The traditional professional resume just isn't what it used to be. These days, the first person to review your application when you hunt for a new job might not even be a person. According to Forbes, AI-powered Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are more common than ever, and in use at more than 90 percent of all fortune 500 companies. This software analyzes applications and resumes, sorts candidates, and selects the ideal candidates — and it has high standards.
Applicants who want to sail past the ATS and land in front of human eyeballs need to distinguish themselves from the crowd, which means that standard resume templates and boilerplate language won't cut it. Set yourself apart from the crowd with these key strategies:
* Sell yourself like you're an exciting product. Instead of a list of job duties, talk about what you can do, what you accomplished, and what made you stand out.
* Be clear and concise. The ATS will blow right past a resume with muddy language or excessive length. Tell your story, but tell it as efficiently as you can.
* Use the right keywords. Check the job posting for important terms that relate to qualifications or skills and use those exact words multiple times. For example, if an employer needs an e-commerce specialist, your resume should mention e-commerce more than once.
* Use numbers to describe your achievements. Your team was 50 percent more productive. You delivered 580 units in the first quarter. Your success rate was 85 percent. Most resumes don't use hard numbers, and it will set you apart from the crowd.
