This is Why Your Resume Gets Rejected ➤ ATS Resume Format & Tips 2024

Summary

This video educates viewers on the importance of making resumes ATS-friendly for better job application outcomes. It explains what Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are, their role in the recruitment process, and why a non-ATS friendly resume can lead to rejection. The video offers actionable tips on improving resume ATS scores, including using simple fonts, chronological order, clear headings, bullet points, action verbs, tailored keywords, quantifiable achievements, correct formatting, concise length, and proper grammar. It also recommends online tools like Jobscan and Skill Syncer to enhance resume quality.

Takeaways

• 😀 ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System, a software that screens resumes before they reach HR.
• 🔍 If your resume isn't ATS-friendly, it may not be read by the software and could be automatically rejected.
• 🌐 The importance of ATS is growing as recruitment processes become more automated with AI.
• 💼 Use online tools like Jobscan, Resume.com, Resume Worded, or Indeed Resume Builder to check and improve your resume's ATS-friendliness.
• 📝 Choose simple and standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman for your resume.
• 📅 Start your work experience and education sections with the most recent entries to match the software's reverse reading pattern.
• 📑 Use clear headings for sections like education and work experience to make them easily distinguishable.
• 🔑 Incorporate bullet points and powerful action verbs to improve readability and signal important resume points.
• 🔍 Tailor your resume with keywords relevant to the job or internship opportunity you're applying for.
• 📊 Quantify your achievements with numbers, percentages, or metrics to signal significant accomplishments.
• 📄 Submit your resume in '.doc' or '.txt' format, as PDFs are often not recommended for ATS compatibility.
• 📄 Keep your resume to one page long to ensure it's fully scanned by ATS software.
• 📝 Use grammar checking tools like Grammarly or QuillBot to avoid grammatical or spelling errors that could lead to rejection.

Q & A

What is the full form of ATS?

The full form of ATS is 'Applicant Tracking System'.

What is the primary function of an Applicant Tracking System?

The primary function of an ATS is to screen resumes by checking qualifications, skills, and work experience to determine if they are suitable for a job or internship opportunity.

Why is it important for a resume to be ATS-friendly?

A resume needs to be ATS-friendly so that the Applicant Tracking System software can read and understand it properly, ensuring it doesn't get automatically excluded from the screening process.

What happens if your resume is not ATS-friendly?

If your resume is not ATS-friendly, the software may not be able to read it correctly, leading to the resume being deemed irrelevant and excluded from both automatic and manual screening.

How can you check your resume's ATS-friendliness?

You can use online tools like Jobscan, Resume.com, Resume Worded, or Indeed Resume Builder to input your resume and receive an ATS score along with suggestions for improvement.

What is the significance of Applicant Tracking Systems in the era of artificial intelligence?

In the era of artificial intelligence, Applicant Tracking Systems are becoming more important as recruitment processes are increasingly automated, including AI-based interviews and primary shortlisting.

What are the recommended fonts for an ATS-friendly resume?

For an ATS-friendly resume, it is recommended to use simple and standard fonts such as 'Arial' or 'Times New Roman' without italics.

How should you present your work experience and education on an ATS-friendly resume?

On an ATS-friendly resume, you should present your work experience and education in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.

Why are bullet points important in an ATS-friendly resume?

Bullet points are important because they improve readability and help the Applicant Tracking System software to easily identify and understand the key points in each section.

What is the role of action verbs in framing sentences for an ATS-friendly resume?

Action verbs make sentences more powerful and signal to the software that these are significant resume points, enhancing the impact of your work experience and achievements.

How can you ensure your resume contains the right keywords for a job or internship opportunity?

You can tailor your resume to include the right keywords by comparing it with the job or internship description using online tools like 'Skill Syncer', which can identify missing keywords.

Why is quantifying achievements with numbers or metrics recommended in an ATS-friendly resume?

Quantifying achievements with numbers, percentages, or metrics signals to the Applicant Tracking System that you have accomplished significant results, adding credibility to your resume.

What file format should you use for your resume to ensure it is readable by ATS software?

It is recommended to use '.doc' or '.txt' file formats for your resume as they are more readable by ATS software, while PDF is usually advised against.

How long should your resume be to be considered ATS-friendly?

Your resume should be kept to one page long to be considered ATS-friendly, as some software may only scan the first page.

Why is it crucial to check your resume for grammar and spelling errors before submission?

Grammar and spelling errors can lead to direct rejection by the Applicant Tracking System, so it's crucial to use tools like Grammarly or QuillBot to ensure your resume is error-free.

Outlines

00:00

📄 Understanding ATS-Friendly Resumes

The paragraph introduces the issue of resumes not being ATS-Friendly and the consequences of this, such as not receiving responses to job applications. It explains what ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is and its role in the resume screening process. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of making a resume ATS-Friendly to avoid automatic rejection by ATS software. It also shares a personal anecdote about a batchmate from IIM Ahmedabad whose resume scored poorly on ATS-friendliness, leading to a lack of interview calls. The paragraph concludes by highlighting the increasing importance of ATS due to the rise of AI in recruitment processes.

05:01

🛠️ Tips for Creating an ATS-Friendly Resume

This paragraph provides actionable steps to make a resume ATS-Friendly. It starts with the importance of using simple fonts like Arial or Times New Roman and avoiding italics and graphics. It then covers the need for a chronological order in listing work experience and education, using clear headings, bullet points, and action verbs. The paragraph also stresses the use of job-specific keywords and suggests using a tool like 'Skill Syncer' to identify missing keywords. It advises against using PDF format for resumes and keeping the resume to one page to ensure it is fully scanned by ATS software. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of grammar and spelling accuracy, recommending tools like Grammarly or QuillBot for checking.

Keywords

💡ATS

ATS stands for 'Applicant Tracking System'. It is a software application that helps employers manage job applicants. The system scans and parses resumes to rank candidates based on their fit for the job. In the video, the importance of making a resume ATS-friendly is emphasized because if a resume isn't, it may not be read correctly by the ATS, leading to potential rejections even for qualified candidates.

💡Resume

A resume is a document used by individuals to present their skills, education, and work experience. It is typically submitted as part of a job application. In the context of the video, the focus is on making resumes ATS-friendly to ensure they are correctly interpreted by applicant tracking systems.

💡Screening

Screening refers to the process of reviewing and selecting candidates for a job or internship from a pool of applicants. The video explains that ATS software performs initial screening by automatically filtering out resumes that do not meet certain criteria before they are reviewed by human HR personnel.

💡Font

In the context of resume writing, 'font' refers to the typeface used. The video suggests using simple and standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman to ensure that the ATS can easily read the resume. Unusual fonts or italics can complicate the scanning process.

💡Chronology

Chronology in a resume refers to the order in which information is presented, typically starting with the most recent experience or education. The video advises starting with the most recent work experience and education to align with how ATS software reads information.

💡Headings

Headings are the titles or subtitles used in a resume to categorize different sections. The video emphasizes using slightly larger headings for sections like 'Education' and 'Work Experience' to make them easily distinguishable to ATS software.

💡Bullet Points

Bullet points are used in resumes to list achievements or responsibilities in an easy-to-read format. The video suggests using bullet points to improve readability, which is beneficial for both ATS software and human reviewers.

💡Action Verbs

Action verbs are words that describe actions taken by the resume's author. The video recommends using powerful action verbs in framing sentences to make the resume more impactful. For example, instead of saying 'Managed projects,' one could say 'Led and successfully completed projects.'

💡Keywords

Keywords in a resume are specific terms related to the job or internship for which the applicant is applying. The video explains that tailoring keywords to the job description can help the resume pass ATS screening, as these are the terms the software looks for to determine relevance.

💡Quantify

To quantify in a resume means to provide specific numbers, percentages, or metrics to illustrate achievements or responsibilities. The video suggests quantifying accomplishments to signal to ATS software that the candidate has achieved measurable results.

💡Format

Format in the context of a resume refers to the file type or layout. The video advises against using PDF format for resumes because it can be less readable for ATS software. Instead, it recommends using '.doc' or '.txt' formats.

💡Length

Length, in terms of resume writing, refers to the number of pages. The video recommends keeping resumes to one page long to ensure that ATS software, which may only scan the first page, does not miss any information.

💡Grammar

Grammar refers to the rules governing the structure of a language. The video stresses the importance of correct grammar and spelling in a resume to avoid automatic rejection by ATS software, which can detect and penalize such errors.

Highlights

Resumes not ATS-Friendly can lead to a lack of responses to job applications.

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System, a software that screens resumes before they reach HR.

If your resume is not ATS-Friendly, it may be automatically excluded from the screening process.

The importance of ATS is increasing due to the rise of AI in recruitment processes.

Making your resume ATS-friendly is crucial for job and internship opportunities.

Online tools can help make your resume ATS-Friendly by suggesting changes and providing a score.

Use simple and standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman for your resume.

List your work experience and education in reverse chronological order for easier ATS reading.

Use clear headings for sections like education and work experience to make them easily distinguishable.

Bullet points improve readability and should be used under each section.

Use powerful action verbs in your sentences to signal good resume points to the ATS.

Tailor your resume with keywords relevant to the job or internship opportunity you're applying for.

Use a tool like Skill Syncer to find out which keywords are missing from your resume for a specific opportunity.

Quantify your achievements with numbers, percentages, or metrics to signal significance.

Submit your resume in '.doc' or '.txt' format as they are more readable by ATS software.

Keep your resume to one page long to ensure it is fully scanned by ATS software.

Ensure your resume has no grammatical or spelling errors by using tools like Grammarly or QuillBot.

A score of above 80 on ATS-friendly tools indicates a good resume that will likely pass the software screening.

Transcripts

Hi guys! Have you ever experienced that

you're applying for numerous internships or jobs,

but you don't receive any response from anywhere?

Well, these days many people are facing the same.

And that is because their resume is not ATS-Friendly.

In this video, we understood 3 things:

What does ATS mean?

Why is it important for you?

And how to make your resume ATS-Friendly?

So let's start, what is ATS?

Its full form is "Applicant Tracking System".

When you apply for any opportunity online,

you submit your resume,

and then you receive a call from some HR person.

But in between, there is a process,

which we call "Screening".

Screening means looking at your resume and deciding:

Is your qualification suitable?

Do you have relevant skills?

And do you have work experience that company needs?

The job of screening is done by software.

It rejects all the irrelevant resumes.

And sends the remaining resumes to the HR

for manual screening.

What problem will occur if your resume is not ATS-Friendly?

No matter how good your resume is.

You have the right qualifications, skills, work experience.

But if your resume is not ATS-Friendly.

Then that software won't be able to read it.

It will seem like your resume is not relevant.

That's why it will automatically be excluded

from the screening process.

And it won't even go for manual screening.

You won't believe, I've a batchmate from IIM Ahmedabad,

who was recently applying for jobs.

And he wasn't getting any interview calls.

Then we used a free tool & I'll tell you its name too.

We put his resume in it.

And saw what his ATS score came out to be?

32 out of 100.

No wonder his resume was getting rejected.

Now why is Applicant Tracking System important for you?

Nowadays, it's the era of artificial intelligence,

which means more and more

recruitment processes are going to be automated.

As nowadays, AI-based interviews have also arrived.

Now technology will conduct your interview.

There is no need for an HR for primary shortlisting,

which means ATS will become even more important now.

So making your resume ATS friendly will become

your priority for all the job opportunities or

internship opportunities you will be applying for.

Now that you know it's important.

Let's move towards action points, what can we do for it?

It's a simple thing.

You have to make your resume ATS-Friendly.

How do we do that?

There are 2 ways to do that.

The first is to use online tools.

It tells you to make these changes, format it like this,

and your resume will become ATS-friendly.

In fact, there are quite a few websites like Jobscan,

Resume.com, Resume Worded, or Indeed Resume Builder.

If you input your resume into any of these,

it will give you a score for your resume and also

tell you what changes you can make to improve it.

So when I shared it with my friend,

initially his score was 32,

but after making some improvements,

it went up to around 60.

But that's not sufficient.

You also need to intervene manually.

So, the second point is that

I'll tell you how to create an ATS-friendly resume,

what points to keep in mind.

So there are a total of 10 points.

Let's start with the first one, which is Font.

The font you use should be very simple and standard.

There are two text fonts that are quite popular:

"Arial" and "Times New Roman".

You can use either of them.

And absolutely no italics should be used.

Nor should we use any diagrams, graphs, or anything.

We need to keep it simple so that software can scan it.

2. Chronology

Basically, the software reads anything in reverse order.

So you should start your work experience

with the most recent one.

Similarly, mention your education starting with the

most recent one, that way it can easily read it.

3. Headings

When you mention anything, for example,

if you want to mention your education,

work experience, skills; give them proper headings.

Those headings should be slightly larger in size

compared to the rest of the text.

So that they are easily distinguishable.

The fourth is "Bullet Points".

You should definitely use bullet points under each section

because they will improve your readability.

The fifth is "Action Verbs".

Whenever you are framing a sentence,

It should include a verb.

And it should be a powerful action verb.

I'll show you a list of these on the screen.

You can use them.

It will make your sentences more powerful.

Which will ultimately signal the software that

these are good resume points.

The sixth is "Keywords".

Whatever you mention,

whether it's your responsibilities or achievements,

the keywords should be tailored

to the job or internship opportunity.

Suppose the internship opportunity's roles and

responsibilities are mentioned that

you should have Excel skills and data analytics.

But those keywords are missing from your resume.

Then you need to add them because

you are applying for that particular opportunity.

For this, let me tell you about a tool.

You can use it online.

You can try it once a week for free.

On one side, you'll paste description of the opportunity

you're applying for, whether it's an internship or a job.

And on the other side, you'll upload your resume.

Then this website will scan your resume and tell you

which keywords are needed for this particular opportunity

and which keywords are missing from your resume.

So you can add them,

which will tailor your resume towards that opportunity.

I'll also add the link for 'Skill Syncer' in the description.

Let's move on to the next point, which is Quantify.

In every point, you need to use numbers,

percentages, or some metrics.

They also signal that you have achieved something significant.

The eighth is "Format".

Whatever format you submit your resume in,

it should be readable by that software.

The '.doc' format and '.txt' format are more readable.

PDF is usually advised against, which is very surprising

because generally, we upload PDFs.

So, it's better to upload a doc.

The ninth point is "Length".

Many people make this mistake.

Keep your resume only one page long because

sometimes there's a condition in these softwares

to only scan the first page.

So, don't exceed one page.

The final point is "Grammar".

If there is any grammatical error,

sometimes the resume is directly rejected.

So, you have to make sure to use any tool

like Grammarly, QuillBot to scan your resume.

Don't make any grammatical mistakes,

spelling mistakes, or any such mistakes.

So the template I'll share plus these pointers,

incorporate them and create your resume.

When I created my friend's resume like this,

then his resume scored 84.

If your score is above 80 in this tool,

that means your resume is good.

And that will definitely sail through

what the software is screening.

I am sure this video will help you.

If it does, please let me know in the comments.

Thank you so much for watching, guys.

See you the next time!