One way to improve the chances of your resume catching the attention of hiring managers is by using ATS resume keywords (Applicant Tracking System keywords) in your resume and cover letter. Many jobseekers are anxious about getting this part of their resume right. Below, we outline an ATS-friendly resume example and describe how to input ATS resume keywords into your resume effectively.
If you’d prefer our specialist resume writers complete this for you, contact us for a quote.
ATS Resume Keywords – Not As Scary As They Sound
Applicant tracking systems – and ATS resume keywords – sound a whole lot more scary than they are. Blame that on some of our more dodgy industry colleagues who seem to like the idea of scaring customers into using their services. Actually, it’s not as difficult as you may think to make sure your resume and cover letter use keywords effectively.
What Are ATS Resume Keywords?
To understand ATS resume keywords, it’s important to understand what an Applicant Tracking System is and how it works. ATS is a software used by employers to manage the hiring process by scanning, sorting, and ranking resumes based on specific criteria. One of the key elements of ATS is the use of keywords to filter through the often vast pool of applicants.
What Are ATS-Friendly Keywords?
ATS-friendly keywords are specific terms or phrases that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. These keywords are often specifically stated in the job description and include skills, qualifications, certifications, and industry-specific jargon. Identifying and incorporating these keywords into your resume is essential to ensure that it gets noticed by the ATS.
How We Input ATS Resume Keywords In This Marketing Resume
We strategically integrated ATS resume keywords into a resume for the role of Marketing Coordinator at Visa. You can follow these steps to make sure your own resume uses the right keywords.
This was the job ad we tailored the resume for:
1. Use an ATS-friendly Resume Template
The first step is to ensure that your resume is formatted in a way that is ATS-friendly. Use standard fonts, clear headings, and simple formatting to improve readability and ensure that the ATS can accurately parse the content. Avoid use of text boxes or images. This government resume template is ATS-friendly.
2. Identify Keywords
If you’re wondering how to find keywords for ATS, the clues will be in the job description. Once you have your template and have written your basic resume (here are some tips for how to write your resume), you’ll need to thoroughly understand the job description. You’ll then need to identify keywords and phrases from the job description relevant to the role.
Here are the keywords we identified for this role:
3. Incorporate Keywords Strategically
Integrate the identified keywords throughout the resume, paying close attention to the skills, experience, and qualifications sections. This is key to effective Australian resume writing.
In this example, under the skills section, we included terms such as “social media management”. In the experience section, we highlighted past duties and achievements related to account management, project management, budgeting and forecasting etc.
4. Quantify Achievements
Where possible, quantify achievements to provide tangible evidence of your capabilities. For instance, we mentioned metrics such as increasing social media engagement rates and successful campaign conversions – achievements that went well with the requirements of the role. This XYZ formula might help with writing your resume achievements.
5. Proofread and Edit
Finally, thoroughly proofread and edit your resume to eliminate any errors or inconsistencies. Attention to detail is crucial, as even minor mistakes can detract from the overall impression of professionalism and competency.
ATS Resume Example
You can see below how we used the specific keywords throughout the resume (see the highlighted sections. Tip: don’t forget to remove any highlights in your own application!).
By strategically including ATS resume keywords tailored to the job description, you can significantly improve your chances of getting noticed by hiring managers and securing interviews.
