and sometimes even eats some words.

• No Bullet Points other than Standard One

Totally avoid using bullet points like checkboxes, stars, and diamonds in your resume. To get it through an ATS by SHRMpro, instead, use evergreen old black dot bullet points.

• No Fancy Fonts

To make your resume stand out the competition, use system-friendly formatting. Use the most adopted fonts like Arial and Times New Roman to win the ATS. You can also go to Calibri, Cambria, Georgia, and Verdana.

It is indeed daunting when you are applying for your dream job, give several hours and efforts to your resumes, and hit the submit button excitingly, but you hear nothing from your recruiter the next day, next week, or sometimes never. And, what is more harassing is when you sit ideally and try to find out where you went wrong that your resume isn’t reaching the right hands. But, with these aforementioned tips, you will reach straight at the door of your dream company and become the recruiters’ first choice.