Esteban
How can I improve the odds of getting an interview through the ATS?
Student of NPower trying to choose the right opportunity at the right place.
#interviews #career-counseling #job-search
4 answers
Robert Hinkle
Robert’s Answer
As a hiring manager that reviews hundreds of resumes each year, I can say from experience that a hiring manager has at most 2 to 3 minutes to review your resume. Chances are they are going to scan it at a high level and look for key bits of information that will cause them to probe further.
Your resume should not be written like an essay, but should provide a few key phrases and facts about your past experience that will intrigue the hiring manager to want to know more - likely by asking you in an interview.
If your past experience does not relate in any way to the role to which you are applying, consider including the role in the history to show continued employment, but limit the degree to which you speak about that role.
Also, a concise cover letter talking about why this position is the right one for you, tailored to that specific position, lets the hiring manager know that you are serious about this role, and that you are not simply casting a wide net with your search/resume in order to see who is biting.
My advice would be to ensure your resume demonstrates the relevant skill-sets and experience the job is looking for. Ensure the formatting of your resume; has good use of spacing, readable font size, and does not read like an essay. Thoroughly proof read your documents. In terms of content, the accomplishments you list should be written in a way that demonstrates you were actively engaged in the activity, and just enough information for the reader to want to know more (i.e. Independently took a course on managing year-end budgets, utilized what I learned to create several new finance approval processes which resulted in a savings of .....)
Giselle gilman
Lisa Marasco
Lisa’s Answer
Jobscan.co
ATS is very specific and will throw out even the most qualified candidate if the words the recruiter used do not match the words in your resume. We just went through this last year. It’s extremely frustrating. Recruiter used the words communications and my husband used communicator. The meaning is the same, but the computer can’t match it up. The jobscan tool helps identify keywords in the ATS and the percentage your resume has those keywords used. It’s a game changer. If a person was scanning your resume they could interpret, but the ATS doesn’t. Hope this helps!
Lisa recommends the following next steps:
Brad Kleinerman
Brad’s Answer
I agree with Robert and Giselle's recommendations. I would also add that it is okay to adapt your resume to better fit the job to which you are applying. Obviously, stay honest but if there are terms in the job description that would be appropriate for your resume, it's okay to incorporate them to create a better match.
