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Resumes are read by computers today. Better make sure yours gets to the point fast.
Despite the shortage of talent in today's job market, it is as difficult as ever to obtain an in-person or telephone interview. While employers often receive 200-300 resumes or more for a position, their time and resources for interviewing are limited.
In most cases, even when you are recommended for a job by a mutual friend or know someone who works with the prospective employer, your resume will largely determine whether you are invited for an interview. As an added challenge, your resume often needs to survive screening both by a computer software program called Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and by a human resources manager and/or a hiring manager.
Approximately 50% of all employers today use an ATS. There are literally 100-plus common software systems in use, some of which are older, exact-match systems. You will encounter an ATS at all types of employers, although it is more likely to see one at larger companies. Below are estimates from many studies regarding percentage of employers using an ATS:
* 75%-90% or more of Fortune 500 companies
* 60% or more of mid-size companies
* Under 25% of small companies.
Consider yourself fortunate and well-prepared if yours is one of the approximately 25% of resumes that make it past the ATS to be reviewed by a live person. Below are resume-writing tips to increase your chances of passing the ATS hurdle.
* Tailoryourresumetoeachjob application
* Match job title with advertised position
* Include numerous keywords that appear in the job description
* Use high-quality/high-weighted keywords
* Pad keywords into the skills section
* Include dates of employment
* Avoid age-related information
* Skip abbreviations
* Spell out industry acronyms in parenthesis
* Have simple, consistent formatting
* Spell words correctly
* Avoid serif fonts such as Times New Roman and Cambria
* Use bullet points instead of fancy symbols
* Remove headers...