Amy Lindgren

In my last two columns, I explained how to write longer résumés strategically and how to format résumés for optimal impact. Today’s column is a response to Dave, a reader who describes struggling with how his résumé should look now that he’s posting it to digital online systems.

As he notes, “When I try to customize my résumé in an attempt to score higher in the ATS (applicant tracking system) my résumé no longer looks or reads like it should if a person would be reading it. Can you please reply with suggestions in writing your résumé to maximize the ATS score so I can actually get an interview with a real person?”

Dave, I’m happy to provide that advice, although with the caveat that I’m not a fan of online job search to begin with. Because studies still show 70-90 percent of jobs are either not posted or are not filled from the online posting, I prefer methods such as networking or direct contact with targeted employers.

But my preference doesn’t erase the 10-30 percent of jobs that do get filled through postings, which is significant. If you’re going to use this system, you need to strategize for best results.

These automated processes aren’t new, by the way. I have a distinct memory of Northwest Airlines (remember them, pre-Delta merger?) instituting an electronic system to sort résumés back in the 1990s.

Luckily, things have come a long way in 30+ years. The very early systems had some nasty quirks, such as 100-word “reading” capacities. Résumé writers were told to get clients’ key words into the first lines or the software wouldn’t see it.

The result was a whole lot of seriously ugly documents prefaced with three or four lines of gibberish: “Writing writer documentation journalism journalist reporter features newspaper…” This might be typical for a reporter’s résumé, attempting to cram every variation of the key words into the first line or two. Eew.

While the systems are much more sophisticated now (they’ll read thousands of words), they are still limited. For example, some cannot read columns, graphics, headers, footers, text boxes or non-standard bullets (such as check marks or diamonds).

Since you don’t know which ATS a company is using, services have popped up claiming to scan your résumé for compatibility with a specific company’s ATS — based on their claim that they know all the major companies and what software they’re using.

Count me as skeptical.

The better strategy is to construct your résumé so that any system can read it. The trick, as Dave has noted, is making it attractive to the human reader as well. That’s because the system will parse your résumé for data, then place that data into a file under your name. The recruiter will later enter key words into the overall database, revealing the files with the most matches. The recruiter can then choose to read your ATS-created file but will likely read your original résumé instead, since it will be easier on the eye.

These tips can help ensure your made-for-human-eyes résumé will impress the machine as well.

• 1. Use a simple, elegant format that does not rely on graphics, columns, and other ATS-unfriendly elements. (Check last week’s column on résumé formatting.)

• 2. Put the exact job title into your headline: “Supply Chain Specialist,” for example.

• 3. Use the key words — those most repeated or emphasized in the posting — in your skills section, and possibly in individual job descriptions.

• 4. For important concepts, use both the full term and the acronym, since you don’t know what the recruiter will be entering. For example, “Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Chemistry …”

Tricks to use at your own risk:

• 5. Paste word strings from the posting directly into your résumé. The problem is that systems might identify identical phrasing from the posting and then flag the offending résumé. You should be fine with three- or five-word strings, but more is a risk.

• 6. Use key words you don’t yet “own.” For example: “Planning for certification in Google Analytics” when the posting calls for “Certification in Google Analytics.” You’ll have to explain this to the interviewer, but on the other hand, at least you’ll have an interview.

Those are the common tricks and tools for ATS-strategized résumés. Now a challenge: If you try this for 10 or 20 postings and still don’t get interviews, promise me you’ll add some non-posting job search processes as well. It’s too easy to tumble down the rabbit hole of “perfecting” your résumé for ATS when your ideal employer might not even be online.

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Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com.