Does your Resume read like Spam?

Does your resume read like Spam?

With the use of the Application Tracking System (ATS) becoming more & more common in recent years, candidates are taking no chances with this entry-level gateway.

Tailoring one’s Resume to the Job Description certainly makes eminent sense. It definitely stands a better chance than a generic Resume.

But overdosing Resume  with keywords  is also counter-productive.

While the primary job of the ATS is to make life easier for the recruiter, it can also detect over use Or irrelevant use..

One needs to remember that there’s also a human audience.

So the usage of the keywords needs to be contextualised and not forced.

The number of keywords could be within 7 to 9, preferablynot more.

When deciding which keywords to use, it might help to work backwards.

Before you start scouring the Job Description,  it might help to first decide which are your unique skills & achievements that you want to highlight to the recruiters.

And then look for the relevant keywords given in the JD.

Adding strong active verbs followed by numbers or metrics will also strengthen the use of the keywords.

Ensure you add sufficient number in the top section of the Resume, especially your Profile Summary.

It’s good that the search words be found in your experience and achievements Section, giving them the right context.

Just listing the keywords as bullet points in the skills section makes it look fake.

Also ensure there’s nothing else in the Resume and experience which is inconsistent with the chosen keywords.

Do share other perspectives that can help candidates use keywords more judiciously and to their advantage.

#skillgrill #resume #interview #recruitment #jobsearch #coaching #hr