Pension roles often pass through Applicant Tracking Systems, or ATS. These systems scan resumes for keywords and reject poorly formatted files.

If you're an Individual Pension Consultant, ATS looks for words like "pension plan," "ERISA," "defined benefit," "defined contribution," "actuarial valuation," "plan administration," "fiduciary duty," "PBGC," "annuity," "retirement counseling," "investment strategy," "benefits compliance," "GASB," "Excel," and "financial modeling." Use those exact phrases when they match your experience.

Best practices:

• Use standard section titles like "Work Experience," "Education," and "Skills."
• Put keywords naturally in bullets and sentences, not in a dense keyword list.
• Avoid tables, columns, headers, footers, images, and text boxes that ATS might skip.
• Choose readable fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
• Save as a simple PDF or .docx and avoid heavy design templates.

Common mistakes:

Don't swap exact keywords for creative synonyms. ATS may not match your meaning.

Don't bury important items in headers or footers. Many parsers ignore them.

Don't omit certifications like "CEBS," "Enrolled Actuary," or software names like "Alight," "Proval," or "Excel" if they matter.

Follow these tips and you'll let your qualifications reach hiring managers more often.

Pick a clean, professional template for an Individual Pension Consultant. Use reverse-chronological layout so hiring managers see your recent consulting work first. This layout reads well and parses reliably in applicant tracking systems.

Keep length to one page if you have under 10–12 years of focused pension work. Use two pages only when you list many client engagements, certifications, or publications directly relevant to pension consulting.

Use ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, Georgia, or Garamond. Set body text to 10–12pt and headers to 14–16pt. Keep line spacing at 1.0–1.15 and leave margins around 0.5–1 inch to give the page room.

Use clear section headings: Contact, Summary, Experience, Consulting Projects, Certifications, Education, Skills, and Technical Tools. Use bullet lists for responsibilities and achievements. Start bullets with strong verbs and quantify outcomes when you can.

Avoid graphic-heavy templates with columns or text boxes. They break ATS parsing and distract readers. Keep color minimal and use bold or small color blocks only to highlight section headers.

Common mistakes include cluttered layouts, inconsistent spacing, and vague job descriptions. Don’t use unusual fonts or icons that ATS may skip. Check alignment and run an ATS-friendly export to PDF before you apply.

Writing a tailored cover letter matters for an Individual Pension Consultant role. It shows you understand client needs, regulations, and the employer's approach. A letter helps you link your client work to the role more directly than your resume.

Header: Include your contact details, the company's name, the hiring manager if you know it, and the date. Keep it neat and easy to scan.

Opening paragraph: Name the exact role you want. Say why you want to work for that firm. Mention one strong qualification or where you found the opening.

Key sections breakdown:

• Header: your contact info, company name, hiring manager, date.
• Opening: role, enthusiasm, one top qualification.
• Body: link experience to the job, cite pension planning projects, compliance work, actuarial tools, or client advisory achievements.
• Closing: restate interest, call to action, thank you.

Body paragraphs: Use one to two short paragraphs to match your experience to the role. Highlight technical skills like pension scheme design, contributions modelling, or regulatory compliance. Mention tools you use, such as pension administration systems or spreadsheet models. Add one sentence about soft skills like clear client communication or stakeholder management. Quantify results when you can, for example improved funding position or reduced processing time.

Closing paragraph: Reaffirm your interest in the Individual Pension Consultant role and the specific employer. State confidence in your ability to help clients. Ask for an interview or a call. Thank the reader for their time.

Tone and tailoring: Keep your tone professional, confident, and friendly. Write like you are speaking to one person. Use short sentences. Tailor each letter to the job description and company. Avoid generic templates and copy-paste lines.

When you apply for an Individual Pension Consultant role, small resume errors can cost you interviews. Recruiters look for clear evidence you can advise clients, manage plans, and handle compliance.

Take a moment to fix vague wording, missing numbers, and formatting that hides your skills. A few edits make your experience much easier to evaluate.

If you advise clients on retirement plans, this set of FAQs and tips will help you present your experience clearly on your resume. Use these pointers to highlight client outcomes, regulatory knowledge, and trust-building skills that matter to hiring managers.