Most job/company sites ask you to enter your resume online into their applicant tracking system. All of these systems work the same. A ‘parser’ is used to read the information from your resume. The parser will read your information vs. the information that has been programmed into the system. Keywords pulled from the job description are usually used. Your resume will be scored for relevancy, based on correlating matches between your resume and the keywords in the system.

1. Resume Template
Why Do You Need One?

2. Why?
 Applicant tracking Systems (ATS) allow you to answer a job ad
directly to a recruiter or company online. An ATS is set up to find
matches by keywords and weighted keywords for importance.
 According to The Undercover Recruiter, 100% of large companies
use ATS; 50% of mid-sized companies.

3. Why?
 Since you don’t know how the ATS is set up for a particular job,
you must customize each resume submission.

4.  Resume keywords must match description/ad EXACTLY
ATS
 Job titles should match or be as close as possible
 Must match keyword weighting
 Add keywords related to the industry, if possible.

5. Resume Templates
What should be on the template?

6. Resume
Templates
 Redoing your resume for each submission is extremely timeconsuming. You should have a template with the base information
and bullet points you can easy copy into the document. You can
find and replace keywords to have an exact match in your resume.

7. Resume
Templates
 Margins Matter: Minimum of 1” on all four sides
 Contact information on the top – 4 to 5 lines
 White space is important

8. Resume
Template
 Summary. Who you are in relation to the job description or ad.
You don’t know if the ATS is set to reach keywords from the
Summary so keep it concise and make sure any keywords in the
summary are also in the body of your resume.

9. Resume
Template
 Qualifications/skills can be listed. They must match the
description/ad.

10. Resume
Template
 Experience. Have bullet points for each discipline you practice.
 Cut and paste bullet points into resume.

11. Resume
Template
 Education. If you have an exact match, list it.
 If not, you can keep general, i.e, school/BA, MA etc./dates

12.  It’s a platform where you can customize your background
What is a
Resume
Template
 It’s a basic resume so you can add or delete pertinent and nonpertinent information
 You want to match 80% or more of the job requirements
 Create a document of bulleted items so that you can cut and paste
as needed

13. Finding and Matching
Keywords

14. 
Director of Communications



Responsibilities:

Preparation of articles, speeches, letters-to-the-editor, press releases, executive bios, fact sheets, FAQs and other media-focused editorial materials.

Project oversight for annual corporate brochure, daily news (traditional and social media) digest, monthly newsletter.

Support Communications Managers in business units by providing editorial review, research assistance and support materials.

Sample Job
Description
This individual will assist the Vice President of Communications in implementing a full-service corporate communications program focusing on both internal and
external audiences: providing support for colleagues within various business units and responsible for the day-to-day needs, which arise from news developments and
organizational initiatives. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working with people at various levels.
Develop relationships with key national media.

Interact with staff and executives on all levels.

Maintain distribution lists, master press list, research and photo files.

Handle business relationships with third party vendors such as Factiva, Prof-Net etc.

Qualifications:

Minimum 10 years of experience in public relations, journalism or related field.

Bachelor’s degree. Major in Journalism, English, Marketing and/or Communications preferred.

Adept at social media with experience using Facebook, Twitter and/or blogs.

Familiarity with online databases.

Excellent writing and editing skills.

Ability to work against deadlines and effectively prioritize assignments.

Ability to multi-task and handle pressure situations.

Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with senior management.

Must be a team player.

15.  Responsibilities:
 Preparation of articles, speeches, letters-to-the-editor, press
releases, executive bios, fact sheets, FAQs and other mediafocused editorial materials.
 Project oversight for annual corporate brochure, daily news
(traditional and social media) digest, monthly newsletter.
Job
Description
with Keywords
 Support Communications Managers in business units by providing
editorial review, research assistance and support materials.
 Develop relationships with key national media.
 Interact with staff and executives on all levels.
 Maintain distribution lists, master press list, research and photo
files.
 Handle business relationships with third party vendors such as
Factiva, Prof-Net etc.

16. Summary with
Keywords
noted
 This individual will assist the Vice President of Communications in
implementing a full-service corporate communications program
focusing on both internal and external audiences: providing
support for colleagues within various business units and
responsible for the day-to-day needs, which arise from news
developments and organizational initiatives. The ideal candidate
will be comfortable working with people at various levels.
 Note the words in bold

17.  Qualifications:
 Minimum 10 years of experience in public relations, journalism or
related field.
 Bachelor’s degree. Major in Journalism, English, Marketing and/or
Communications preferred.
 Adept at social media with experience using Facebook, Twitter
and/or blogs.
Qualification
Keywords
 Familiarity with online databases.
 Excellent writing and editing skills.
 Ability to work against deadlines and effectively prioritize
assignments.
 Ability to multi-task and handle pressure situations.
 Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with
senior management.
 Must be a team player.

18.  This description had keywords in the summary, responsibilities
and qualifications
Keywords
 The keywords that came up the most dealt with management
(team, supporting groups, working with senior management etc.).
 You can assume that the keywords are ‘weighted’ for someone
with this experience and you should highlight your strength in this
area a few times in your resume for this opportunity.

19.  Marie Raperto
 President
 CIMSearch
 115 East 57 St., 11th Floor
 New York, NY 10022
Questions?
 T – 646-202-9651
 marie@cimsearch.com
 Follow me: @headPRhunter on Twitter
 www.facebook.com/CIMSEARCH
 www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-raperto/0/40/75a
 Blog: www.commpro.biz/thehiring-hub