Before you make any changes to your resume, take a moment to highlight keywords from the job description. These are often the terms that appear more than once or phrases that are emphasized, like 'project management’ or 'content strategy’. Incorporate these words naturally into your existing resume content without altering your voice. If a job description emphasizes 'cross-functional teamwork’, ensure that your resume also includes this in your experience section, ideally in bullet points. This alignment helps applicant tracking systems (ATS) identify your resume as a match, increasing the chances of landing an interview.
Sometimes your actual job title doesn’t fully match the roles you performed. Consider adjusting your job titles slightly to better reflect the position you're applying for. If you've led projects but your title was simply 'team member', changing it to ‘Project Coordinator’ or a similar title could reflect your experience more accurately. Similarly, customize your professional summary to highlight skills and achievements that resonate with the job’s demands. Without rewriting the entire resume, these tweaks can make a substantial difference for both ATS and human readers.
When you closely examine a job description, identify which of your skills directly align with what the employer needs. It's crucial to highlight these under a 'Core Skills' or similar section on your resume. If the job requires a high degree of proficiency in Excel and you have that, make sure it's front and center. Don’t go overboard, but be concise and clear, positioning these relevant skills in a way that they are easily picked up by both ATS systems and hiring managers. This way, you’re showcasing not just what you can do, but what you can do for them.
Sometimes a job application requires you to showcase experiences that aren't necessarily recent. You don't need to rewrite your resume, just reorder it. Move the most relevant job experiences to the top of your experience section, while still maintaining a reverse-chronological order after those key roles. For example, if you’re applying for a marketing position and your most relevant experience is your third most recent job, place that job at the top without changing the entire order of your resume. This strategy makes sure hiring managers see what’s most pertinent first.
When appropriate, transforming regular duties into quantifiable achievements can make your resume stand out without a rewrite. For instance, if the job requires leadership experience, don't just state ‘Led a team’. Instead, mention specifics like ‘Led a team of five in a project that increased departmental efficiency by 20%’. Numbers naturally draw attention and provide concrete evidence of your capabilities, making it easier for both ATS and hiring managers to understand your impact.
Highlight any certifications or training that align with the job description. While this may seem obvious, many applicants overlook this if it's not part of their core resume section. A brief addition like 'Enterprise Agile Certified Practitioner’ in a specific section can be the game-changer between getting filtered out or not. Tailoring this information can be crucial, especially for roles with technical specifications. It shows that your skills and learning are up-to-date with industry standards, improving your odds with ATS systems as well.
Being honest and upfront about employment gaps or significant career changes can sometimes be essential, primarily if highlighted in the job description. A short note or explanation within the resume or an accompanying cover letter to elucidate gaps can preempt speculation, helping hiring managers understand your situation better. Whether it's honing a new skill or taking time off for family, these don't have to be a barrier if handled correctly. While not part of the resume itself, this contextual clarity can assist human readers in seeing beyond the ATS-screened document.
Once you've tailored your resume to fit the job description, it's helpful to run a diagnostic to ensure you've aligned with best practices. A tool like Ghosted can help identify areas where your resume may still fall short, pinpoint synonyms or related terms that could enhance your keyword use, and suggest layout optimizations that ATS are likely to favor. Diagnosing your resume ensures that both human and digital gatekeepers see you as a well-suited candidate. This step could be the key to transforming your job search experience from frustrating to fruitful.
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