You will agree that a resume is only readable if it is a perfect match for an electronic search. It will get good search ‘hits’ if it is in perfect shape.
RChilli is the most trusted partner for Parsing, Matching and Data Enrichment for global Recruiting platforms.
Typically, our clients are ATS, job boards, and enterprises who need the ability to parse large amounts of resumes/jobs in a scalable manner. We are currently helping more than 1000 customers in 32+ countries.
You may call it unfortunate, but many resume writers do not pay attention to the fact that the resumes need to be understood by a resume parser. There is no point in creating visually aesthetic resumes if they fail to comply with the benchmark of getting read through a resume parser.
A resume parser can easily understand a resume that follows all the set guidelines.
Let’s check out some rules for creating perfect resumes.
- Fix the Conversion Issue
Make sure that your resume is not one of the following:
- Scanned document – For scanned document, we need 3rd party orc and we depend on their accuracy of converted text
- Password protected
- Corrupted documents
- PDF Problems
A resume in a PDF format may have the following concerns:
- Column/parallel information (Column parallel information.pdf)
- Garbage data
- Formatting/images (Name in Image- check in text view or copy text. pdf)
- Experience/Education Issue: Only for PDF files
In the above-mentioned case, the parser reads the content from the left-hand side first. This means that all the Employers with Job periods will be read first, and Employers will be picked up correctly with mentioned job periods. Now after reading the left-hand side content, the parser starts reading content from right-hand side, which contains the job profile and job description. So, Job profiles are separately read by the parser and are nowhere near to or matching with any of the employers after conversion. In this case, all the job profiles will be skipped and cannot be picked up with any of the employers. This is the limitation of the third-party tool used for PDF file conversion.
3. Do Not Use Header/Footer
Resume heading in header/footer is not considered for .doc/.docx as header/footer is considered for personal information only. Headers and Footers were used in paper resumes but they are not a necessary part of electronic documents. As a resume parser cannot read information in headers, putting contact information in it is not a good idea because the parser will extract every data except the contact details.
- Tables
We feel that putting information in tables will make it look organized. However, a resume parser faces issues when it is put in the following way:
Parallel information appears
Example:
|
Name DOB Gender Nationality |
Max Evan 01-05-1985 Male India |
This information will appear as below and cannot be parsed
Name
DOB
Gender
Nationality
Max Evan
01-05-1985
Male
India
5. Hidden Fields
Do not use the following in the resume:
a. Document property fieldsb. Any hidden data in document
6. Font Formatting
Do not mix uppercase and lowercase letters.
Capitalization formatting for small words
e.g. max evan but actually it is max evan (capitalization using formatting in word)
7. Write in the Same Style and Order
Each job that you list should be described in the same order. If one job is described as…
[Dates] [Position title] [Company][City], [State]
[Description]
… then all the other jobs should be written in the same style.
8. Do Not Combine Sections
Never combine several topics or sections into a single section. This is important!
WRONG:
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AWARDS, TRAINING
RIGHT:
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
I was involved with….
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Chairman, United Way Campaign for Greater Okeechobee County
AWARDS
President’s Quarterly Salesmanship Award, 2014
TRAINING
YMCA CPR Training for Frogs and Small Reptiles, Level I, 2012
9. Contact Info Should Come First
If you want a job, put your contact information first. Contact info should never be placed in one or two lines, nor placed into columns.
a. WRONG:
Robert H. Smith • 13003 Myrtlea Lane • Houston, Texas 77099 • 713.562.7009
RIGHT:
Robert H. Smith
13003 Myrtles Lane
Houston, Texas 77099
713-562-7009
b. WRONG:
Robert H. Smith Phone: 713.562.7009
13003 Myrtlea Lane Email: smithman@gmail.com
Houston, Texas 77099 Male, unmarried, no children
RIGHT:
Robert H. Smith
13003 Myrtlea Lane
Houston, Texas 77099
713-562-7009
smithman@gmail.com
c. WRONG:
PDF conversion: -
PETER linkedin.com/in/olsonbrandretailsalesmarketing
olsondigital@gmail.com
OLSON 619.518.0799
d. WRONG:
RIGHT:
DANIEL ALVAREZ
Mobile : 512.638.2182
daniel@danielalvarez.me//danielalvarez.me
e. WRONG
f. WRONG
Marital Status: UK Resident, Married to a UK Citizen
Father name: Ramesh Kumar Occupation Teacher
RIGHT
Marital Status: Married
Father name: Ramesh Kumar
Extra keyword not valid.
g. Address cannot be picked up without city and state.
10. Case Sensitivity
Names, Job profile, employer name, degree, institutions should start with capital letters e.g.
Wrong
broadgate consultants, associate, New York September 2013-Present
Right
Broadgate Consultants, Associate, New York September 2013-Present
11. Resume Section Headings/Blocks
a. Missing headings (e.g. for experience or education block, we cannot define their boundaries)
b. For Doc and Docx resume files only: If the Section Heading does not have sufficient space after it e.g. Tab, Colon, New line, etc., the parser will not pick up the whole block and everything will be skipped related to that block.
Even if there is a single space given, it will not pick up the block. As mentioned above, sufficient space should be there after heading.
c. Combine heading (e.g. Education/Skill/training etc.)
d. Unusual heading
e. Do not use other headers within a section: -
e.g.
WRONG:
EDUCATION
Master of Commerce (Information Systems and Management) 2008 - 2009
University of New South Wales
Achievements:
-
- Distinction average in all IT subjects. Results attached
- Certificate of Distinction, Australian Mathematics Competition (2008)
Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Software Engineering) 1996 - 2000 University of Beijing
RIGHT
EDUCATION
Master of Commerce (Information Systems and Management) 2008 - 2009
University of New South Wales
-
- Distinction average in all IT subjects. Results attached
- Certificate of Distinction, Australian Mathematics Competition (2008)
Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Software Engineering) 1996 - 2000
University of Beijing
12. Concerns with the Employment Section
When mentioning about the employment, take care of the following:
a. Missing date (if job period is not defined among various employment, then it is not able to parse all the information)
b. Improper or incomplete date formatted
e.g. Dec 2011
2011
01$01$2001 etc.
In Experience, the Job period should be written in a proper format. Single year like ‘1998’ will not be considered as a Job period. Also, Job period like ‘1998-1999’ should be written in the same line. 1998 written in one line and 1999 written in the next line, will not be considered as correct job period and hence, in that case, none of the employers will be picked up.
c. Data in tables/in parallel format
d. Other heading in experience/project block like (related skills, achievement etc.)
e. If the format is in two lines (like ‘August-2017’ in one line and ‘to March-2018’ in the next line), the parser will not pick up anything for that employer.
f. If in the first line, Employer, job profile and job period, period like ‘June 2008 - Aug 2010’ is mentioned and in the next line, if Employer is not mentioned and Job profile with job period is mentioned but Job period is not of between ‘June 2008 - Aug 2010’, this means it can be of ‘July 2007 - June 2008’. In this case, it will pick the Employer from anywhere mentioned in the description further.
For example: -
Scientist, Optimization Team Jun 2008 to Jul 2009
a Played a key role in implementing Oracle Retail solutions for various clients like Walmart, Sam’s Club, Gap, Lojas
Riachuelo, Banana Republic, JC Penny, Sears, American Eagle Outfitters, etc.
a Led a team of analysts, technical consultants and project manager along with playing the role of a scientist to drive
the implementations
a Implemented Price Mark-Down Optimization solution for various retail clients like Sams Club (USA), Gap Outlet
(USA), Lojas Riachuelo (Brazil), Sears (Canada), etc.
a Implemented Size Profile Optimization for American Eagles Outfitters (USA) and estimated Demand Drivers for JC
Penny (USA)
g. Do not put employer street addresses, or supervisor or reference information, into your work history.
For Example: -
September 2014 - Present
Clinical Pharmacist
Alexandria VA Health System
Supervisor: Corey Guedry
Address: -123 Street, Boston, MA
h. Mentor at "Integration Program for American Students from Vassar-Wesleyan Universities in
Madrid". Carlos III of Madrid University 2004-2005
Lecturer and Sales Representative for Promotion of Carlos III of Madrid University in Secondary
Schools & Higher Education Fairs 2003-2004
These kinds of experiences where job profile is mentioned in the first line and then employer with job period is written in the next line, the employer will be picking up the job profile written in the next line even though that job profile is related to another employer. So, in short, things will get overlapped.
i. Job Profile/Employer Overlapped:
2008-2008
El Corte Inglés, San Juan de Aznalfarache, Sevilla.
Saleswoman
Costumer services, sales activities and aftersales support.
Cashier responsibilities.
2008-2008
Café Bar “El Bosque”
Waitress
Sales Services, waitress activities and cashier.
Here, the last employer’s job profile will be picked from last job descriptions, as this employer finds the Cashier Keyword near to the Job period and Waitress will be skipped.
j. Job profiles missing if the company name is mentioned multiple times.
WRONG
TATA CONSULTANCYSERVICES INDIA, Mumbai since 12th Nov 2015 to 07th June 2016
Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS) is an Indian multinational information technology (IT) service, consulting and business solutions company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. TCS operates in 46 countries.[6] It is a subsidiary of the Tata Group and is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India.
Profile: VMware System administrator for ABN AMBRO Bank.
RIGHT
TATA CONSULTANCYSERVICES INDIA, Mumbai since 12th Nov 2015 to 07th June 2016
Profile: VMware System administrator
Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS) is an Indian multinational information technology (IT) service, consulting and business solutions company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. TCS operates in 46 countries.[6] It is a subsidiary of the Tata Group and is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India.
k. If a job period with any company name and job title is written in the job description, it will be picked as a separate employer.
WRONG
TAP/Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Specialty Sales (in Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, ENT, Nephrology, Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Pediatrics, Pediatric Gastroenterology).
Jan ‘01—Aug '12
Washington D.C., Maryland.
-
- Successfully promoted and launched multiple products to multiple specialties.
- 2011 Cresset Award.
- G-Force Top Gun award 2004/2006. District Clinical Trainer 2004-2006.
RIGHT
TAP/Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Specialty Sales (in Gastroenterology, Rheumatology, ENT, Nephrology, Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Pediatrics, Pediatric Gastroenterology).
Jan ‘01—Aug '12
Washington D.C., Maryland.
-
- Successfully promoted and launched multiple products to multiple specialties.
- 2011 Cresset Award.
- G-Force Top Gun award 2004/2006. District Clinical Trainer 2004, 2006.
l. Job location:
WRONG
[JAN 2012 - PRESENT] WIPRO BPO BANGALOR
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT
RIGHT
[JAN 2012 - PRESENT] WIPRO BPO, BANGALOR
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT
WRONG
BLOOMINGDALE'S / NEW YORK, NY
BLOOMINGDALE'S 59th STREET FLAGSHIP / NEW YORK, NY
RIGHT
BLOOMINGDALE'S, NEW YORK, NY
BLOOMINGDALE'S 59th STREET FLAGSHIP, NEW YORK, NY
13. Education Limitation
a. If the first degree mentioned in the resume file is not a valid one (like High school, Senior Secondary etc.), or degree is not mentioned, then that degree will be skipped and second degree will be picked up with first School or university or institute name and other information mentioned with it. Further, the third degree will be picked with a second school or university or institute name and so on.
For example: -Below content mentioned in the resume.
High School
Sri Krishnan Talent School
State Board
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
Intermediate, MPC
Sasi Junior College
State Board
Velivennu, Andhra Pradesh
RChilli output result:
"Institution" : "Name" : "State Board"
"Type" : "Board",
"City" : "Visakhapatnam",
"State" : "Andhra Pradesh"
"SubInstitution" : "Name" : "Sri Krishnan Talent School",
"Type" : "School",
"Degree" : "Intermediate MPC",
b. Complete Degree name should be written in the same line. It should not be like half of the degree is written in the first line and half in the next line. If the Degree name is there in two lines, then only the part mentioned in the first line of Degree will be picked.
WRONG
Bachelor of Interior of
Architecture
University of Oregon
2013 - 2018
RIGHT
Bachelor of Interior of Architecture
University of Oregon
2013 – 2018
c. Degree in qualification overlapped
In the first case, everything will be picked up. But in the second case, a degree MBA is mentioned before the university name ‘UCEMA’ and this will merge as mentioned in the screenshot. Same way, other degrees also get overlapped as per the screenshot.
d. Education should not be written in a single line. For getting segregation of different Universities and degrees, it should be mentioned in a new line, so that the parser can detect those as different one.
If 2-3 degrees are written in one line, even if there is comma, full stop etc. in between the degrees, it will be considered as one degree.
WRONG
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering Technology, and Associate Degree in Management at Southern Institute of Technology, Marietta, Georgia (Southern Polytechnic State). Masters of Art in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix
RIGHT
Education:
Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering Technology
Associate Degree in Management at Southern Institute of Technology, Marietta, Georgia (Southern Polytechnic State).
Masters of Art in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix.
Thanks for reading! Trust it helps.
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