How to tailor your ATS resume

If you are a job seeker you would constantly be hearing “you must tailor your resume to every job application.” So, how doe one actually do this?

You’re probably wondering- Is it really necessary? It might be tempting to skip it, because yes- it takes time.

But it really will make a huge difference in the number of companies that call you back and invite you to interview I’m talking about an exponential increase in callbacks… not a slight increase. I’ve tried both ways for my clients, trust me.

Tailor your resume every single time

Don’t let your CV get lost in the pile of paperwork

What is CV tailoring?

Much like when you buy an item of clothing and then decide to make some alterations, tailoring your CV does not mean that you re-write the entire CV from scratch Rather, you amend, and shape it so that it fits better. Likewise, CV tailoring will allow you to use one or two main CV templates and make a few simple but powerful alterations so that it suits the purpose for each of the related roles that you are applying for.

In the same way that one size does not fit all when it comes to clothing, one size of CV does not fit all recruiters or jobs. Submitting job applications can be a numbers game (in that you may need to submit many before you succeed), but there are some powerful tools you can absorb into your arsenal so that you give your application the most chance of leading to an interview. One way of doing this is tailoring your impressiveCV, because:

• It helps target your application

• It assists the recruiter in seeing that you have the skills/training/qualities for the role

• Most importantly, it shows an attention to detail and that you have taken the time to review the job description and “answer” to its demands in your CV

Do not underestimate the power of tailoring your impressiveCV.

Given two candidates with similar or equal credentials, experience, skills, and training, recruiters will invariably prefer the CV that clearly demonstrates a faithful response to the needs of the role in question. Recruiters are short on time and often just scan CVs to check for key bullet points that show you are qualified for the role.
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For recruiters that utilise “sifting software,” those programs are doing the reading on their behalf, and sift out the undesirable candidates— all the more reason to tailor your CV, as a computer program cannot “join the dots” together and see that you can do the job if your CV is not tailored to spell it out loud and clear.

So how do you do it?

1. Read the job description carefully. Ensure you are a good fit

2. Pick out keywords and phrases. Have a look at www.jobscan.com to assist you with key words

3. Make your experience fit. Use examples to showcase

4. Put your most relevant experience first. ...

5. Research the company and its key phrases and words

6. Tailor your CV to the job description for the best chance of success

Cross your t’s and dot your i’s. Seriously. Many job ads include a line stating that a candidate should exhibit excellent communication skills. While there are many interpretations as to what this may mean, it may actually be a simple yes/no rating that could stop your application dead in its tracks. How picky do search committee members get? That depends, of course. It’s true that not everyone was an English major in college, but the broad assumption is that materials should be virtually free of grammatical errors and demonstrate a degree of writing proficiency -- with a clear sense of organization and some variety in sentence structure and words.

Take the time to read and reread your application materials; consider asking a close friend to proofread as a favor. Despite your accolades, some raters may push you to the bottom of the pile if your writing reads more like a hastily sent text than a polished, professional piece.

Director and Executive CV Writing

As a C-Level, senior executive, or a mid-level manager looking to enter the world of senior leadership, your years of experience, education, and personal development may seem difficult to fit into a 3-page CV. So what should you include, what should you leave out, and how should it be formatted to ensure it stands out in the pile of resumes the recruiter is likely looking at?

The first, and most important tip is to have someone else look at it. Working on one’s own CV usually results in one of two outcomes; either the CV is too humble, not making enough of your years of achievements and hard work, or it is too over-the-top with industry jargon, which a recruitment professional may not be able to adequately compare with competing CV’s. I’m sure it’s no surprise that I would recommend using a professional service such as impressiveCV to help with this, but this recommendation is more than just a plug for business.

Professional CV writing and career consultancy services offer something that your colleagues, family members, and friends usually can’t, we do market research with recruitment agencies, and we keep up-to-date with both local and global trends in best-practice application preparation. This may not sound important, however just the smallest faux-par in a CV can send it straight to bottom of the pile. Some examples include the use of a photo in a CV, while this is a common practice in Middle Eastern recruitment, particularly for senior level-employees, but in Australia it is not recommended.

Another example is the perspective of the writing, many, if not all job seekers are aware that that it is considered poor- form to write your CV in the first person (using ‘I’, ‘my’, etc), but unfortunately all too often we see self-prepared resumes that have taken this what not to do information, and created a CV in the third-person perspective, for example “Stacey is known for…”. This is considered equally poor form in the recruitment industry, and may again be the one thing that sees you miss out on a role against a similarly experienced candidate. For your reference, CV’s should be written in a style called ‘the passive voice’, with no forms of personal pronoun at all, if you’re not confident in writing this way, please seek professional assistance from impressiveCV.

Personal branding is another hugely important factor for senior staff, but how do you get it into your CV? Start by identifying your brand; what is your leadership style, what do you value professionally?

Think of your personal brand as an individual version of a company’s Mission and Values statements. Identify your own mission and values, and embed that theme throughout the CV, you can do this in your elevator pitch, a sub-heading under your name, and as a theme throughout your achievements within the document. Find examples of ways you have lived up to this brand throughout your career and highlight them within your CV. Additionally, ensure your LinkedIn profile and any other online presences follow the same brand. A true brand needs to be consistent. For more information or assistance with creating your personal brand click here.

Finally, know the company. I can’t stress this enough know the company you are applying to work for. Know their history, know their values and mission, know their development plans. Take the time to research all media on them, and read their 5 year plan start-to-finish.

There are no short- cuts if you want to ace the application and interview process for a senior executive or C-level position. If you don’t know the organisation inside and out, past and future, but another candidate does, you can all but wave the job goodbye.

This is an area that even professional and highly experienced boutique Executive CV firms such as impressiveCV are not able to help you with, because we can’t sit the interview for you. We can help you source the information you’ll need, and we can incorporate it into your CV and other application documentation (ideally aligning it with your personal brand), but at interview it is up to you to know and understand the company, what they need, and how you fit that need. More information on Senior level interviews can be found here.

Final tips if you are planning to do your CV without professional assistance:

• The top half of the first page is the first impression. Use this space effectively. Highlight all of the most important information; your name and contact details, brand statement/elevator pitch, core competencies/areas of excellence, and most significant career achievements. Always use measurables ($, %, etc) and show personal growth and contribution to company growth wherever possible.

• Use white space and design effects to highlight items of most importance. In the most senior roles, use of Applicant Tracking System software is rare, so you can afford to get a little bit creative in your design, with career timelines or infographics. These should be used appropriately, and even if you are a design professional, I strongly recommend having a recruitment or CV writing professional review the work (many will do this at no cost) to ensure it still meets industry standards.

• Be concise. Keep the CV to 3-4 pages at an absolute maximum (ideally 2 pages if you can). Write with purpose and avoid all unnecessary or doubled-up information. If you had some of the same responsibilities in two different roles, only include them once; if you have highlighted an achievement in a specific achievements section, then ensure the achievement notes the employer/role, and remove that achievement from the professional experience section. Remove or reduce to a timeline graphic all employment more than 15 years old, and include only qualification title, education institution, and year of completion for items in the education section.

How to write an impressive CV

I don’t think anyone enjoys writing a resume (well of course professional CV writers). They can feel like pointless exercises in self-glorification at best, and an exercise of fine art. Looking for a new job is a full-time job on its own so you will need to have a carefully crafted document you can use as a supporting tool for your personal brand. To avoid the lengthy job-hunting process, your resume needs to have the ‘wow’ factor. It needs to hook the employer and make them want to know more about you. Read on for my tips to success!

Resume Writing:

How to write a winning CV

1. Contact Information

   Place your contact information at the top of your resume; it should be the first thing the employer sees. Your name should be at the very top and should stand out. You might make your name larger in font and bolder than the rest of your resume. Ensure you have a professional email address, your LinkedIn profile url and your phone number. Depending on the location you are in, you may need to include if you have a valid driving license, your DOB and your visa status.

   2. Executive Summary

   Writing a winning executive resume summary will require a bit of work and reflection, but as a proven leader, you’re not afraid of a challenge, right? This will also be a valuable exercise as you prepare to update the rest of your resume and put your best foot forward in interviews. Having a clear understanding of your true value and most relevant accomplishments will inevitably serve you well throughout your job search. Cross- check your resume to ensure it contains these keywords and demonstrates how well you deliver in these areas through your major achievements. Go through your resume with a fine-tooth comb keeping these criteria in mind and if the content doesn’t address it you need to cull, cull, cull. There is no point wasting words on irrelevant details that add no value – make sure your resume is a marketing tool to sell you. Relevance is key!

   3. List your Skills

   Why? As you might already know, most recruiters only need about six seconds to decide whether a resume is worth reading in full. That means you only have about six seconds to get the most important, most impressive points across. Otherwise your resume ends up in the bin.

   With that in mind, having an entire section designated to your skills makes a lot of sense. After all, it’s through your skills that you can be useful to a company. By devoting an entire section to them you help the employer quickly assess if you can bring something to the table.

   What’s more, your resume isn’t for human eyes only. Every larger company nowadays uses an applicant tracking system (ATS) to weed out weak candidates. Because of that, most resumes never get to a human reader.

   Fortunately, your resume’s skills section can help you punch through the ATS wall.

   How? One way an ATS flags a resume for closer (human) review is by scanning it for relevant keywords. Luckily, by definition, any good skills section contains a relatively large number of these keywords and can help you get invited for a job interview. Make sure you include the skills listed on the job description!

   • Hard Skills, are those of your skills that you’ve acquired through deliberate effort. They can be learned, taught, and measured. Examples of hard skills include: English, Spanish, HTML, Python, copywriting, data analysis, SEO, SEM,  and others.

   • Soft skills, on the other hand, are closely tied to one’s personality traits. They arise from your previous experiences and the environment you grew up in. These could be your leadership, communication, or other interpersonal skills. As opposed to hard skills, soft skills cannot be easily taught. Examples of soft skills include: problem-solving, negotiating, multitasking, time management, presenting, and others.

   4. Accomplishments

   The competition for many roles is extremely high and many applicants for any given job will have similar skills and qualifications. To stand out, you need to demonstrate to the potential employer that you can do the job well. You do that by showing how you’ve made a positive impact and contribution to your employer’s business. Resume accomplishments are most powerful when you quantify them using numbers or percentages.

   The simple fact of being responsible for something impressive in a past job doesn’t necessarily mean you excelled at it. An achievement-focused CV hones in on the results you got – rather than the duties you performed – to help a future employer see your potential. Many job-seekers do not include professional accomplishments, often because they base their CV purely on the job description. This is the difference between an impressive CV and one that does not stand out. Creating a CV focused on tangible strengths, as opposed to simply listing responsibilities, will help to get your CV noticed and increase your chances of securing an interview.

   Consider these two examples:

   • ‘I was responsible for the company's filing system.’
     

   • ‘I streamlined the company's filing system and saved the company $5000 in temp costs

The difference between an impressiveCV and one that sits in the pile

Quantify your value!

Numbers easily impress people, so the more facts and numbers you can add that demonstrate the impact you’ve made, the better. What kind of budget were you responsible for and how much money did you save or make for the company? How many people were on the team you’ve been managing, and what were they able to accomplish?

Also, whenever you add something to your resume, ask yourself, “So what?” In other words, you know how to write press releases. So what? What was the real benefit to your boss or the organization thanks to you having that skill?

For example, instead of simply writing, “created monthly client reports,” you could write, “prepared and created 30 monthly status reports to ensure clients received timely information on their campaigns’ performance.”

Trisha Chapman

Managing Partner: impressiveCV

Finding a Job in Dubai

Are you looking for a job in Dubai?

Well let’s be honest: thousands of others are too so you need to hold a royal flush. Many visitors who came here to seek employment say they want to return home as they are living off the generosity of Good Samaritans with little or no money left on them. I have been helping job seekers out for over 4 years now I will tell you what I have found to be a winning hand. Time is running out, so let me cut to the chase.

What Impressive CV Has To Say

First things first. You are a product. You need to define your personal brand and be consistent with your message of what you can do, what you have done, and where you envisage to be able to take a company. Your resume and your LinkedIn profile are your advertisements. I know I own a successful CV writing company, and yes this might sound like a sales pitch but, an impressive, professional resume should summarise and highlight your strengths, skills, and experience in a way that grabs the attention of the recruiter. He or she spends seconds skimming through hundreds of resumes - and that is only when it passes the rigorous screening tool of ATS. My humble advice is to invest in a resume written by a professional agency or consultant or spend the time going through various websites that give tips on getting it right. In a highly competitive market such as this, if you don’t you will more than likely fail.

Get active on LinkedIn

1. Put in the Time to Make it Awesome

   Simply put, the more complete your profile, the better the odds that recruiters will find you in the first place. So, completeness is important from that standpoint. It’s also important after a recruiter has found you and decided to click on your profile: He or she wants to know what your skills are, where you’ve worked, and what people think of you. So, don’t get lazy—fill out every single section of your profile. The good news? LinkedIn will actually measure the “completeness” of your profile as you work and offer suggestions on how to make it stronger.

   Get a Custom URL

   It’s much easier to publicise your profile with a customised URL (ideally linkedin.com/yourname), rather than the clunky combination of numbers that LinkedIn automatically assigns when you sign up. How to get one? On the Edit Profile screen, at the bottom of the gray window that shows your basic information, you’ll see a Public Profile URL. Click “Edit” next to the URL, and specify what you’d like your address to be. When you’re finished, click Set Custom URL.

   3. Choose a Great Photo

   Choose a clear, friendly, and appropriately professional image, and pop that baby up there. Not sure what “appropriately professional” means? Take a look around at what the people in your target company, industry sector, or business level are wearing.

   4. Write a Headline That Rocks

   Your headline doesn’t have to be your job title and company—in fact, especially if you’re looking for jobs, it shouldn’t be. Instead, use that space to succinctly showcase your specialty, value proposition, or your “so what?” The more specific you can be about what sets you apart from the competition, the better.

Register on company websites

Large international and/or local companies including aviation firms such as Emirates and Fly Dubai or hospitality companies such as Marriot; media and advisory ones such as Reuters, or finance firms such as KPMG, Emirates NBD, and PWC still have a fully functional career portal within their website. 

This is much more direct than going through a third-party website such as LinkedIn. Most of these portals can take a bit of time to submit applications as you have to be quite detailed on your entries for work history or qualifications, but the best part here is that you can directly track your application.

Join Digital Networking Events (there are plenty of Zoom calls being offered)

Experts agree that the most connected people are often the most successful. When you invest in your relationships — professional and personal — it can pay you back in dividends throughout the course of your career. Networking will help you develop and improve your skillset, stay on top of the latest trends in your industry, keep a pulse on the job market, meet prospective mentors, partners, and clients, and gain access to the necessary resources that will foster your career development. Create a digital network and widen your community (here is a great site you can join https://www.signature-network.com/) )

Register for the Dubai Virtual Labor Market

The Virtual Labour Market is designed to support establishments that have excess labour, and offer job opportunities for labourers living in the UAE and are impacted by the precautionary measures taken to confront coronavirus. The MOHRE virtual labor market's electronic platform enables job seekers inside and outside the UAE to enter their CVs and create their own profiles. Job seekers can also see the vacancies announced by UAE companies at careers.mohre.gov.ae. and apply for these jobs. The use of AI will ease the process of matching the requirements of the jobs announced by UAE companies with the job seekers’ profiles, created and uploaded on the website in an interactive manner.  Recruiters can search for qualified candidates by creating their own page to display their vacancies and also by searching the website for job seekers. This way, it helps both, the recruiters and the job seekers to find what they are looking for.

Be aware that at the time of writing, no fresh visas will be issued. All residents in the UAE whose visas are expiring between March 1 and the end of the year will be able to stay in the country without penalties until December 2020 and will continue to be legal residents in the UAE, As per the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

My advice- prepare now for later!!