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Optimize your résumé for ATS with Copilot

JULY 23, 2024

3 MIN READING

AI FOR: Work

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Credit: Designer in Copilot

Have you been applying for jobs, but haven’t gotten many calls back? It might be time to give your résumé some TLC. Copilot can help you optimize your résumé to possibly boost your chances of getting an interview. Here’s how.

How Copilot can help optimize your résumé

Copilot is a generative AI assistant that can analyze job descriptions and pinpoint what potential employers may want in a candidate. This can help improve the chances of your résumé getting through ATS. But what is ATS?

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are used by many companies to filter résumés based on specific keywords before they even reach a human. Understanding ATS and modifying your résumé might improve your chances of landing an interview.

Copilot can help you revise your résumé into a more ATS-friendly document. Follow these steps:

A cartoon robot looking through résumés

Credit: Designer in Copilot

1. Analyze job descriptions for keywords

The first step to optimizing your résumé with Copilot is identifying potential ATS keywords. These keywords could range from skills, tools, software, and job titles to industry buzzwords. Here’s how you find possible ATS keywords:

  1. Copy the job description, responsibilities, requirements, skills, and/or any other information you think is relevant to the job.
  2. Paste it into the Ask me anything… search box in Copilot.
  3. Add a prompt such as, “Analyze this job information. Identify and list any relevant ATS keywords for optimizing my résumé.”
  4. If needed, ask Copilot to narrow down the list with a prompt like this: “Please give me the top 10 keywords that seem most relevant to this position.”

2. Optimize your résumé with ATS keywords

After identifying relevant keywords, the next step is weaving them into your résumé. Follow these steps to use Copilot for help integrating ATS keywords into your résumé:

  1. Copy and paste your résumé and the ATS keywords into the Ask me anything… search box.
  2. Ask Copilot how to add these keywords to your résumé based on your experience. For example, you might write, “How can I fit these ATS keywords into my résumé based on my most recent work experience?”
  3. Incorporate Copilot’s suggestions by hand, or you can prompt Copilot to help make these integrations by asking, “Please integrate these keywords into my résumé strategically so it’s optimized for ATS?”
  4. Have Copilot compare your newly optimized applicant tracking system résumé to the job description with a prompt like this: “Does the content of my résumé align with the requirements of this job description? If not, how can I improve it?”

3. Tweak organization, formatting, and design

Now that it’s ATS optimized, copy and paste your résumé into Copilot to get helpful feedback on organization, formatting, and design with prompts like these:

  • How can I use headers to my advantage in my résumé?
  • Should my education section come first or at the end of my résumé for [specific job]?
  • How can I get my résumé down to one page?
  • Can you show me examples of professional résumés?
  • Provide résumé formatting tips that may help my résumé do well with ATS.

4. Do a final check for grammar, spelling, and more

Copilot can help you review your résumé for grammar, language, clarity, typos, and more. After pasting in your résumé, you might say, “Review this résumé for grammatical errors, spelling errors, appropriate language, word choice, redundancies, or any other areas that need improvement.”

5. Repeat for other job roles

If you’re applying for multiple jobs, try asking Copilot to repeat this process for each description, as different jobs entail different skills and requirements. Also, consider upgrading to Copilot Pro for enhanced performance and personalized support that can further simplify your job application process.

Modifying your résumé based on job descriptions is just one of the many ways Copilot can help you on your job search. This convenient AI assistant can help you create a phenomenal ATS cover letter, prep for face-to-face interviews, and so much more. Download the Copilot mobile app for AI job hunt assistance today!

At Microsoft, we are always updating and testing features to offer our users the best possible experiences as we experiment with new approaches to functionality. To improve the user experience and streamline our tools that empower creativity, Bing Image Creator is now Designer and Bing Chat is now Copilot. Create wow-worthy images with your words and AI with Designer, and try Copilot, your AI-powered search assistant for the web.

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