using an AI checker for resume optimization: best practices.

You’ve seen an ad for your dream job. You’re confident you have the right experience, skills and qualifications. But is your resume up to scratch, and more importantly, will it pass the ATS test? Used by 97 percent of Fortune 500 companies in 2023, ATS (applicant tracking systems) are a popular way to search and filter candidate resumes for keywords. One way to ensure your resume makes the cut is to consider using an AI checker for resume optimization.

what does an AI checker do?

An AI checker helps tailor your resume to beat the ATS and catch the eye of hiring managers. Without optimization, your resume could land on the discard pile before it even passes in front of a real person.

So, what’s the best way to use an AI checker for resume optimization?

pre-optimization checklist

Before you upload your resume to an AI checker, take the time to think about the specific role you’re interested in.

• Read the job description thoroughly. What are the main duties? Does the employer require any particular skills or qualifications?
• Tailor your resume to each job. When it comes to resumes, one size doesn’t fit all. You’ll need to adapt your resume to each new job application, ensuring you mention relevant skills and experience.
• Avoid common resume mistakes. Are there any spelling, grammatical or formatting errors? Have you included a lot of unrelated work experience? Also, remember to highlight achievements rather than simply reeling off a list of job duties.

how to choose an AI checker for resume optimization

There are plenty of AI checkers to choose from, and the good news is that many are free, at least for a limited number of uses per month.

Tools like Jobscan let you compare your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile to the job listing you’re interested in. They’ll check for things like hard skills, soft skills and keywords. Then, they’ll make recommendations on word count, formatting, and what you should (and shouldn’t) mention.

Other AI checkers, like kickresume, score your resume against others in a database and give tips on how to improve it.

Most tools also have resume builders, so if you’re struggling with writing your resume in the first place, they can help with that too.

making sense of AI feedback and scores

Once you’ve uploaded your resume into an AI checker, you’ll receive both a score and personalized AI feedback. The feedback will tell you what’s strong and what’s weak. It will point out missing skills and keywords and suggest exactly how you can improve your resume to make it ATS-friendly. It’s as easy as that! You can run multiple versions of your resume through the AI checker, receiving custom feedback every time.

resume optimization strategies

As well as using an AI checker, you can ensure your resume is ATS-ready with these straightforward tips:

• Identify key phrases and words from the job posting. Incorporate them into your resume, especially in job titles, skills sections and work experience descriptions.
• Keep the formatting simple. Use a standard font like Arial or Helvetica and a 10 or 11-point font size. Avoid adding images, graphics or tables.
• Use ATS-friendly section headers like Work Experience, Education, Skills and Certifications.
• Include quantifiable achievements with specific numbers (e.g. “increased sales by 25 percent in 6 months”).
• Save in an ATS-friendly format (Word, PDF or text file).

Using an AI checker for resume optimization can help your application stand out and pass the ATS test. Randstad can take things one step further, getting you face-to-face with employers in your industry and making your job search hassle-free.