By Nelly Tonchev
Nowadays at most companies, applicant tracking system (ATS) software uses keywords to filter resumes before a human ever reviews them. Search results are sorted in a list from 100% match to 0% and if your resume is ranked as a 100% match, then you have 10 seconds to make the impression that you are the right candidate for the job. How do you get in the top 100%? What is the secret behind the term “keywords”?
I have heard many stories from people and how they are using keywords in their resume: hiding words by changing the font color to white, using summary to embed keywords or the footer of their resume as keywords depository. I think there are a few simple steps every person can take without hiring a professional resume writer to improve the resume and make it 100% Applicant Tracking System proof. If you are unemployed, I am sure you can use the $500-$600 for other things.
Part I – Identifying Keywords
- First make sure you know what type of position you are looking for: for example, I have accountant skills and want to look for job as an accountant. Go online and search for job: Accountant. Don’t limit your search with local positions; I am sure even in Dallas an accountant does similar tasks as an accountant in Boston. Our goal is to find at least 3 jobs that are » Read more: Resumes: The buzz about keywords and Applicant Tracking Systems
Today the sad and bitter truth is that your resume is reviewed in less than 20 seconds. In that short period of time someone looks at your entire career and decides if you are good enough to make it to an interview. I have heard many people rail against this during their job search. Unfortunately no matter how much we complain we cannot change the very quick once over our document, our very life, is getting.
