Gone are the days of creating a resume that leaves an impression on the human eye.
With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in HR operations, resumes must first go through automated scanning and filtering before they reach your personal inbox.
These AI-powered Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by Fortune 500 companies and small businesses around the world.
A 2019 study found that three out of four resumes had never been seen. A whopping 99% of Fortune 500 companies use bot job application filters, and about 83% of all companies use bot job application filters.
To survive the AI bots and build your resume, you need to be smart and avoid these 9 mistakes.
Photos are strictly prohibited
The Resume Scan AI system processes the text.
Even if you list important skills and qualifications in your image, they will probably be ignored.
All major elements of your resume should be in text format. Infographics are attractive, but they shouldn’t be on your resume.
Keywords are, well, important
Much like search engine optimization (SEO) works to get your website noticed, ATS looks for specific keywords in your resume that are relevant to the job.
If your resume doesn’t contain job description keywords, your match score will be low.
Be sure to use words in your resume open job ads. But be careful not to use too many.
too many keywords
Some candidates try to trick the AI by stuffing their resumes with keywords.
AI is trained to throw away these resumes.
Here’s a rule of thumb. Include 2 or 3 keywords that match the job you’re applying for for each previous position listed on your resume.
Layout matters
Multiple columns, graphics, or unusual placement can confuse these systems.
Your resume should have a clean and simple layout with standard margins and clear headings for each section.
It’s important to keep your resume format consistent. Use bullets, headers, and tables appropriately.
Inconsistent or flashy design confuses the AI and can cause important information to be overlooked or resumes to be ignored.
Don’t use fonts to stand out
Using “creative” fonts may seem like a great way to stand out, but it can confuse automated systems. These fonts are great for ATS readability.
- Times New Roman: Traditionally selected for resumes.
- Arial: A sans-serif font suitable for digital screens.
- Calibri: Microsoft Word’s default font.
- Helvetica: A popular sans-serif font.
- Georgia: A font designed for screen readability.
Note that robots don’t find you funny
AI is not good at sarcasm and flower language. They are designed to search for specific keywords and precise information.
Note the job title
For example, if your title was ‘Creative Product Evangelist’, the AI may not be able to recognize that this is actually ‘Marketing Manager’.
It is best to list “Marketing Manager” on your resume. Be clear and concise about your experience and skills. Don’t assume that an algorithm that scans a resume will recognize that he did X, Y, or Z depending on the job title.
Using the wrong file type:
This can be an easily overlooked detail. Some of his ATS platforms may have trouble reading resumes in certain file formats. We recommend using commonly used formats such as .docx or .pdf.
does not provide context
Do not list achievements without context. It cannot be interpreted by AI. For example, instead of saying, “Sales increased by 20 percent,” say, “I implemented a new marketing strategy and within a quarter, sales increased by 20 percent.”
