Transcription
In this training lesson, I will quickly teach you how to write a brilliant ATS friendly CV that will land you the job. ATS stands for applicant tracking system and it is used by 95% of employers to quickly scan CVs to see whether they match the requirements of the job role. Your CV must get past the applicant tracking system for you to get offered the job. If you want to get hired, make sure you stay tuned.
To help you write the perfect ATS friendly CV, I will teach you three things in this lesson. Number one, I will give you nine very important tips for writing a CV that will get past the applicant tracking system and also get you invited to an interview. Number two, I will then tell you the best structure to use for your CV, including the eight sections you must include. And then finally, number three, I will give you a brilliant ATS friendly personal statement plus reveal which action verbs you must use on your CV for it to get past the applicant tracking system.
To begin with, let me give you nine very important tips that you must follow to write the perfect ATS friendly CV. Please take notes.
Tip number one, make sure you use a clean, simple CV layout. Make sure you avoid complicated designs, tables, columns, text boxes, images, and graphics. The applicant tracking system cannot read these and you will get rejected.
Tip number two, use a standard font on your CV. I strongly recommend you stick to an ATS friendly font such as Ariel, Calibri, Helvetica or Times New Roman. The size of your font should be either 10 or 12 and use the same size font throughout your CV for best results.
Tip number three, use simple CV section headings. I strongly recommend you use headings that ATS recognizes. Later in this training lesson, I will reveal which sections you must use on your CV.
Tip number four, make sure you use keywords from the job description on your CV. This is very important. Applicant tracking systems look for rosp specific terms. Copy important keywords directly from the job advert to increase your chances of success. And by the way, if you would like me to write your CV for you based on my 30 years experience as a hiring manager and recruitment expert, make sure you check out the link to my website cvmade easy.co.uk in the top comment below the video.
Tip number five, make sure your CV is errorfree. This again is very important. If your CV contains spelling, grammar or punctuation mistakes, it will get rejected. If you can't write correct English, the hiring manager will assume that you cannot meet the basic requirements of the job role, which are good communication skills and attention to detail.
Tip number six, submit your CV in the correct format. Unless the employer or the job advert says otherwise, send your CV as a word document. The majority of applicant tracking systems struggle to read PDF documents.
Tip number seven, make sure you use bullet points when listing achievements on your CV. ATS reads bullet points well, and hiring managers love them, too, because they are quick and easy to read.
Tip number eight, use numbers on your CV to validate achievements. Again, this is very important. Numbers are ATS friendly. They will grab the attention of the hiring manager and they also boost credibility. For example, reduced errors by 30%. Handled 40 plus calls every day. Delivered projects two weeks early. Numbers are a great way to make your CV stand out and get past the applicant tracking system.
Tip number nine, tailor your CV for every job application. Now, one of the biggest mistakes candidates make when applying for jobs is that they use the same CV for every application. A one CVs approach always fails to get past the applicant tracking system. So make sure you tailor your CV for the specific job role you are applying for.
Okay. In the next section of this lesson, I will reveal the best structure to use for creating a brilliant ATS friendly CV. There are eight sections I recommend you include. Here they are.
Section one goes right at the very top of your CV. It is called contact details. Include your full name, contact phone number with a professional sounding answer phone message, a professional email address, and the town and city you reside in. You do not need to include your full address in the contact details. You can also include your LinkedIn profile in the contact details, but only if this adds value to your CV. If you are inactive on LinkedIn or you don't have a strong profile, don't include it.
CV section two is the personal statement. This is one of the most important sections of your CV. Tailor your CV to the job role and include key words from the job description. The personal statement is a 100 to 120word summary of who you are, your key skills and strengths, experience, and what you will bring to the role. Don't forget, if you would like me to write your CV and personal statement for you based on the job you are applying for, check out my website in the top comment below this video.
And here is an example personal statement that is ATS friendly. A proactive and resultsdriven professional with proven ability to deliver highquality work, support business objectives, and exceed performance expectations. Skilled in communication, stakeholder management, process improvement, and working accurately under pressure while maintaining attention to detail. Adaptable and quick to learn, I take ownership of tasks from start to completion and consistently look for ways to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction. I work confidently as part of a team or independently using strong organization and problem solving skills to achieve measurable outcomes. I am seeking a role where I can apply my strengths to add immediate value and contribute to long-term commercial success. That is a brilliant example personal statement that is ATS friendly.
CV section three is key skills. ATS scans this section heavily. Keep it keyword focused and relevant to the job role. I recommend you include eight to 14 key skills you have that align with the job description. For example, customer service excellence, project coordination, problem solving, time management, data analysis and reporting, process improvement, risk and compliance, Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Teams, communication and collaboration, and stakeholder management.
CV section 4 is work experience. The purpose of this section is to demonstrate your experience, results, and impact. ATS will look for people who are able to have an immediate impact in the role. In this section, I recommend you include the job title, the company name, the date you were employed in the role, and details of achievements listed as bullet points. So you will notice that we are starting to build a brilliant CV because it is structured, simple, and relevant to the job role. Stay tuned.
CV section five is education. The applicant tracking system will check your CV to ensure that it meets the minimum requirements and qualifications of the role. In this section, make sure you include the subject and qualification attained, the educational institution you studied at, the dates from and to when you studied there, and the key modules you completed.
CV section six is certifications and training. This is an optional CV section, but it is very powerful for the applicant tracking system. If you have completed any relevant training courses or attained certifications, include them in section six. For example, Microsoft Excel training, project management certification, customer service excellence training, working safely certificate, sales training, or artificial intelligence training. include brief details of the certification and the date it was attained.
CV section number seven is additional information. Again, this is optional. This section is perfect for listing languages, IT skills, driving license details, or security clearance if it is required as part of the job application.
Section eight is references. A reference is someone professional who is willing to comment on your suitability for the job role. You have two options for section 8. Option one, simply write references available upon request. Option two, include the names and contact details of two people who will act as a reference for you, but make sure you get their permission first. If you can add the names and contact details of two references, it will add weight to your CV.
Okay. In this next section, I will give you 10 powerful action verbs I recommend you use on your CV. I also strongly recommend you use these 10 verbs at your job interview. Write these down.
Number one, achieved. This word shows you delivered a successful, measurable result in a previous role or during your academic studies.
Number two, implemented. This word demonstrates you introduced a system, process, or solution.
Number three, streamlined. This action verb highlights efficiency improvements and time-saving actions.
Number four is optimized. Optimized demonstrates that you can improve performance, reduce costs, or increase productivity.
Number five is the action verb led. This is a brilliant word for CVs. The action verb led indicates leadership, responsibility, and ownership.
Word six is collaborated. This powerful word shows teamwork and your ability to work effectively with others within diverse teams or projects.
Seven is delivered. This action verb demonstrates reliable execution and your ability to meet tight deadlines.
Eight is analyzed. Analyzed shows logical thinking and decision making based on data and evidence.
Number nine is resolved. This word proves problem-solving ability and also the fact that you take the initiative.
And action verb 10 is exceeded. This is a great word to include on your CV. Exceeded means you deliver results above expectations or targets.
Okay, the next thing to do is go through to my website, CV made easy, the link to which is in the top comment below this video. Don't forget to subscribe, hit the like button, and you can also connect with me on LinkedIn. I have put my LinkedIn link in the description below the video. It is always an honor and a pleasure to connect with like-minded professionals such as yourself. Thank you very much for watching and I look forward to writing your CV for you at my website cvmadeasy.co.uk. Have a great day.