Once he overcame the shock of a 538-year time jump, there’s no question that Leonardo da Vinci, who is credited with writing the world's first resume in 1482, would be amazed, if not impressed, to see that the art of selling oneself with a single piece of paper is still alive and well. Yet, while the resume remains the key to unlocking your professional future, technological breakthroughs — especially in the past 5–10 years — have proven that simply listing your skills and accomplishments is no longer enough to get your foot in the door.
In today's job market, the focus has shifted towards skills-based hiring, where the alignment of your specific skills and experiences with the job requirements is crucial. This means that not only must your resume be meticulously crafted with the right key components, but it also needs to be tailored for each job application. Optimizing your resume for each role involves highlighting relevant skills and experiences, using job-specific keywords, and ensuring it passes through applicant tracking systems (ATS) effectively. This process increases your chances of standing out in a crowded job market where technology plays a significant role in the initial stages of recruitment.
The Era of Skills-Based Resumes
The job search has evolved in recent years. Today, at least 79% of U.S. companies use some form of artificial intelligence in their human resources efforts. While this technology intends to increase efficiency and is often used to eliminate unconscious bias during the recruitment process, these “resume robots” (commonly known as applicant tracking systems or ATS) can leave qualified candidates out in the cold, simply because their resumes are not optimized correctly. Skills-based hiring, which focuses on the specific abilities and competencies needed for a job rather than just formal qualifications, has become increasingly important in this landscape. With the shift towards skills-based hiring, it's crucial that candidates tailor their resumes to highlight relevant skills and experiences that match the job requirements.
Even da Vinci, with all his achievements, would need to enlist some help getting his resume past today’s Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), the “resume robots” that serve as the virtual gatekeepers between you and a real-life recruiter. A few systems include Oracle Taleo, iCIMS Recruit, Greenhouse, and BambooHR.
By scanning your resume for keywords and phrases that are relevant to the job posting, these programs can determine your fate in a microsecond. The work that you’ve put into describing your best attributes and personality traits, reminding a potential employer of your vast experience, and even choosing a font that catches the eye — all of it is wasted when the ATS scans your resume and rejects it on the grounds that it wasn’t keyword-friendly.
How to Optimize Your Resume for Keywords
An Applicant Tracking System is designed to break down your resume, converting data into strings of characters that are parsed into categories (education, experience, skills, etc.). Recruiters will then search a database using keywords and terms. So, to give yourself the best chance, here are four resume optimization tips to remember:
1. Identify and match exact keywords You can identify the right keywords by using services such as Tagcrowd and Lightcast to help you identify valuable keywords that the ATS will likely be searching for on your resume. Take the specific skills required in the job description and match them with your skills. Use exact keywords to match job titles and required skills from the job description. Additionally, you can use AI tools like ChatGPT to help optimize your resume by suggesting relevant keywords and phrases, ensuring that your resume is tailored to each job you apply for.
2. Swap words Replace keywords with synonyms throughout your resume and LinkedIn profile, and cover letter. You should also use both the acronym and complete form of any title, certification, or organization on your resume. For example: Professional in Human Resources (PHR).
3. Distribute keywords You don’t have to put all of your keywords in one place; instead distribute them throughout your resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile. To effectively integrate your skills into your resume, distribute them strategically across different sections. In the Work Experience section, enhance each bullet point by providing specific examples of how you've applied your skills, such as leading a project team or performing data analysis. The Summary of Qualifications section should offer a concise overview of your key skills and achievements, highlighting your expertise and impact in previous roles. When detailing your Education, mention relevant coursework that aligns with your skills to underscore your academic foundation. Additionally, include skills developed through extracurricular or community service experiences, such as leadership roles or communication workshops, to showcase a well-rounded skill set. By weaving your skills throughout your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile, you present a cohesive and compelling narrative of your qualifications.
4. Use Consistent Formatting Using sans-serif fonts (such as Arial or Calibri) and choosing font size 11 will minimize the possibility of errors when scanned by Applicant Tracking Systems. An outdated trick applicants used to attempt was to add keywords repeatedly and choose a white font color, in the hopes of “fooling” the ATS. These days, that’s considered cheating, so don’t do it. Consistency is crucial when formatting your resume, especially for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Ensure that the format, font, and organization are uniform and polished throughout. Using sans-serif fonts like Arial or Calibri in size 11 helps minimize scanning errors by ATS. Avoid outdated tactics such as repeatedly adding keywords in white font to attempt to "trick" the system, as these methods are now considered unethical and ineffective. Instead, focus on a clean, consistent presentation to enhance your resume’s effectiveness.
Watch our video: [https://youtu.be/_n4gyGICuJA]
How to Optimize Your Resume for the Recruiter
Keywords are essential, but when putting everything together, you must also keep in mind that a traditional resume (yesterday’s resume) was all about YOU, but today’s ATS and employer-optimized resumes are all about THEM. To get past the resume robots and into the hands of a human, your resume should serve as an “experience roadmap” of required skills and qualifications, one that highlights specific accomplishments relevant to the position.
In today's competitive job market, integrating skills effectively into your resume is crucial. Keywords are essential for passing through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and catching an employer’s attention. However, it’s important to understand that the approach to resumes has evolved significantly.
Traditionally, resumes focused primarily on the individual – showcasing personal achievements and experiences with the aim of highlighting one's value. These were often detailed narratives about your job history, education, and skills. But the landscape has shifted. Today’s hiring practices and ATS technology are designed with a different focus in mind: employer needs.
Here are four approaches that work.
1. Bullet points
Using bullet points instead of long paragraphs will make your matching qualifications easier for reviewers to identify.
2. Skills context
Explaining how and why you used your skills in your work adds credibility and gives insight into your strengths.
3. Measurable accomplishments
Highlight accomplishments with dollar amounts, percentages, or other quantifiable metrics to prove your effectiveness.
4. The PAR and STAR methods
Because your resume must be more than just a roundup of your experience, you should apply the PAR (Problem, Action, Result) and STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) storytelling methods to your background. Consider the following:
Original Statement: Studied the financial performance of companies and made investment recommendations.
PAR-Revised Statement: Improved portfolio performance by 12% ($1.2M) over one year by refining cost of capital calculations for information-poor markets and re-weighting portfolios based on resulting valuations.
The STAR method takes a similar approach, eschewing generic, detail-poor sentences for those that explain what you did to address and overcome a specific challenge. Both PAR and STAR can transform a traditional descriptor into a powerful statement of your abilities and achievements.
How to Optimize Your Resume Effectively
How it Works
When Jobscan users upload a resume or LinkedIn profile along with a desirable job posting, the system scans the content to find matches for that job. It analyzes everything from the job title to your dates of employment, and the tool will send you a report with recommendations to improve your chances of getting through an applicant tracking system. Categories on the report include skills and keywords, job title match, and education match, among others. The tool also will examine the keywords that describe your hard and soft skills. Jobscan can make recommendations so you can tailor your resume to meet ATS requirements, but it also can help you target regional job openings that fit your skills and qualifications.
To optimize your resume effectively, start by carefully reviewing job postings that interest you. Identify key skills, qualifications, and frequently mentioned keywords. Incorporate these keywords into your resume, ensuring they align with your skills and experiences. Focus on highlighting quantifiable achievements and specific outcomes from your previous roles to demonstrate your impact. Tailor your resume’s job titles to match those used in the job descriptions where applicable. Continuously review and refine your resume by comparing it with job requirements and making adjustments as needed.
Additionally, consider scheduling sessions with a career coach for personalized advice on aligning your resume with your desired job. A career coach can provide insights into industry-specific language and help you highlight your most relevant skills. Alternatively, you can use ChatGPT to get feedback on your resume, asking for suggestions on how to phrase your accomplishments effectively, include relevant keywords, and ensure your resume resonates with potential employers. By implementing these strategies and utilizing available resources, you can enhance your resume to better market your skills and improve your chances of securing your desired role.
The Most Important Question
So, you’ve optimized your resume with the right keywords, applied PAR and STAR throughout your employment history, and you’re ready to do one last spellcheck before sending it off to an employer with your fingers crossed. Is that everything?
No, not until you’ve answered the most important question: Does your resume clearly state that you are qualified to perform the job duties and responsibilities in the job description? If the answer is yes, good luck. If not, there are more revisions in your future.
Fortunately, you don’t have to answer this question, or others, alone. The UAGC Career Services team can you help you develop a professional resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile at the University of Arizona Global Campus Career Resources Center. You’ll also find more helpful do’s and don’ts at the University’s Instagram and LinkedIn pages. With new opportunities posted daily, now is the time to lay the foundation for your next decade of success. To get started on your resume or cover letter, review job interview techniques, or schedule time for career coaching, contact the UAGC Career Services team or connect with an advisor through the "Handshake" section of the student portal.