Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software tools that scan resumes for keywords and structure. Recruiters use them to filter candidates before human review. If your resume lacks keywords or uses odd formatting, ATS can reject it automatically.

For a Knowledge Engineer, ATS looks for technical terms and role phrases. Add words like "knowledge graph", "ontology", "RDF", "OWL", "SPARQL", "semantic modeling", "reasoning", "NLP", "knowledge base", "data integration", "RDFLib", "Neo4j", "Python", and "metadata". Include certifications like "Data Science" or "Semantic Web" when relevant.

Best practices:

• Use standard section titles: "Work Experience", "Education", "Skills".
• Write short, keyword-rich bullets that describe tools and outcomes.
• Avoid tables, columns, headers, footers, images, and text boxes.
• Use readable fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
• Save as .docx or PDF, but avoid heavily designed PDFs.

Avoid common mistakes. Don’t swap exact keywords for creative synonyms. For example, don’t write "data thinker" instead of "knowledge engineer". Don’t hide skills in headers or images. Don’t rely on visual layout to imply skills.

Write clear experience lines. Start each bullet with an action verb. Show tools and outcomes. For example, write "Designed OWL ontology for product catalog, reducing search errors by 30%". That tells ATS and the hiring manager what you did.

Review job postings and mirror their phrasing. Use both short skill lists and descriptive bullets. Keep sentences short and direct so ATS and humans read your resume easily.

Pick a clean, professional template for a Knowledge Engineer. Use a reverse-chronological layout if you have steady, relevant experience. Use a skills-first or hybrid layout if your recent roles vary or if you have major project work to highlight.

Keep length tight. One page works for entry and mid-career Knowledge Engineers. Use two pages only if you have long, highly relevant experience with measurable results.

Choose ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, Georgia, or Garamond. Use 10–12pt for body and 14–16pt for headers. Keep line spacing at 1.0–1.15 and add clear margins to give breathing room.

Use standard headings like Summary, Experience, Projects, Skills, Education, and Certifications. Put keywords from the job description in the Experience and Skills sections. Use bullet lists for achievements and short sentences for each item.

Avoid complex layouts, heavy graphics, and multi-column bodies. Those elements often break ATS parsing and distract a hiring manager. Stick with simple bold and italics for emphasis, and use consistent spacing and alignment.

Watch these mistakes: embedded images for logos, inconsistent date formats, or long paragraphs that hide impact. Also avoid an overloaded skills list without context, and steer clear of non-standard fonts or decorative characters.

Final tip: save a plain PDF and an ATS-friendly DOCX copy. That gives you a nice visual and a machine-readable file for automated systems.

Why a tailored cover letter matters

You want to show fit beyond your resume. A cover letter shows why you care about the Knowledge Engineer role and the company. It links your projects to the job and proves you read the description.

Key sections

• Header: Put your contact details, the company name, and the date.
• Opening paragraph: Name the Knowledge Engineer role you want. Show real enthusiasm for the company. Mention your top qualification in one line and where you found the job.
• Body paragraphs: Use one to three short paragraphs. Connect your experience to the listed requirements. Highlight a key project and a clear result. Name one technical skill per sentence, like knowledge graph or NLP. Include soft skills like teamwork or problem solving. Use numbers when you can, for example percent improvements or dataset sizes. Match keywords from the job posting.
• Closing paragraph: Restate your interest in this specific role and company. Say you can help them with a clear outcome. Ask for an interview and thank the reader.

Tone and tailoring

Keep your tone professional, confident, and friendly. Write like you speak. Use short sentences and direct verbs. Tailor each letter to the company and role. Swap generic phrases for specific details.

Use active voice in almost every sentence. Cut filler words. Avoid jargon and long sentences. Read the job description and mirror its language where it fits. That makes your letter easier to scan.

When you apply for a Knowledge Engineer role, small resume slips can cost interviews. You work with ontologies, graphs, and reasoning systems, so detail matters.

Polish saves time for hiring teams. This list points out common resume mistakes and shows simple fixes you can apply right away.

If you build knowledge systems or ontologies, this set of FAQs and tips will help you craft a resume that highlights your research, modeling, and tooling skills. Use these notes to show practical impact, clear domain expertise, and collaboration with engineers and data teams.