Do you have a Google Home, Siri, or Alexa? Any of these virtual assistants are a form of artificial intelligence. You ask them questions or assign them tasks and they can respond with the correct answer or organize your time for you. They’re great. But did you know that artificial intelligence also helps recruiters and hiring managers hire candidates? Do you know how artificial intelligence scans your resume to determine if you’re worth contacting? Here is some background on applicant tracking systems to help you find your next opportunity.
What is an Applicant Tracking System?
An ATS is a system used by companies to organize and store data on candidates who have applied for jobs. It keeps their resume on file along with other important information, potentially including interview notes.
They are often used by staffing companies to keep track of the candidates apply so they can be matched with a new job when the right opportunity comes in. But some non-staffing companies use them to track applicant data for human resources.
How to Utilize Keywords
Applicant tracking systems rely on keywords to work. When a user needs to find candidates that fit a certain set of criteria, they’ll enter those keywords in the ATS to pull up the related results. This isn’t unlike a search engine, like Google, but is specifically for resumes.
That means you need to include keywords that will get attention when certain jobs come up. Make sure you’re including words commonly used in your industry on your resume.
Easy to Scan Formats
Formatting is not just for the human eye. It helps, of course, to have a resume designed for easy scanning by a person when they are first looking it over to see if they can find the keywords. But this is also true for an applicant tracking system.
While artificial intelligence can sort through words faster than readers, a resume should still be in a format that is easy to read and review.
More than One Page
There was a time when the prevailing advice was to make a resume one page only. But that is no longer the case. You need to include enough information to be relevant, and cramming that on one page is not necessary or desirable.
Of course, there is also the possibility to take this too far. Don’t make a 10-page resume, either. Keep your information on two pages with a readable font and some white space and you’ll have a resume fit for an applicant tracking system and recruiters.
Work With a Top Staffing Agency in Washington DC
Is your resume ready for the right employer to find you? Contact NRI Staffing, now hiring for jobs in DC, today to learn more about how our team can help!
