Will Your Resume Pass The Parser?
Posted on 28. Sep, 2009 by Matt Shelly in Job Search Tips
 |
By Todd Bavol, The Job Search Ninja.
CEO, Integrity Career Transitions
Using a ‘one size fits all’ resume never really was the best way to make yourself stand out from the job hunting crowd, but back in the days when your document was read by a real human being and the number of applicants was much lower, even a generic resume might still have been just enough to get you an interview. Nowadays, however, you are up against resume parsing systems and applicant tracking systems and goodness knows what other kinds of technological jiggery pokery. Unlike the human reader who can put your words into context and read between the lines, these computer programs just do as they are told, and if your resume doesn’t contain the precise information that they are looking for, then you won’t get a look in.
So, what are these parsing and tracking systems all about? Well basically, resume parsing is a technology which takes the free text that you create in your Word document, or include in your e-mail as part of your application, and converts it into a form which can, to some degree, be read by a computer. Although different parsers work in different ways and vary in their ability to interpret information, even the simplest ones, those which work on keywords, can pull out your skills, qualifications and experience and match them to those which are required to fulfil the role. Clearly then, if the role (and the job advertisement) specify a particular qualification, skill or ability and your resume is so generic that it does not make reference to those requirements, it will not be returned in the computer’s search.
In some cases, companies don’t just use parsing systems to help them deal with their increasingly large numbers of applications, but applicant tracking systems too. These systems can be used to post vacancies on company websites or online job boards, screen and rank resumes and even generate invitations to attend interviews by e-mail. Again, if your resume is not specifically targeted at the vacancy in question, it will not even be recognized and your application will have been a waste of time.
How then can you make sure that your resume stands a chance of being selected? Read the job advertisement carefully and identify precisely what the employer’s requirements and priorities are. Some, like the qualifications, will be very easy to spot, but in other cases you might have to read between the lines slightly. If the advertisement describes a role in a cutting-edge firm, for example, you might want to include words such as ‘innovative’ or ‘forward thinking’ to describe your qualities. If it says that they need someone who can work with minimal supervision, then ‘initiative’ is a word that you would want to get in somewhere. Basically, take what the recruiter is asking for, and feed it back to him.
Clearly, every company is different and employers’ requirements vary greatly. The only way that you stand any chance of success therefore is through your ability to understand precisely what those needs and priorities are and to match your own skills and abilities as closely as possible to them – while still remaining within the bounds of honesty. Remember, while it might be a computer which is doing the first sift of applicants, you are still going to have to justify your claims, so never assert anything to which you cannot rightfully lay claim.
For information about career products and services, visit www.integritycareertransitions.com. You can also follow The Job Search Ninja on twitter at, www.twitter.com/jobsearchninja, for great career advice.
Popularity: 3% [?]
Related posts:
One Response to “Will Your Resume Pass The Parser?”
Leave a Reply
Jim Edwards
06. Nov, 2009
Resumes only became customary after World War II, as a means for employers to eliminate unqualified candidates among scores of GIs looking for new jobs. Not much has changed. Nowadays, nearly every individual, starting a job search, begins by developing a resume, but decision makers only spend and average of ten seconds scanning them. A resume cannot do the heavy lifting in a job search. Its purpose is strictly to function, in conjunction with a follow-up call, as a marketing tool to initiate a conversation with the decision maker. Your goal should be to present your background and accomplishments in a visually appealing, reverse chronological order, with dates, succinctly and honestly. Stay away from functional resumes, extensive formatting and leaving dates off to hide age.