10 Quick Tips to Make Your Resume AI-Friendly

In today's job market, applicant tracking systems (ATS) powered by AI play a significant role in the hiring process. To ensure your resume makes it through these systems and into the hands of hiring managers, it's essential to optimize it for AI. Here are ten quick tips to help you craft an AI-friendly resume:

1. Use Standard Headings

Stick to conventional section headings like "Experience," "Education," and "Skills." ATS are programmed to look for these common terms, and using non-standard headings can confuse the system.

2. Incorporate Relevant Keywords

Review the job description and identify key terms and phrases. Integrate these keywords naturally throughout your resume. This alignment helps the ATS recognize your resume as a good match for the job.

3. Choose a Simple Layout

Opt for a clean, straightforward resume format. Avoid using complex layouts, graphics, tables, or columns that can disrupt the parsing process of ATS.

Most free resume templates use non-standard formatting. They often put your information into Excel tables that are then nested into the document. These can be especially difficult for an ATS to read. It's much better to build your resume from scratch than to use a template.

4. Use a Standard Font

Stick to basic fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. These fonts are easily readable by both humans and machines, ensuring your resume content is accessible to the ATS.

5. Avoid Special Characters and Fancy Formatting

Special characters, symbols, and excessive use of bold, italics, or underlining can confuse ATS. Stick to plain text as much as possible to ensure your resume is parsed correctly.

This means no phone, location and email icons. It means no pictures, graphs or skill ranking charts. Keep it simple.

6. Save as a Word Document or PDF

ATS software often prefers resumes in Word (.doc or .docx) or PDF formats. Ensure you follow any specific submission instructions provided by the employer.

If sending your resume directly to a company job posting follow the instructions for which version to send. If sending to a recruiter, always send both a Word (or Google Doc) version and the PDF. Recruiters often have to add/subtract information based on the hiring company's formatting demands.

7. Use Bullet Points for Lists

Bullet points help structure information clearly and are easier for both ATS and hiring managers to read. Use them for listing experiences, achievements, and skills.

8. Include Relevant Information Only

Keep your resume focused on your most relevant and recent experience. ATS typically prioritize resumes that match the job requirements closely, so tailor your resume for each application.

9. Provide Detailed Contact Information

Ensure your contact details are clear and easy to find. Include your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile if applicable, at the top of your resume.

It's wise to include your city, state and zip code as well. Many searches by both hiring companies and recruiters begin with geography as the first criteria.

10. Test Your Resume

Before submitting, test your resume by copying the text into a plain text document. This step helps you see how the ATS might parse your information and allows you to correct any formatting issues.

This step will often show you the potential issues that can be caused by using more than one column or the difference between a column used in Word format as opposed to a nested Excel column which can confuse the ATS.

Final Thoughts

Creating an AI-friendly resume doesn't mean sacrificing quality or personal touch. By following these tips, you can enhance the likelihood of your resume passing through ATS filters and landing on a hiring manager's desk. Remember to tailor your resume for each job application, ensuring you highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to the position. With these strategies, you'll be well on your way to catching the attention of both AI systems and human recruiters.

There's no reason why you can't keep your aestheticly pleasing version of your resume. Bring it with you to the interview and hand a copy out to everyone you speak with--or email it directly to them if it's a virual interview. The AI-friendly resume gets you in the door. After that, you can always wow the hiring team with a more elaborate resume.