1. What Happens to Your Resume –10.24.16 – Locke ALderson
What reallyhappens to yourresume afteryousenditoff to be considered forajob?
Because of the sheervolume of resumes received, mostcompanies rely almostexclusively onApplicant
Tracking Systems (ATS) tohandle the initial screeningof resumes. Here isatypical scenario:
1. The ATS enters andformatsyour resume intotheircomputer.
2. The ATS thenscreens yourresume forkey wordsfromthe jobposting.
3. The ATS may automatically sendoutone of these emails:“Yourresume hasbeenreceivedandis
beingconsidered.”or“While yourresume doesnotmatchour currentrequirements, itmaybe
considered forafuture opening.”(Some companies choose nottosendanything.)
4. The ATS notifies the recruiterthatyourresume maybe a match forthe job.
Important note: The ATScan’t understandthese normal editingfeaturesand mayautomatically
eliminatesyourresume becauseof them: use of templates, textboxesandheaders;fontsizeslarger
than 14 points;fontsotherthanArial,Calibri andNew TimesRoman;linesorbarsto separate sections.
Save your beautifullyformattedresume forsnail mail andhanddelivery!
On average the ATSscreens out75% of the resumes submittedforanopening—only 25% get screened
by a real person. If yourresume makesitthroughthe ATS to a real person, here are otherfactorsthat
can eliminate youfromconsideration:
 Includingtypos, spellingorgrammatical errors;
 Failingtodemonstrate howyourbackgroundalignswiththeirjob;
 Buryingyourrelevantexperience,educationorskills;
 Omittingyourcontactinformationorprovidingincorrectcontactinformation;
 Lackingclarityconcerningthese critical, quantifiable, andspecificitems:
a. What have youdone?
b. Who have youdone it for?
c. How longdidyoudo it?
d. How well didyoudoit?
The message inyourresume shouldmake acompellingcase tothe reader:“You needtointerview me
because thisiswhatI have done for myemployersandthisiswhatI can do for you.”Additionally, your
resume shouldbe writtenonalevel thata highschool graduate can understand.