How can you create a resume that will land you an interview?
The job market is moving towards the world of AI and automation, and what does this mean for job seekers? The Human Resource (HR) department of companies may use what is called Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which is a software designed to scan resumes for keywords related to the job description, filter through all applicants and order the applicants based on who would be the best fit for the position. If you have applied to jobs and received the dreaded rejection email without speaking to anyone, you may have been a part of the 75% of applicants whose resume was rejected by ATS software.
So, how can you create a resume that will land you an interview? Let’s walkthrough step-by-step using our resume document to beat the ATS system and apply for your dream job!
1: Downloading our Free ATS-Friendly Document
Download our resume document by:
- Click file in the top left corner
- Click Download
- Click Microsoft Word Doc (.docx)
2: Creating your Headline
The top of your resume is incredibly important, as recruiters only spend 6-8 seconds reviewing your resume. In our template, put your first and last name in the blue font, with your phone number, email, and (Optional) LinkedIn and Portfolio. A LinkedIn profile and portfolio is a great addition to go into greater depth about your experience and technical expertise, but not required. Below, see a sample from the resume template:
Jane Doe
123-456-7890 | JaneDoe1@gmail.com | LinkedIn | Portfolio
3: Writing a Strong Summary
In your summary, keep it to 3 bullet points max and focus on highlighting your top skills and experiences. Recruiters want to quickly read and decide if they want to continue reviewing your resume, so ensure the information is relevant and concise. The first bullet point should include your years of experience in bold, followed by your specific field and top 3-4 skills.
The second bullet point should include a measurable achievement from your experience, for example, if you are in sales and have a high call volume, how many calls? How many Lead sign ups? What did you contribute to your company? By adding measurable outcomes, you are showing recruiters you leave an impact wherever you work.
The third bullet point should include what drives you to do your job. Do you like helping others? Do you like to work with data and make decisions? Rephrase it to sound like a skill, such as “proficient in making data-driven decisions and equipped to enhance customer satisfaction.” See below an example of a customer service-focused summary:
SUMMARY
- 5+ years of experience delivering exceptional client support, resolving complex issues, and enhancing customer satisfaction.
- Adept at handling high-volume inquiries with efficiency and professionalism, managing an average of 50+ customer interactions daily while maintaining a 95% satisfaction rating.
- Strong ability to build rapport, de-escalate concerns, and drive customer loyalty through proactive problem-solving and clear communication.
4: Creating a Keyword-Optimized Skills Section
The skills section is the best place to capture your technical skill set and add keywords from the job description. So, what softwares do you use or have used at work? Is there an industry specific skill you use? Avoid soft skills here, such as “Hard Working” or “Team Player.” While being hardworking is great, many other candidates will claim the same, which wont help your resume stand out.
It’s best to keep only relevant skills related to the jobs you are applying to and keep it short. Here is an example that categorizes their 4 major skills, and then breaking it down into what they are able to do:
SKILLS
- Customer Service & Support: Call Center Operations, Customer Issue Resolution, Billing and Payments Assistance, De-escalation Techniques
- Administrative & Technical Skills: Data Entry, Account Security, Record Keeping, CRM Software Proficiency
- Retail & Food Service: Cash Handling and Registers, Team Leadership & Supervision, Food Preparation & Grill Operation
5: Listing your Work Experience
For your experience section, apply the same approach by highlighting specific measurable outcomes from your previous roles. For instance, did you assist new employees at work, or did you “Train and mentor five new hires, reducing onboarding time by 30%”? Backing up your job duties with measurable data shows recruiters that you perform in any role.
Start with your current position or the last position you were in, then go backwards from there. Write your title of the position first and in bold, then the name of the company, month and year you started and left, and the city and state you worked in; if you worked remote or hybrid, list that as well. Keep this section to 3-4 bullet points and concise; even if you do more than 4 duties at your job, make sure they are relevant to the jobs you are applying for, and remove any that are not. At the beginning of each bullet point, use words like “Led,” “Managed,” or “Developed” to show that you took action in your role, rather than taking the backseat. Here is an example of a customer service representative position:
Customer Service Representative (Hybrid)
SOAR – Pikeville, KY | January 2020 – Present
- Managed an average of 60+ customer inquiries daily, resolving 95% of issues on the first contact.
- Improved customer satisfaction by implementing active listening and empathy-based support techniques.
- Trained and mentored 5 new hires, reducing onboarding time by 30%.
- Processed customer refunds, exchanges, and billing adjustments with 99% accuracy, ensuring compliance with company policies.
6: Add your Education
It’s important to add your education, no matter if it’s a GED or high school diploma. Showing recruiters that you can finish what you set out to achieve will be key to landing a job. If you have an Associates degree or higher, you can leave off your high school diploma to save space on your resume. Be sure to leave off the year you graduated to avoid age bias, this applies for both new graduates and seasoned professionals.
EDUCATION
Institution Name
Degree/Diploma | City, State
7: Include Certifications and Side Projects
Maybe you don’t have a degree or much work experience, and that’s okay we all start somewhere! Adding online or in-person certifications you have completed shows recruiters that you are focused on gaining skills within a specific industry and that you are able to juggle multiple priorities. Programs like Code:You that help individuals gain in-demand technology skills where you can learn Data Analysis, Website Development, or Software Development can be incredibly valuable additions to your resume.
If you have experience from side projects or personal initiatives unrelated to a past job, consider adding them to showcase relevant skills and expertise. This is a great way for new graduates or those who have been out of the workforce for some time to demonstrate to recruiters that they have taken the initiative to gain experience.
CERTIFICATIONS
Code:You
Web Development | August 2023
PROJECTS
E-Commerce Website Development
Code:You Program | January 2023
- Designed and developed a fully functional e-commerce website for a fictional online store, using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React.js.
- Implemented a secure login system with authentication using Firebase.
- Built an interactive shopping cart with real-time pricing calculations and checkout functionality.
- Utilized Git and GitHub for version control, ensuring seamless collaboration.
8: Proofread & Optimize with ATS Keywords
Now it’s time to review your resume for any spelling mistakes or grammar issues. Don’t feel comfortable reviewing your resume? No worries! The internet has thousands of free resources to check your writing, such as Scribbr. Copy and paste your resume into the text box and Scribbr will automatically review your resume and correct any issues.
Free tools such as Jobscan help job seekers with ATS tracking systems by uploading your resume and creating a match rate score. The match rate score goes through your resume line by line and addresses what is missing compared to the job description you upload.
Quick Tips:
- Do not use any images, tables, or icons as ATS systems cannot read these and will throw out your resume.
- Create a resume for each job you are applying for, and add keywords from the job description to increase your chances of getting an interview.
- Keep the experience section to 3-4 bullet points.
- Have a friend or close colleague read your resume; a second set of eyes is better than one and they can ask questions that recruiters may be confused about as well.
- Do not add references to your resume; if they ask then provide at least 3, but otherwise save space for more experience.
- When applying to jobs, submit your resume in PDF format only.
- Keep your resume to 1 page, or 2 pages max if you are a seasoned professional within your field of work.
Congratulations on Creating your ATS-Friendly Resume!
Editing and updating your resume can be exhausting, but now you are ready to land your dream job! The Eastern Kentucky Job Board and program connects Eastern Kentuckians with our partner companies, taking the struggle of networking and finding the right fit for you.
- Take the next step in your job search by exploring opportunities on the Eastern Kentucky Job Board.
- Sign up to receive hot job leads on the Eastern Kentucky Job Board Newsletter here.