How to get your resume past scanning bots

Most applicant tracking systems read resumes from left to right. So stick to the traditional bullet points, and avoid vertical columns.

Your resume is not just up against competitors. Increasingly, it also has to beat bots that filter out wrong or unsuitable applications, especially if you are applying to overseas firms.

According to Jobscan, nearly 99% of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems to scan resumes and streamline the recruiting process. Smaller companies are adopting the software too.

How do you ensure that you pass this all-important first hurdle, or ‘pehla padhaav’, in KBC lingo?

Here are some tips.

Avoid acronyms, stick to the format

“If you don’t submit your resume in the right format, it’ll disappear into a black hole,” career coach Stacey Perkins told CNBC Make It.

Applicant tracking systems tend to scan resumes from left to right, she said. So if an applicant sends a resume with vertical columns, half of the information might not get read. Perkins says it is best to adhere to a traditional format with horizontal headings and bullet points.

Double check your resume file format. Most of the online applications specify which formats they accept (such as PDF, DOC, HTML). If that is not specified, mail your resume as a Microsoft Word document. Perkins says Word is recognised by nearly all scanning software.

It is also advised to keep your resume free of acronyms, as some systems will not understand what the letters stand for. Perkins says job candidates should spell terms out and keep technical jargon to the minimum.

Always include keywords

Applicant tracking systems look for relevant skills on a candidate’s resume, so it is advisable to incorporate at least three to five keywords from the job posting in your work experience and skills sections. Tools like Skillsyncer or Jobscan can be used to identify missing keywords in your resume.

Be mindful of the experience level, location and skills companies are asking for. “If a job description specifies 10 years of experience and you only have five, you’ll quickly get moved to the bottom of the pile,” Nagaraj Nadendla, senior vice president of product development at Oracle, told CNBC Make It. Nadendla is involved in designing widely used applicant tracking systems and talent acquisition software.

“Research the company (you are applying at) and market your resume appropriately,” said Nadendla.

If you need help, don’t be shy, contact HR

If you need help, don’t leave your fate up to the bots. Contact the hiring manager.

Says Nadendla, “Job applicants think it’s the software that’s doing something to automatically reject them, but the software doesn’t do anything an organization doesn’t want. They control the settings, how and when a candidate gets rejected.”

Find out who the decision-maker is and send your resume along with a brief note confirming that you’re submitting it in the correct format. This small act of initiative can help you get the job.

“You might be the best candidate out there,” Perkins says. “But if you submit a resume in a crazy or incorrect format, your application will not be read by anyone.”