Are Robots A Risk To Your Career?

You’ve applied for the perfect role. You have all the right skills and you should be the ideal candidate but you haven’t been called for an interview and you’re wondering what went wrong. You’re not alone.

The world of recruitment has changed. Although technology has made it easier for companies to manage the hiring process, it has also made it harder for job seekers to land a job. One of the biggest impacts has been the rise of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).  These systems have become so popular that Capterra’s Recruiting Software Impact Report found that 75% of recruiters and talent managers use some form of recruiting or applicant tracking software. For most jobseekers, this means your resume will be read by a robot before it lands in the hands of a human.

Follow these easy steps to beat the systems and land your next opportunity.

Write for the robot 

Applicant tracking systems process, store and analyse the hundreds or thousands of resumes companies receive . They help hiring managers sift through job applications to find the candidates who have skills that match the job requirements. If you want the software to identify you as a strong candidate you need to make sure you tell them you have the right skills. For each role you apply for, review the job description to identify the skills they will be looking for. Make sure your resume includes these skills, experience or qualifications.

For example, if the role requires excellent communication skills, use your summary to demonstrate how you have excellent communication skills. It’s not enough to just say you have excellent communication skills though. To beat the competition, you need provide evidence to back up your claim like “Collaborative and outcome focussed communicator with experience negotiating client contracts valued at more than $30k”

Avoid acronyms or lingo

If you do use acronyms like CPA, make sure you also the full words ie. Certified Public Accountant, because you don’t know what search terms the software will be using.

Also, be careful with company specific lingo or job titles. For example, visual merchandisers at H&M are called Sales Market Indoor and Window Responsible however if you use this in your resume and the software is searching for visual merchandiser, you might not come back as a match.

Keep your style simple

We all love the look of a Pinterest resume but sadly simplicity is the key for applicant tracking systems.

Although the software is improving, generally they can’t read fancy fonts and complex formatting. Play it safe with standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, Verdana and Tahoma.

Still unsure how to write a resume that works? Successful Resumes is Australia’s most established professional resume writers. We’ve helped more than 100,000 people in Australia get the job they want. Speak to one of our team members about how we can help you create a career-launching resume.