SEO v. Non-SEO Resume Documents

What is SEO?

While you may have heard the term SEO before, you may not know how it applies to your resume. SEO stands for search engine optimization and it is the process of optimizing your online content through a variety of techniques that helps web pages, documents, and other content appear closer to the top of a search query in a search engine based on keywords.

So, why does it matter for your resume?

In most cases, SEO applies to marketing and web search results, but Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) also rank documents in their database in similar ways depending on the kinds of Boolean searches run by a recruiter or hiring manager.

As an example, if you were to write an article about career services organizations, you would want the search engine to show it as a top result for anyone who searched “career services.” Top websites and companies dedicate entire teams to analyzing and creating strategies to ensure they get noticed by the big search engines—we do the same to ensure you get noticed by employers.

By leveraging certain SEO techniques during the resume development process such as using, prioritizing, and bolding keywords and keyword phrases, we significantly optimize your positioning as a candidate amongst other highly qualified professionals applying to the same role. This way, to the example above, when hiring professionals or recruiters establish their hiring criteria and skills requirements, your resume is moved to the top of the pile in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

What’s an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An ATS is a software application that enables the electronic handling of recruitment and hiring needs. These systems, although widely varied across organizations according to need, all serve the same goal: finding the best candidate as efficiently as possible.

Applicant Tracking Systems support human resources (HR) and recruiting professionals trying to narrow searches quickly by determining keywords and keyword phrases that the most qualified candidates for the role will possess.

At Employment Boost, we work hand-in-hand with executive recruiters and researchers who are well-versed and familiar with the market’s most popular ATSs, relevant industry keywords, and best practices to ensure the final versions of the resume, along with the supporting documentation, maximize your opportunity for each role applied to.

So, which version of the resume do you use? And when?

When to Use the SEO Resume

In the final collection of documents, you received four (4) versions of the approved resume, two (2) of which are titled “Name_Resume_Final” in both a Word and PDF format, and two (2) of which are titled “Name_Resume_Final_SEO” in both a Word and PDF format. The Word document is provided in both instances to ensure you maintain full ownership of the documentation, along with the ability to adjust the title and content for the professional summary for each job description, ensuring full alignment during the application process.

However, your focus for all online applications (this includes sites such as Workday, LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, etc.), you will apply with the Final SEO PDF version of the document. This resume is specifically created for online databases and ATSs, and so they should be the primary version you use in the job search, unless the job posting states any specific requirements that are contrary to this.

When to Use the Non-SEO Resume

While we recommend the Final SEO PDF version in most circumstances, there are instances where it will be more appropriate to use the Final PDF resume version. Typically, this will only be when providing the document directly to a hiring professional or a recruiter. Additionally, if you were to print the document to bring to an interview or provided at a career fair, this would be the recommended copy.

In any other instance, even though where the hiring professional you are conversing with mentions the resume will be submitted into the database, it is important to use Final SEO PDF version to give yourself a distinct advantage over other candidates.

As a full-service resume writing, corporate outplacement, coaching and career services company, Employment BOOST is dedicated to helping you achieve success. By utilizing these documents as we recommend, you should begin seeing results within 90 days of finalization (and often much, much sooner).