05/01/2020
This is the time of the year when we either chug on forward with our New Year's resolutions or let them fall by the wayside. Job and Career growth feature pretty strongly but then tend to fade away into the distance simply because we pre-suppose the limitations surrounding employment in this part of the world.
To support your job search and career growth plans, here is a post by Mark Jones, KOMANDO.COM that I found pretty useful.
How to write a resume that will get past job application bots.
Some believe first impressions are everything. Itâs especially true when youâre looking for a new job or thinking about changing career paths. Which is why itâs extremely important to have a resume that stands out from all of the other applicants.
But, what good is it to have a great resume if you make a couple of simple mistakes that will get it rejected by robots before it even makes it to human eyes? Yes, that is a real thing.
Many companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that is designed to eliminate applicants who donât appear to be qualified. A bot could reject your resume before itâs even seen by the hiring manager or recruiter.
Thatâs why weâre going to give you some simple ways to help your resume get past job application bots. Follow these tips for success and you will be able to outsmart those annoying programs.
Choose your words wisely.
One reason an ATS bot rejects a resume is that it could be missing keywords related to the job youâre applying for. Keywords, or short phrases, can usually be found in the posted job description for what a company is looking for in an employee.
These may include skills, certifications, credentials, degrees and other qualifications a hiring manager is looking for in a candidate.
When creating your resume or cover letter for a specific job, make sure to look at the job requirements for keywords and add the ones you possess. If the company is looking for someone with a college degree, make sure to include yours.
And donât use abbreviations. For example, if you have a Masters of Business Administration, be sure to spell it out in its entirety. Do not use the acronym MBA for the degree. A bot might not recognize the acronym and reject your resume by mistake.
Donât drone on about career goals.
A good rule of thumb is to not focus on what your career goals are, but rather what you can bring to the company. Generic career goals could be flagged by the ATS and move your resume to the âNo, thank youâ pile of applicants.
Be sure to highlight specific achievements and skills that relate to the company you are applying for âthis builds on the previous tip dealing with keywords. Not only will it help get your resume past the bots, but once itâs in the hands of a hiring manager they will understand what a valuable addition to the team you will be. Remember, you need to sell your skills in a way that emphasizes why youâre the right candidate for the job.
This is an absolute âmustâ in resume building!
Possibly the most important step in creating a resume is to spell check it before you turn it in. You might be shocked to know how many people donât do this simple step and submit resumes littered with spelling errors. Donât believe me? Go ask HR at the company you work for now if theyâve ever encountered applicant resumes full of spelling mistakes. Itâs one of their worst work nightmares.
A simple spelling error could immediately take you out of the running for your dream job. It doesnât even matter if you are perfectly qualified.
Thereâs a good chance your resume doesnât get past an ATS if it has spelling errors because it doesnât understand what youâre trying to say. If it does make it by the bot, the hiring manager will most likely toss it because they donâtâ want someone who is so careless working for them.
If you donât trust spell-check and want to be more thorough, ask a friend or colleague to double-check your resume. The second set of eyes can be more helpful than you think.
Formatting is your friend.
When turning in a resume, you need it to look as professional as possible. Donât spend all that time researching a company and the qualifications required by a particular job to just throw it all away on bad formatting.
Most hiring managers, and bots, like the way a perfectly formatted resume looks. When it comes to the font, use size 11 and make sure itâs an easy to read, like Arial, Courier or Times New Roman. Then, use half-inch margins and make sure the document is set to left alignment. Donât use logos, pictures or symbols in your resume. They could trip an ATS up and get your resume rejected.
Finally, the type of document file you submit is important. Youâre better off using a Word document file format than a PDF format. Bots recognize Word documents better than PDFâs, so keep that in mind when you build your next resume.
Coaching, Career Guidance, Mentoring and encouraging Self Awareness. But that's not where this story should end. "tu me manques"
