It is so easy these days to apply for a job. However, this means that there are many more people applying for the same job as you. So how do you get ahead of the crowd and get that interview?
The first hurdle is the APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM (ATS). 90% of all applications are rejected immediately by the ATS robot. Why? The employer provides a list of keywords that they are looking for in a CV and a list of keywords that they do not want to see in a CV. The ATS system will accept or reject an application from these keywords. 90% of applications will never even be seen by the hiring manager. Many quality candidates are rejected by robotic screening software.
Once you master how to correctly format your CV and use the correct keywords for the job you are applying for, you will be 9 times more likely to get your CV seen by the hiring manager.
At first, beating the ATS system can seem a very harsh, impersonal and puzzling hurdle to overcome. But once mastered, you will gain an advantage over 90% of the other applicants. If you have done your homework and found out what needs to put into your CV then you can be sure that your CV actually does get seen by a human who will then shortlist you for an interview if he likes your CV.
If this all sounds difficult then click below to use the free resume builder.
Top 10 tips to getting your CV past the ATS robot.
1. Choose the right keyword.
Make sure your CV has the correct keywords for the job you are applying for. How to do this? Go through the job description of the job and pick out all relevant keywords and add them to your CV. Google up the firm and see if they have more details about the job you are applying for. Go to the about page and use some of the keywords there. Also be very careful to not make spelling mistakes. You should also look at job descriptions for other similar jobs to the one you are applying for and include any keywords you find there.
2. List out the most important keywords for the job and make sure that you repeat them on your CV in several places. The more the better for the robot. But do not keyword stuff your CV. When your CV comes before the hiring manager he will not like a CV that is keyword stuffed. Be natural.
3. Make sure you have a skills and qualifications section on your CV. Work in those important keywords into this section description.
4. Don’t forget every job is different. So every CV you produce will be different. Make sure you adjust your CV to match the job you are applying for. This keyword research is a good way to tailor your CV for each job.
5. Some ATS systems can calculate how many years you have worked at various jobs by using the date. So include the start and end date of each job. And, make sure the date is in the correct format for the ATS system to understand.
6. Make your CV in a layout that is simple, plain and standard for the industry you are applying in. Remember robots do not understand fancy graphics, pen colours, pictures, graphs, etc. Keep in mind the CV file format. Simple text documents are the easiest for the robots to understand whereas PDFs are sometimes impossible for the robots to read. Font size should be 12 points or bigger and have a margin of 1 inch all around the border. Choose a simple easy to read font.
7. Your CV can be longer with more opportunities to add keywords and skills on your CV. Robots do not get bored or tired reading long documents. Robots can actually summarise your CV before presenting it to the hiring manager. Once the hiring manager likes the summary he might actually want to see the original CV. So remember this when you create your CV. Remember just provide the essential information and don’t ramble on the CV.
8. Be careful of the online presence you may have. Some employers use robots to scan for your activity on social media and any websites you have and may examine that information to get a better picture of who you are as a person. So make sure the information online includes your skills and abilities that are needed for the jobs you are applying for.
9. Remember that the ATS robot is only the first hurdle. The second hurdle for your CV to pass is the hiring manager. So make your CV human friendly too. Also some smaller firms may not have an ATS system so you will need a more human-friendly version of your CV which will probably be shorter than the online version.
10. Remember a lot of jobs are obtained through networking. Hiring managers are people too. They sometimes prefer someone to refer a candidate or for you to make direct contact with them and present yourself in a more sociable way. If they are interested they will usually tell you to send a CV.
If this all sounds too difficult or you don’t trust yourself to do a good job then try a paid CV builder.