Today, Alison Doyle reported on an app, called Resunate, that allows you to input your resume, then input a job description to which you wish to apply. It then spits out a version of your resume that is re-arranged and slimmed down to focus on the skills you have that most match the job.
Alison's idea is that this app may help your resume fare better in search results within the hiring company's applicant tracking system. Many recruiters use an ATS to retrieve resumes that come into the company by doing a keyword search of their system. And some ATS's automatically recommend the top resumes, again based mostly on keywords.
I'm not sure the Resunate version of your resume will rank higher in an ATS because it doesn't appear to add keywords. But it could help a recruiter or hiring manager to focus in on the highlights when a resume is reviewed.
For more ideas to help with ATS optimization of your resume, take a look at The Best Format for Your Resume (Hint: It's not .PDF). Another article you might want to peruse on this subject is Top 5 Shiny Happy Resume Optimization Tips.
Resunate gives you a score of how closely you match the job both before and after optimization. It works, sort of. I tested it a few different ways with mixed results.
Alison suggests, as do I, that, if you use Resunate, don't just use the exact resume it returns for the desired position. Review it carefully to ensure it makes sense, is accurate, and still tells your story.
Resunate does some pretty cool things and may help you focus your resume. It isn't perfect, but it's pretty cool. Just remember that you, or a professional resume writer, are still your best editor.
Get an Applicant Tracking System Advantage
By Alison Doyle, About.com Guide October 11, 2011
Many employers use applicant tracking systems to select candidates to interview. It can be hard to know how to write your resume so it's a good match for the jobs you're applying for because you don't know the criteria the employer is using. However, there's now there's a way to match, in advance, your resume with the job description.
Resunate works like an applicant tracking system in reverse by providing job seekers with the same information employers use to select candidates. To use Resunate, which is free, job seekers can upload their existing resume or create and format a new resume on the website.
Once a resume is in the system, the next step is to enter the job description of a position you're interested in to see how your resume rates in the application process. Resunate then creates a "JobFocus Score" out of 10 points to demonstrate how closely a resume fits the job requirements. To improve this score, Resunate then focuses the resume, eliminating information that is unnecessary based on the job description.
Resunate provides a good starting point for a job seeker who needs assistance in drafting a resume. However, don't rely solely on the "JobFocus Score" and Resunate's focusing of your resume.
Not all applicant tracking systems work exactly the same way, not all employers use them, and there is still a human element involved in the applicant selection process, Resunate could possibly recommend that you eliminate an item from his resume that an employer may view as valuable. You don't want to eliminate information from your resume that could boost your chances of getting selected and that could leave your resume with information gaps.
That said, Resunate is a good tool to use to gauge how your resume measures up. Just use your own judgement when it comes to the final version of the resume you use to actually apply for jobs because you know best when it comes to your qualifications and skills.
More: Resunate
4 comments:
Hi Craig – Thanks for writing about us! To clarify how our system works, our Semantic Intelligence uses an extensive database of word associations to determine meaning from both a user’s profile (resume) and from the job description. Then, we rank all the concepts (not just keywords) and select the highest ranked (and therefore most relevant) experiences to create a resume focused for the job. Presenting relevant experiences in an easy to search format helps job seekers rank higher in candidate searches in an employers ATS.
We agree that a user is still their best editor – which is where our WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor comes in. A job seeker can make final tweaks to their resume as they are previewing it.
Mona, I have lots of questions here. Let's connect and discuss when you have a chance. Thank you for your comments and clarification!
-Craig
I just wanted to say thank you to Fishdogs and Resunate. As a 40+ job seeker in marketing media production, I have crazy experience and a great resume but I haven't had to do a serious job search since before the recession. As such, I'm just acquainting myself with the whole stratosphere of ATS software and keyword optimization. To say the least, it's a daunting proposition. Articles like this one and resources like Resunate are helping me to quickly get up to speed with job searching 3.0!
Raymond O'Neal
Raymond, great feedback! I spoke with Mona from Resunate this week and have to say they have some really great innovation going on over there. Glad this post was helpful.
Cheers, CF
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