Resume Tips and Tricks to Avoid the Resume Black Hole

If you've ever looked for a job, you're probably familiar with the notorious resume black hole. It goes something like this: 

• You find the perfect job online

• Submit your resume

• Then wait, hoping against hope that you'll receive a callback

• And then, crickets…

Most often, no one ever contacts you about your application, and you're left wondering what you could have done differently to change the outcome.

Sound familiar? You're not alone.

There are certain resume tips and tricks that can help you avoid the resume black home and land an interview. 

Why do resumes end up in the resume black hole?

Job seekers are often frustrated by the lack of response from employers. What you may not realize is that oftentimes, the hiring manager never receives your job application.

Here’s why. Before your job application is passed along to the hiring manager, it first has to be reviewed by one, if not two, initial gatekeepers: 

• An electronic screen known as an applicant tracking system (ATS)

• And sometimes, a junior-level HR coordinator

In both of these cases, the gatekeeper has been instructed to scan the document for important pieces of information and terms related to the role at hand. 

If the resume meets the criteria, it will pass through the screen and make its way to the next reviewer, either an experienced recruiter or hiring manager, who will have a better understanding of your work and capabilities. If your resume doesn't make it past these initial gatekeepers, the hiring manager is never made aware of your application.

11 Resume Tips and Tricks

It’s helpful to have some resume tips and tricks under your belt to help your application avoid the resume black hole and make it through these initial reviews so it lands at the top of the hiring manager's pile.

1. Avoid the headers and footers

Don't insert your contact information into the actual “header” portion of the Word document. This can get scrambled by the applicant tracking system and cause confusion for the recruiter. Instead, decrease your top margin on the document to 0.5 inches and place your name, contact information, and hyperlinks at the top of the page.

The same goes for using the “footer” section of the document.

2. Stick to simplicity

This is one of the most important resume tips and tricks to keep in mind. While you may want to demonstrate your creativity to the hiring manager, the resume is not the place to do so. In fact, most applicant tracking systems get easily confused by a resume's extra bells and whistles, such as logos, pictures, embedded charts, symbols, and shading, and could easily reject your application out of confusion.

• Stick to standard fonts that are ATS-friendly. This includes Calibri, Arial, Tahoma, and Cambria. 

• Use standard resume headers for the different sections of your resume, such as Professional Experience or Work History, Education and Professional Development, Technical Skills, and so forth.

• Upload your resume as a Word document instead of a PDF to the employer's career site. ATS sometimes has trouble processing PDFs and may miss important information on your resume. Save the PDF version for when you're emailing your resume to a networking contact and want to ensure the formatting remains intact.

3. Proofread your resume carefully

While you may get dinged by a recruiter for writing “definately” when you meant to say “definitely,” at least they'll be able to figure out what you're trying to say. A software system will not. Don't let your application get tossed into the resume black hole because of a simple typo.

Proofread your resume. Then proofread it again. Then hand it over to your friend and ask her to review it. Silly mistakes can be easily avoided if you take the proper precautions with these resume tips.

Related reading: 5 Ways to Proofread Your Resume

4. Incorporate relevant keywords

Every profession has its own set of jargon, acronyms, certifications, and skill sets that describe the work and industry. Applicant tracking systems are programmed to look for these resume keywords to rank your job application and determine if you're a good fit for the role.

The best of the resume tips and tricks you can use to get past initial reviews is to optimize your resume with relevant keywords. Start by reviewing the descriptions of the jobs you're applying to and take note of the terms that routinely pop up on these job listings. 

• How do they define the position and its responsibilities? 

• What specific language do they use to state the core requirements for the role? 

If you possess these skills, incorporate the terms throughout your resume in the Core Competencies and Work Experience sections. Be sure to include a Technical Skills section towards the bottom of your resume that lists the systems with which you are proficient. 

Be sure to include the acronym and the full name of every job title, certification, degree, or organization that's associated with your professional experience and qualifications. For instance, you may put “SSGB” after your name at the top of your resume, but be sure to also spell out “Six Sigma Green Belt” under your list of certifications. 

The same applies to common industry terms; while your job title may be “Director of MARCOM,” it's important to also include the term “marketing communications” when describing your role.

Pro tip: You can also copy and paste job descriptions into a free word and phrase frequency tool, like Online-Utility.org's Text Analyzer, to identify the most commonly mentioned terms.

5. Highlight pertinent elements

You’ve probably heard the notion that hiring teams take about six seconds to decide about the resumes they review. Therefore, it’s important to emphasize and highlight key elements to grab their attention right from the start. These elements include: 

• A bold resume headline or title just below your contact information

• Bolding significant information, like skills, certifications, and results, throughout the resume

• A list of 9 to 12 competencies front and center near the top of your resume, just below your resume summary and above your work history sections

6. Choose the right format

You have three resume formats to choose from: 

• Chronological

• Hybrid

• Functional 

The chronological and hybrid resume are your best options for two reasons:

• They’re the most easily read by an ATS

• Since they’re familiar, it’s easy for recruiters and hiring managers to find what they’re seeking

7. Eliminate outdated information

If the resume readers identify information that’s not considered standard, it could lead to your resume being rejected. Remove full addresses, photos, and anything related to your birthday or marital status. Also, remove any reference to “references available upon request.” It’s a given these days that if references are needed, you’ll be asked for them.

8. Use quantifiable data

One of the newest resume tips and tricks you should be aware of is that it’s critical to incorporate your past achievements, using as much quantifiable data as possible. Gone are the days of building a list of responsibilities – you now have to prove that you’re the best person for the job by showing results. 

Numbers are a great way to highlight accomplishments from your work experience. Human eyes also notice numbers faster than they do words, which means resume readers will notice them first. 

9. Be active vs. passive

Your resume should represent an interesting story of your professional experience. To help engage readers, use powerful verbs that emphasize your abilities versus using passive language, which is less intriguing and descriptive.

Each sentence and bullet point in your resume should begin with an active verb. Examples of powerful active verbs include: 

• Negotiated

• Mediated

• Spearhead

• Directed

• Innovated

10. Avoid controversial info

It’s best to avoid topics that are sometimes seen as controversial, including political and religious affiliations. Unless you’re applying specifically for a religious or political organization, it’s safest to eliminate this type of information from your resume to avoid rubbing someone – including the resume gatekeeper or junior recruiter – the wrong way. 

11. Show versus tell

When it comes to adding skills to your resume, you’ll make a bigger impact if you show that you have the skills instead of simply telling the reader you do. This is especially true for soft skills, like communication, leadership, and time management. To show you have leadership, use a work example of how you applied leadership instead of merely listing leadership as a skill on your resume.

Land the interview and job!

Don't fall into the resume black hole. You may not be able to control the recruiter's actions, though these resume tips and tricks will ensure your job application makes it past the ATS screen and onto a human being for review. From there, you’ll grab the reader’s attention to land the interview. 

Click on the following link for more resume advice.

Want your resume to pass the test? Submit it for a free review or hire a TopResume professional resume writer today!

This article was originally written by Amanda Augustine. It has been updated by Ronda Suder. 

Recommended Reading:

• Does Your Resume Pass the 6-Second Test?

• How to Determine if the Purpose of Your Resume is Clear

• 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Applying for a Job