Building an ATS-compliant pdf resume is a very effective way to increase your interview chances and win job offers in 2022. However, if your resume is not ATS-friendly, it will never land in the hands of a recruiter; it will just end in a black hole. So, you want to ensure that your resume is ATS-friendly so that you will be considered for the next selection round.
What is an ATS?
ATS stands for job Application Tracking System, a software that helps recruiters manage the entire recruitment process by collecting, scanning and ranking the resumes and providing shortlisted candidates. Earlier it was built for more prominent companies that receive thousands of resumes. But now, it is generally used by companies of all sizes because ATS makes the process productive.
Here, we're discussing how to build an ATS-friendly pdf resume in 2022.
How to Build an ATS-friendly PDF resume in 2022
Tailor your resume to the job description
You must tailor your cv pdf every time you apply for a new job. So, you need to check the job spec, duties and responsibilities and tailor your cv pdf accordingly. So that the ATS can pick you up and score you higher, it is required to alter your cv according to the duties and responsibilities and everything else they are asking for.
Use an ATS-friendly Pdf Resume Template 2022.
Make sure you choose an editable resume template that is very easy to read. We must consider that ATS is software scanning through your pdf resume 2022. So, it's not going to operate as an actual human being. So even when you are saving it, make sure that you save your cv in pdf format and after you've saved it, make sure that it's not a picture; make sure that you can highlight and copy some text and paste it into a different document. For example, you may download WPS Office editable Harvard template, Indian resume format or normal resume format pdf. WPS Office offers a 7-day free trial to try out the premium version.
Keep in mind that if you can't highlight anything or if you cannot copy anything from your cv, you will score zero.
Pick the correct resume format.
The format is essential. For example, if you have a highly complex resume with many graphic elements and your information is spread here and there, it's very easy for the ATS system not to score anything because your information is scattered. So, make sure you choose a chronological order cv to be easy to read once it's on the system and your cv is being scanned. Download WPS Office (with a free trial) editable student resume format, which is one of the best options.
Use readable fonts
Suppose you choose fancy fonts to make your resume look a certain way; it will not pick it up. You need professional fonts that the machine and the basic human being can read through. So, make sure you choose professional fonts we all know because it's not about the fancy look of the fonts it's about how the system will be able to navigate through your cv or not.
Choosing the right skills
An ATS-friendly pdf resume in 2022 has basic keywords matching the job spec and relevant work experience. It highlights the specific skills that a job requires. You want to ensure that the system scores you higher, meaning you can use the synonyms here and there but not entirely. Sometimes, using the original
words score you higher because now there's a complete match between what the recruiters have set as a requirement and the cv you submitted.
So, make sure you don't deviate a lot when you're playing around with words. Keep it close to what they have advertised so that you can score higher.
Don't focus so much on ATS.
Lastly, ensure that you don't focus so much on beating the system because after you've bid the system, your cv will be sent to the recruiter, who will now read it.
After the system has already read it, if you focus so much on beating the system, they'll be able to pick it up that this is not a genuine cv; this was just to beat the system. So, make sure that it is easy to read for human beings and machines. So, do not overfocus on ATS because you'll get disqualified.
With the tactics above, you can take advantage of the ATS-friendly pdf resume Assessment to ensure your job application doesn't slip away in 2022.
Written by:
Gayathri Rasangika
Many job seekers turn to Gayathri, a Digital Media Specialist and Resume Expert, for help with their resumes to get their careers off to the best possible start. An ATS-friendly pdf resume is what she demonstrates here in 2022.
