These insider tips will help you pass the ATS test with ease

Hiring managers go through a few dozen resumes a day during recruitment seasons. If you are applying for a job advertisement at a large organization, you will be competing with an average of 250 other applicants. Since it is physically impossible for hiring managers to scan many job applications manually, many companies employ the use of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs).

ATSs help hiring professionals streamline the applicant screening process and filter out the applications. With the use of the ATS, hiring managers can identify the most relevant and qualified candidates within a few minutes. Although employers and hiring managers benefit greatly from the use of ATSs in the hiring process, many job seekers fail to pass the ATS test.

Here’s how you can beat the bots and get your dream job in the coming hiring season:

Utilize keywords wisely

Simply creating a Keywords section in your resume and pumping it full of keywords from the job description won’t do. If you want to pass the ATS test and be seen as a worthy candidate, you must incorporate keywords into your resume wisely. Use the key skills section to display a majority of your keywords but don’t just stop there. Mention keywords in the work experience, education, summary, and additional sections of your resume.

Avoid listing acronyms alone

Whenever you need to mention an acronym or abbreviation on your resume, you should spell it out the first time you list it. Let’s take an example. If you are an expert in SMM, the first time you mention this on your resume, you must mention it as social media marketing, followed by the acronym within brackets. This simple trick will ensure that none of your qualifications get missed by the ATS.

Remove information from the header

You do need to make the most of the space you have on your resume. This is why we see many job seekers mentioning their contact details and other important information in the header or the footer of their resumes. However, many ATSs have trouble reading information placed within the header or the footer. Therefore, it is a smart move to remove any important information from the header or the footer of the document.

Improve readability

Your resume must be a document that is easy to scan, preferably within seven seconds. When creating the design and layout of your resume you need to keep both the ATS and the human reader in mind. You can reduce the amount of unique formatting elements you have used on the resume to make it easier for the ATS to parse the document. This involves avoiding graphs, images, tables, text boxes, graphics, and other busy design elements.

Customize the job application

The same job application can’t win you every job you apply for. Different jobs have varying requirements, and so do different employers. What one employer looks for in a candidate could be totally different from what another does. Therefore, you need to tailor your resume and cover letter for each job that you are applying for. A tailored resume has a better chance of passing the ATS test.