How to Beat Applicant Tracking System

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Here are some do’s and don’ts to keep in mind:

DON’Ts

  • Don’t upload your resume in .PDF, .DOCX or any other fancy format. Instead, stick to the good old .RTF or .DOC. Better yet, try converting your resume to .TXT to understand what information will be picked up by the ATS and how it will be displayed, and make adjustments accordingly.
  • Don’t use tables, text boxes, or columns. Most ATS’s won’t recognize and read them correctly.
  • Don’t embellish your resume with images, graphs, clipart, and symbols. The system will overlook them.
  • Don’t use fancy bullets (Wingdings, Webdings, etc.) Standard options should be fine, while “+”, “-“ and “*” are your safest bet.
  • Don’t experiment with fonts. Since applicant tracking software relies on optical character recognition (OCR), go with Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, or other standard fonts instead.
  • Don’t put important information, especially your contacts, in the header or the footer (except if it’s page 2+ of your resume). ATS usually skips headers and footers.
  • Don’t use abbreviations or acronyms. Spell everything out.
  • Don’t submit a functional resume. The system will not know how to interpret your document, so it’s unlikely that you’ll make the cut.

DO’s

  • Do use common section headings and capitalize them (i.e. “WORK EXPERIENCE”, “EDUCATION”, “AWARDS”, not “Value Added” or “Team Building Expertise”). That way you can ensure that the ATS picks up and organizes your information properly.
  • Do put each piece of information on a new line. For example,

Company
Dates of employment
Position

or

College degree
Year
School

  • Do repeat company name if you have held several positions within one organization.
  • Do fill your resume with appropriate buzzwords and key phrases, as it will be matched against a set of terms related to the vacant position and ranked accordingly. However, take care that you put the keywords in the context – sophisticated systems will know if you’re cheating.
  • Do take as many pages as you need to describe all the relevant work experiences, competencies and skills. With the ATS there’s no need to worry about the length.
  • Do have a “pretty”, i.e. visually attractive, version of your resume handy when you come in for an interview.

Is your resume optimized to be ATS-friendly? Do you have any tips on how to game the system? Share your experiences in our comment section!

Let us help you land your next position by crafting the best ATS optimized resume or by managing your entire job search. Here’s more information about our Resume Writing Services and Reverse Recruitment Service. Book a call today to speak directly with our CEO and Founder, Arno Markus!

About iCareerSolutions

iCareerSolutions, America’s #1 Executive and Professional Resume Writing Services, Reverse Recruitment, and LinkedIn Profile Development Company. 28X award-winning resume writers deliver professional resumes that get interviews. We have successfully landed our executive clients senior-level leadership positions at companies like Apple, Amazon, EA, Oracle, GM, Google, Facebook, DoJ, Gap, and 2U just to name a few. iCareerSolutions has 200+ 5-star reviews and offers a 60-day interview guarantee. Every resume template created is Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) compatible and highly customized to meet your unique needs.

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Here are some of our Top Resume Testimonials

Celestine Pressley
Everything looks great including the cover letter.
Celestine PressleyCIO
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Dear Arno, You did a remarkable job, I am really impressed by the logical flow and presentation of the resume. I have reviewed it, the changes and corrections are highlighted in red and my comments are marked in purple. However, I will still go with your recommendations, owing to your vast domain expertise. I don’t have any major correction on cover letter. Please, find attached resume….
DJJ Ranade
quentin
“Arno is a master of creating an achievement based resume that sets the candidate apart. He showcases one’s accomplishments in a professional, aesthetically pleasing presentation. His methodology for working with clients is logical and makes it easy for the client to focus on identifying their achievements. Arno is pleasure to work with in the process. I recommend him for any C-suite executive ne…
Quentin Smith, CPAChief Financial Officer (CFO)
Men in blue shirt
Thanks for the draft. It looks good.
Balaji SanthanamMBA at Freddie Mac
Charlotte Addison
Arno’s highly skilled at creating content that allowed my achievements to pop off the page. His expertise spans resume writing, personal branding and he offered me invaluable tips for optimizing LinkedIn. Great value added career consulting and personal attention. Highly recommend Arno!
Charlotte AddisonVP of Marketing & Sales
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From the first phone call to the final drafts of my CV and LinkedIn profile, Arno was energetic, honest and punctual. Above all, Arno has an obvious capacity and depth of knowledge for writing CVs and LinkedIn profile summaries. He took my experience and my skills and turned them into selling points in one document – organized, understandable and interesting. Thank you so much Arno for all your he…
Arabella I.Clinical Quality
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I would strongly recommend Arno Markus. I came across his name on LinkedIn and his credentials caught my attention. I decided to give him a try and was impressed right away with his ability to listen, understand my situation and help. His level of industry knowledge, communication skills and end-product output impressed me tremendously. Looking forward to working with Arno in the future. If you hi…
Oksana PoznakVice President
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Arno is truly an artist with words when it comes to resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn. After being displaced due to my company being purchased, I was convinced that I could write my resume, after not doing one for over 16 years, as well as create the perfect LinkedIn profile. I soon learned that my new resume and LinkedIn profile were not getting the attention that I expected. A trusted friend …
John ThreadgillChief Information Officer
AI King
Arno is an accomplished career strategist with many years of experience. He coach, advises and mentors professionals and helps you build a personal brand. I highly recommend you consult with Arno if you need career advice or personal branding.
Al KingSenior Associate
Robyne Goldstein
Arno is the best. A great resource for teaching people how to best showcase their strengths in their resumes. He possesses a high level of integrity and is an expert in his field. I highly recommend Arno to anyone needing assistance with their career path.
Robyne GoldsteinCreative Multi-Media Professional

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