I recently attended an online training to gain a better understanding of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Did you know that there are roughly 193 different types of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)?

 

AND

75% of qualified job applicants are REJECTED by ATS due to spurious reasons like incorrect resume formatting. (Source: Capterra Talent Management Blog)

 

In case you’re unfamiliar, an Applicant Tracking System is a software application that enables the electronic handling of recruitment needs. This means that much of the applicant sorting and selection process is now automated by software applications, programmed to select only resumes which meet specified parameters.

While Applicant Tracking Systems are rapidly getting smarter and more user-friendly, there are still certain – seemingly minor – mistakes that will land you in resume purgatory faster than you can say, “I hate ATS!”

What follows is by no means a comprehensive list of “Resume Don’t”-s, but avoiding these items will help you to ensure that your otherwise well-written resume doesn’t get lost in the dark abyss of ATS Hell.

 Do Not: Put Contact Info in the Header

 

While this may seem like a sly way to fit more vital information into the already limited space in your resume, the ATS generally can’t/don’t read any text that is written in the header/footer of a document. So if you include your contact information in this section, the ATS will never see it, and it will throw out your resume.

Now, this isn’t to say that I never use the header space at all, because I do. I utilize it on page 2 of a resume to reiterate the name and to indicate “page 2 of 2”. However, these are included not for the sake of the ATS. They are included for the sake of the reader, once the resume has successfully made it through the ATS.

 

 

 Do Not: Use the Word “OBJECTIVE” as your Heading

This practice has become outdated. An Objective conveys what you, the candidate, are looking for, but a hiring manager doesn’t care much about what you want until they know what

you have to offer.

That is why I utilize a “Professional Profile”, instead. This section is comprised of 3-5 sentences describing your strongest skills, a general overview of your accomplishments, and how you can contribute to company success.

 

 

 Do Not: Use First-Person Pronouns

 

Note: Though this tip doesn’t pertain directly to Applicant Tracking Systems, it is a fairly common mistake, and it plays a big role in resume success.

Pronouns (I, Me, My) should never be used in your resume. While some trends in resumes fade over time (like the ‘Objective’), the use of first-person pronouns has always been a Resume Don’t.

In writing content for your resume, it is generally accepted that the “I” is understood, meaning that it is omitted. However, it is still you doing the “talking”, so you want to use first-person tense, and not third-person.

example:

“Manage a team of 10”                                  “Manages a team of 10”

 

Do Not: List Dates First

 

Back to the topic of Applicant Tracking Systems – formatting is VERY important. For example, I see resumes all the time that list the employment positions with the dates listed first, on the left-hand side, like this:

 

1/2014 – Present                   Employer Name

Position Title

Listing the dates first often goes against the way the ATS are programmed. As a best practice, each position you list should lead with the employer name (or position title), followed by the employment dates flush with the right margin, like this:

 

Employer Name                          1/2014 – Present

Position Title

 

Do Not: Focus on Duties over Accomplishments

This is perhaps the most common mistake I see amongst otherwise well-written resumes. These days, it is not enough to simply list the duties and responsibilities of the position you held. Hiring managers want to see your contributions – they want to see how you made a difference.

Using dollar amounts and percentages is a great way to illustrate your success in current and previous positions – and the Applicant Tracking Systems are often set to search them out.

Being able to (honestly) state that you, “Increased sales by 20%” rather than just stating that you were, “Responsible for account management and sales”, makes a big difference.

 

That’s how you set yourself apart from the competition!