Tailoring your resume to each specific position is the single most important strategy for getting an interview. A generic resume that is not adapted is destined to fail, especially when facing the ATS filter.

Lexical Mimicry and Optimal Density

The ATS scans your resume for specific words and phrases that match the job description, almost word for word.

1. Rigorous Identification: Carefully read the job description and highlight keywords, hard skills, action verbs, and requirements that are mentioned multiple times.
2. Exact Match: Use the keywords exactly as they appear in the description. If the offer asks for “customer service,” use that phrase, not a functional synonym like “customer support.”
3. Acronyms and Full Forms: If a term has an acronym (like ERP), include both the full form and the acronym (e.g., “Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)”).
4. Keyword Density: Incorporate keywords naturally throughout your resume, especially in the Summary, Skills, and Work Experience sections. Avoid “keyword stuffing,” which makes the document seem dishonest or unreadable to the human recruiter.

Where to Place Keywords

Keywords have the greatest impact when they appear in high-value areas:

• Title/Header: Include the exact job title in your header or summary. Resumes with the exact title in the header are up to 10.6 times more likely to be called for an interview.
• Work Experience: Integrate keywords into the bullet points that describe your achievements, mirroring the language of the offer.
• Skills Section: List the hard skills and software that are directly relevant to the position.