Resume Best Practices: ATS, Achievements, and Formatting (2011)

Navigating Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

• 📄 Companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to store résumés, and many do not support PDF formats, making Microsoft Word the preferred submission method.
• ⏳ ATS are large HR systems that are updated infrequently (every 10-15 years), so resumes must be compatible with older versions.
• ⚠️ Excessive formatting in résumés can cause issues when parsed by ATS, potentially making them look worse to hiring managers.

The Critical Role of Achievements

• 🎯 The advice that "everyone has achievements and they are not enough" is extremely bad advice and is often given to sell services.
• 📊 Achievements are crucial and demonstrate a candidate's ability to be successful at tasks important to a company, unlike mere responsibilities.
• 🔑 Hiring managers look for achievements to predict future success; simply listing responsibilities like managing a budget is insufficient.

Crafting Effective Achievement Bullets

• 💡 To create strong achievement bullets, ask "why" the task was important and what the definition of success was.
• 🚀 A recommended format for achievement bullets is Verb, Result, Method (e.g., "Reduced cost by X by doing Y").
• ✨ This format, when used consistently, is highly effective and appealing to hiring managers, akin to "catnip" or "crack" for them.
• 🏆 Awards themselves are not accomplishments; the actions taken to earn the award are the accomplishments that should be highlighted.

Resume Formatting and Strategy

• 🚫 Avoid an executive summary or objective statement, as they are considered wasted space.
• ✍️ Use Microsoft Word for resume formatting, stepping back a version if using the latest release to avoid potential formatting issues.
• ✉️ A cover letter is essential for turning features into benefits and should be used to highlight accomplishments.
• 🔍 The job market in late 2011 is described as tight and focused, not schizophrenic; success depends on the candidate's quality, resume, and search strategy, not just market conditions.
• 🤝 Networking and getting in front of people are crucial, alongside a high-quality resume that demonstrates accomplishments.