When preparing your application, identify important keywords from the job description and incorporate them into your resume. Many ATSs are designed to scan for specific keywords and applicant information based on the particular job. For this reason, it is important to read through the job posting and pinpoint relevant words, phrases, and skills that are unique to the listing.

A good tip for helping to identify important keywords is searching for the hard skills that appear in the posting. Hard skills may include certifications, software experience, language skills, methodologies (lab-related skills, human resource training, etc.), or anything that seems easier to quantify compared to soft skills like "team player." When identifying keywords to include in your resume, it is important to remember that other people will be using similar keyword strategies, so don't forget to emphasize your own accomplishments to stand out from the crowd.

Additionally, read through the company's website to get a better sense of the company's culture and values. For example, if the organization is dedicated to promoting education in underserved communities, incorporate relevant teaching experience or volunteer work on your resume. The ATS may be programmed to scan for related keywords that are not directly listed on the posting but important to the company culture.

It may also be helpful to put together a list of keywords and phrases that the job listing uses to describe the ideal candidate. You can then go through and incorporate them into your resume and cover letter to best increase your chances of scoring higher. If you have trouble incorporating particular keywords when describing positions you've had, it may also be helpful to create a skills section within your resume.

Keep the format of your resume as simple as possible. In order to scan your resume for keywords, most ATSs convert the document into plain text. Save your resume as a Word document because this is typically the most easily understood format by automated systems. Some systems have trouble scanning PDFs, so before submitting a document in this format, double check to make sure that PDF documents are accepted.

Because applicant tracking systems will convert your resume to plain text, you should avoid using graphics, tables, or textboxes in your resume. At best the design will be lost, and at worst the entire resume can be corrupted. Other recommendations include keeping the margins at least one inch on all sides and using no less than 11-point font size. You can still use bullet points, boldface, italics, and underlines in your resume without any conversion issues, so utilize these features to format and design your resume.

When it comes to customizing your resume to the job description, the best advice is to not stray too far from the listing. Avoid using flowery language to describe your experience; it's best to be clear and concise. If the job listing is "Volunteer Coordinator," be sure to include both the words "coordinate" and "volunteer" because those will certainly be keywords the ATS is searching for.

Echoing the language of the job listing is more important than it may seem. The applicant tracking systems will be searching for particular terms, and a simple change in abbreviation, numbers, or even pluralization could be enough for the ATS to miss them. When listing work experience, be sure to include the dates of your employment with the year written out in full (2010 not ’10). If a position calls for Microsoft Suite and you list Excel and PowerPoint, the system may not recognize the match; you must include the exact words to guarantee that the ATS will spot them. If the company calls itself a "not-for-profit" and your resume uses the term "non-profit," be sure to adjust it to mirror the listing. This is important for acronyms and abbreviations as well. When it comes to acronyms your best bet is to spell the words out and use the shortened version later. For example, an ATS may not recognize that "MBA" is the same as "Master of Business Administration." These minor adjustments in phrasing take more time but may make the difference in rising to the top of an ATS’s relevancy ranking.

1. Do not try to cheat the system. Some online forums advise pasting keywords in white, or simply adding the entire job description in white to fool the system. However, when an ATS reviews resumes, it displays all text in the same color. As quickly as your resume is noticed for its match, it will be discarded.

2. Including keywords is important, but context matters. Do not fill the resume with randomly placed keywords, because after the resume scanner comes a person who will notice abnormalities. Be sure to prioritize readability for when the resume makes it into the hands of the hiring manager.