Dream JOB GET THAT
WORDS BY JANE HATTON
WRITING AN ATS-FRIENDLY CV
S
ome job adverts can receive a huge amount of applications, and increasingly employers are using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter candidates before a human being even gets to look at them. This means that if your CV isn’t ATSfriendly, it may never make the next stage of the recruitment process. So, your CV needs to be written not just to impress human recruiters, but also to meet the algorithm of an ATS, should one be used. An ATS is a piece of software that behaves a bit like a search engine. Recruiters use the ATS to scan CVs for keywords and rank them based on how well they match the job description. The more criteria the CV meets the higher it will be ranked in the shortlist. This means that tailoring your CV to each role you apply for is essential if you want to be at the top of the recruiter’s pile. Here are five things to consider to make your CV ATS and recruiter-friendly:
USE KEYWORDS To increase your chances of being selected and prioritised by an ATS, review the job description. Pay attention to the keywords or phrases that are used and use them in your CV. Look at the language being used. If they use the word ‘recruiting’ then you should also use ‘recruiting’ rather than ‘recruitment’ or a synonym such as ‘hiring’. Some ATS bots will determine the strength of your skills based on how often a term shows up in your CV, so think about the frequency as well. But remember that if your CV gets through the ATS, a human recruiter will look at it, so make sure it makes sense and that you can back up the things you are claiming.
STANDARDISE JOB TITLES AND HEADINGS ATS bots are looking for exact matches and recognisable job titles. Job titles on your CV should reflect the one on the job description. For example, if you are a Customer Care Leader in your current job, but the job title is for a Customer Service Leader, be sure to include Customer Service Leader somewhere in your CV. When the ATS takes the information from your CV and puts it into a database that it can easily search, it needs to understand which information should go where. It does this by searching for specific formatting and headings. To help the software, use clear headings to identify your employment history such as Work Experience, Qualifications etc.
KEEP THE DESIGN SIMPLE When an ATS retrieves information from your CV it is placed into a digitalised version. A simple and linear design will ensure the software doesn’t miss anything. Concentrate on matching the job description rather than impressing people with fancy layouts.
KEEP FORMATTING SIMPLE TOO! ATS bots prefer a simple and clean CV design and recruiters will be looking for pieces of information quickly. Keep your CV format concise, simple and clean. Avoid using custom fonts, embedded images, fancy graphics and symbols. Also, avoid putting information into headers and footers as these details will become garbled and only confuse the ATS.
STICK TO WORD The format most easily read by the majority of applicant tracking systems is a word processor file such as Word (.doc or .docx). Whilst PDF files are usually fine, check at the point of uploading your CV what options are offered as some applicant tracking systems cannot read PDF documents. To find jobs from inclusive employers who are looking to attract more disabled candidates, have a look on the Evenbreak website: evenbreak.co.uk. To find relevant and accessible careers support for disabled candidates have a look on Evenbreak’s Career Hive: hive.evenbreak.co.uk.
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