Resumes That Get You Hired: Beating the ATS and Impressing Recruiters

In my previous article I provided a high level overview of the steps tech job seekers need to take to raise their chances of getting noticed, getting through the interview process, and getting that offer. As promised, I’m following up on that article with a deeper dive on the first part of this process: the resume. Let’s talk about how to get past the ATS and make your resume stand out to recruiters and prospective hiring managers. In the next article we’ll talk about LinkedIn and take a brief foray into cover letters.

Let’s get one thing out of the way first: don’t lie on your resume. You can spin a little. You can approximate some of the metrics you cite. But never make up jobs, degrees, accomplishments whole cloth. First, it’s unethical. Second, all larger companies contract with background check agencies that, even if you’re given an offer, will do a background check on you. If what they find doesn’t match what’s on your resume, that offer will be rescinded, and you will never be able to apply at that company again. The juice just ain’t worth the squeeze.

Understanding the ATS: Your first gatekeeper

Let me briefly remind you how the resume submission system works. Here’s what happens when you hit that submit button:

1. Your resume goes to the ATS, or the Applicant Tracking System. Its job is to vet your resume against the job description and generate a score.
2. While the ATS typically doesn't auto-reject resumes (though recruiters can use knockout questions in the job application to do so), recruiters will typically only look at resumes that get a certain score or above. 90% is a good number to shoot for.

So, if you want to even get to a recruiter, you must customize your resume to the job you’re applying for. This doesn’t mean you make up keywords and facts to fit the job requirements.

Once the resume is through the ATS, it lands in the recruiter’s inbound pile. Here’s an unpleasant reality for you: there are less recruiters now than there were a couple years ago. While exact stats are hard to come by, the reports I’ve seen show MAANG companies have been particularly active at reducing their recruiting workforce. This means that the recruiters who are left are overworked and have even less time to read deeply into a resume than they had before.

Which prompts the question:  how do you structure your resume for maximum impact? . Listen to the experts. For example, TealHQ or ResumeWorded both offer an ATS checker that will give your resume a score based on the provided job description. You can then tweak as you need to get the score above 90. Only then will your resume be ready to be submitted.

SUMMARY: How to Optimize Your Resume for ATS

• Use exact keywords from the job description – Match job titles, technical skills, and qualifications.
• Format your resume simply – Avoid images, fancy fonts, and complex layouts.
• Submit as a Word document or plain PDF – Some ATS struggle with heavily formatted PDFs.
• Run your resume through an ATS checker – TealHQ, ResumeWorded, or Jobscan can help refine your score.

Structuring Your Resume for Maximum Impact

Let’s talk for a bit about targeting. If you’ve been in the industry longer than a year or two, chances are you’ve had a diverse set of experiences. Sometimes a job requires you to implement a React/JS frontend, other times to work on a client app. Sometimes you’re doing protocol optimization, other times deploying a SaaS backend to AWS.

I often see resumes filled with technical jargon from a field that is not related to what I’m trying to hire for. For example, don’t mention microprocessor architectures on a resume submitted for a frontend role position. In some few cases, the hiring manager may be a hardware enthusiast, and you’ll get their attention, but in most cases, that’s just wasted space on your resume, space you could’ve used to expand on the great things you’ve accomplished in your roles as a frontend engineer.

Likewise, your Summary section should be hyper-focused on the job you’re applying for. I don’t particularly care if you have expertise in VM hypervisors if I’m hiring a mobile apps developer. I may, however, care about that if I’m hiring for a high-performance, low-level role, say drivers or kernel type work.

I’m not saying you should omit the jobs that don’t directly relate to the job at hand. I’m saying for those jobs, highlight the impact you’ve had without going deep into the tech, and save most of the space for tech directly related to the job.

SUMMARY

To increase your chances of landing an interview, tailor your resume to highlight skills and achievements relevant to the specific job posting. For example, if applying for a Frontend Developer role, focus on React, JavaScript, and UI/UX contributions rather than deep backend optimizations.

Should you hire a Resume Writer?

I believe you can get 90% there working with AI-enabled resume improvement sites like Teal. But sometimes having a human provide feedback and assistance can take you the rest of the way. The problem is you will never know whether it was that feedback that turned your resume from a ‘no’ to an interview, or whether you would’ve gotten that call regardless. Therefore, it’s hard to tell whether the money had been well spent or not.

My suggestion, therefore, is to start with Teal or another site like it. If you’ve spent the time to customize and improve your resume and are still getting rejection after rejection, that may be the time to go to the next step.

Conclusion

Your resume is your ticket to an interview, so making it ATS-friendly and relevant is non-negotiable. Start by refining your resume with tools like TealHQ. If rejections persist, consider professional feedback.

If you need additional support in your job search, we at Incredihire have your back. We’re a group of seasoned hiring managers who decided to step in and help in this awful difficult job market. Through our Academy, we provide resume feedback and assistance, as well as mock interviews, and the chance to work on an open-source project with a team of like-minded job seekers. Feel free to ping us if you need a consult or just want to talk.

Or, if you have any thoughts on this article, leave a comment below!