Here's how you can tailor your resume for applicant tracking systems.

You do not tailor your resume to the ATS as the ATS does not care what is in your resume, you need to use keywords so the recruiter who is reviewing your resume understands it enough to send you to the next stage.

When adding keywords, don't forget to add their synonyms also. Use AI tools to generate the most relevant ones based on the context (context= the job description)

Use an AI tool like ChatGPT to identify important keyword phrases in the job ad, then use them as applicable to your background throughout your resume. The 15 minutes or so you spend tailoring can make a big difference.

"Languaging" is everything. Both the ATS and human scan resumes for familiar keywords in the job description. When writing applications, begin with the end in mind. Use the familiar keywords and business jargon from the job description.

To make your resume stand out to applicant tracking systems (ATS) start by using keywords from the job description. This helps ensure that your resume matches what the system is looking for. Stick to a simple, clean format with standard headings like "Experience," "Education," and "Skills," avoiding complex layouts or fancy fonts that might confuse the ATS. Match your job titles and skills with those mentioned in the job listing to make sure they align. Quantify your achievements with specific numbers (like "increased sales by 20%") to highlight your impact clearly. And remember, use keywords naturally—don’t just stuff them in.By following these tips, your resume will be more likely to get past the ATS and catch the eye of hiring managers

This is incorrect, ATS do not care about formats, the recruiter who reviews it needs the formatting to be easy to read and clear as they have a high volume of resumes and if they struggle to read your format they may miss critical information.

If you have used a snazzy resume format from Etsy or Canva, I can almost guarantee that it will not be compatible with many of the hundreds of ATS on the market. Save the fancy version for the interview. One way to check how content will flow into the database is to save it as a plain text file. When you open the plain text file, you may notice that key information contained in text boxes or headers will be gone.

The ATS is like a black box. Many job seekers don't know exactly how they work behind the scenes. The best you can do as a job seeker is to avoid stylish templates and fonts that might break behind the scenes. Keep your resume simple, such that it is readable to a human. If unsure, just keep it simple.

Creating a highly tailored skills, expertise, or core competencies section as part of the overall summary of qualifications is crucial. I tend to emphasize hard skills over soft skills.

Many resumes fail to pass the ATS because they are generic. Many ATS systems, as well as recruiters, can easily spot them in seconds. When you apply with a generic resume, your resume looks like a stranger who has turned up at an invite-only party. Your resume looks weird to the ATS and the hiring manager, and as a result, it ends up in the bin. Give yourself a solid chance by customising your resume for job applications. It looks like a lot of work, but it's worth it.

Some strategies to customize your resume for applicant tracking systems are: 1. Key in the exact job title you are applying for immediately following your contact information 2. Weave in high-priority keywords into your professional summary; incorporate career highlights that are backed with metrics (e.g. Sales leader driving double-digit increases in revenue and turning around declining markets in commercial real estate.) 3. Infuse keywords that show up repeatedly in the job posting into your job scope paragraph. 4. Use a resume scanning system to help you with this. Many offer free trials, such as Jobscan.com or Teal.com.

Do NOT customize your resume for each application, customize it for each job title, if you customize it for each application you will be driven mad due to how often you need to do it. Just pick a job title, and craft your resume based on that.

I have two tips for perfecting your resume. Check your word processor's spellcheck setup, because oftentimes the default is to ignore words in all capital letters. Many people use all caps to highlight an employer or college, and many people have typos in these areas. After you review your resume and think it's perfect, send it to 3 of the most nitpicky people you know for an informal proofreading.

Great tip! Also, keep putting in front of people and tell them up front that all input is accepted. I've had some folks try and soft-pedal feedback. I tell them: "Be blunt. I accept all input up to and including 'throw it all away and start over'." The aim as someone seeking their next opportunity is to land that next career. Employers (or their systems) won't hesitate to toss your application--make it as strong as possible!

The ATS does not care about errors, you want your resume to have proper spelling and grammar in case the recruiter for that position really cares about that kind of thing (which honestly unless the job says "requires a high degree of grammatical accuracy" they really shouldn't but some people really care about that kind of thing).

Lee, When a job shows 5,0000 applicants how does a recruiter manage that volume, do they just look at the first 100 and forget the rest? Shouldn't an ATS or AI help surface the top candidates for the recruiter. I prefer human eyes on my resume, but not sure that happens much these days.