Beat the ATS - Applicant Tracking System scan tool

Having problems with your resume?

Constructing a great resume has been one of the most difficult tasks during a job search. The requirements are always changing on what the company is looking for and the difficulty in translating your experience perfectly so that you can be selected as a candidate for the job and hopefully an interview. We'll provide 3 steps in order to increase your chances.

step 1. keywords

Since most resumes online are not seen by a physical person, keywords are a crucial element that are needed to be mastered on any resume you submit. Most firms / companies are using an applicant tracking system (ATS) which is a software application that enables the electronic handling of recruitment needs. This software sifts through your resume and compares it with the most essential words that relate to the job description. Although this is not a perfect system, it cuts down on the time that a hiring authority would normally have to skim through a resume to see if your resume matches what the company or client is looking for.

How do you beat it? The simplest way is to use a word cloud generator. A word cloud generator is software that compiles algorithms to show word frequency. It arranges the words that repeat the most often and gives them the most importance of the text selected. It enlarges them in the search results so you can visualize what should stand out. The largest words are the words that must be included in your resume because there is a high chance that the applicant tracking system (ATS) is scanning for them too. There are many word cloud generators on the internet and most you can get for free. We suggest you try with TAGCROWD now to get started and see how it works for yourself. You can also get tips from the examples below.

The most advanced way to beat the (ATS) currently is with JOBSCAN. JOBSCAN is a more advanced word cloud generating software that goes a step further than just showing word frequency. It has algorithms that check for hard / soft skills as well as show an overall match rate for your resume compared to the job description. It shows what its algorithms have matched from the job description and your resume and compares them side by side so you can see what you need to add or subtract from your resume to increase your chances. It is a valuable tool that you can use to your advantage in your job searches. Try JOBSCAN now and see how well you match for yourself.

step 2. grammar

One of the most critical mistakes on a resume that is easily spotted is the lack of good grammar. Misspelled words are usually one of the most common and devastating errors. In a world where we write less with pen, pencil, and paper, it is often easier to allow mistakes to occur, but the outcome could be costly. Be patient enough to always go over a resume draft more than once before it is submitted and also never hesitate to use a spell or grammar checker (www.grammarly.com) once completed. It might get a little confusing but the tip here is that you must always remember to write previous jobs in past tense. For your current job, write accomplishments in past tense and current job responsibilities in present tense. The flow should go smoothly with action words that display your value of what you bring or have brought to a position. If you would like to discuss some suggestions in greater detail, please don't hesitate to contact us at defensecontractorjobs@gmail.com and we will be more than happy to delve deeper in this conversation with you.

step 3. length

Depending on the job you are trying to get, the length of your resume does play a role of importance. This mostly happens if you get a chance to give your resume to a hiring authority directly. You must remember at that time they will be glancing over your words fairly quickly and can usually make a determination if you fit / qualify in just 5 seconds. In this situation, it is best to keep your resume to at maximum 2 pages. When submitting your resume online and trying to maneuver past the (ATS), a longer resume could increase your chances because the amount of keywords you would like to match can improve. You still must be cautious and selective in your strategy during this process of your job search.

A simple strategy would be:

Use a one-page resume if:

You have less than 10 years of experience.
You're pursuing a drastic career change, and your experience isn't relevant to your new opportunity.
You've held one or two positions with only one employer.
You are directly submitting your resume to the hiring authority.

Use a two-page resume if:

You have 10 or more years of experience related to the job description.
Your field requires technical or engineering skills, and you need space to list and prove your technical knowledge.

***Put the most important information at the top of the first page. Lead your resume with a career summary so your key credentials appear at the forefront of the resume. On the second page, include a page number and your name and contact information.

Consider a three-page resume or longer if:

You're a senior-level manager or executive with a long track record of leadership accomplishments.
You are in an academic or scientific field with an extensive list of publications, speaking engagements, professional courses, licenses or patents.

Multiple-page resumes can use supplemental pages after page two. You can decide whether to send the full document or just the first two pages to a potential employer, based on the job opportunity requirements.

Please let us know if you have any difficulties and would like some further details on anything that we have discussed. Email us at defensecontractorjobs@gmail.com