Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) scan resumes for keywords and structured data. They rank and filter applicants before a human ever reads your CV.
For an Extragalactic Astronomer you must match keywords like spectroscopy, photometry, redshift, galaxy evolution, cosmology, HST, JWST, ALMA, Keck, data reduction, Python, IDL, IRAF, N-body simulations, machine learning, peer-reviewed publications, and PhD.
Keep section titles standard and simple. Use titles such as "Work Experience", "Education", and "Skills" so parsing works well.
- Use plain chronological bullets for duties and results.
- Include specific instrument names and methods.
- Spell out acronyms at least once.
Avoid complex formatting like tables, columns, text boxes, headers, footers, images, or graphs. ATS often skips or garbles content inside those elements.
Choose readable fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Save your file as .docx or PDF, but avoid heavily designed templates that add hidden layers.
Do not swap keywords for creative synonyms. If a job asks for "spectroscopy" don't write only "spectrum analysis" and expect a match.
Do not hide critical items in headers or footers. ATS may ignore those regions. Also avoid leaving out tools or certifications that hiring committees expect, such as "PhD in Astronomy" or "experience with JWST data".