Make Sure Your Resume is Not DOA

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


If you've found yourself sending out one resume after another without any response, it may be that your application materials are dead on arrival. Boost your opportunities by revamping your resume writing skills and transforming this necessary element of your job search to capture the attention of employers.

Use Relevant Keywords

You don't have to be a published author to master the art of resume writing. You do, however, need to position yourself as the ideal candidate, explains Anish Majumdar with CareeRealism. Focus your job search on researching the company and analyzing the job description. Note any keywords used repeatedly on the company's website and within the job description, and include these phrases in your resume. For example, if a company is seeking employees with skills in specific computer applications or equipment, highlight your relevant experience on your resume. Use the same keywords from the job description so that your application materials stand out when hiring managers are scanning through correspondence or tracking resumes through an applicant tracking system.

Pay Close Attention to Your Format

One of the biggest mistakes candidates make with resume writing is that they lack a clear and concise format. Avoid putting together a document that is unorganized. Instead, create a specific section for a summary or overview of core competencies that highlight your most relevant skills and experience. Include a detailed list of your work history with job duties that define your roles within each position and your responsibilities. Insert keywords in this section to further capture the attention of potential employers. Add a section for your education and certifications and a final section that outlines professional accomplishments, advanced skills and proficiencies. Once you have all of the necessary components, go beyond standard resume writing techniques and evaluate the appearance of the document. Use a font that is easy to read, line up your sections with clear headings, and use standard bullet points to highlight your job duties in previous positions.

Proofread and Proofread Again

Avoid risking tanking your chances of an interview by submitting a document that is riddled with errors. A key component of resume writing is proofreading. You run the risk of damaging your credibility and missing out on job opportunities when employers struggle to understand what you are trying to communicate due to incorrect grammar and punctuation and spelling errors. Ask a mentor or professional colleague to scan your resume and offer tips to improve the document while also proofreading for common errors. An extra set of eyes can help to prevent your application materials from landing in the trash once received.

Focus your resume writing efforts on ways to accurately and professionally communicate your skills to prevent employers from deeming you as an unlikely candidate. Bring your application materials to life with a clear format, strategically placed keywords, and a thorough overview of your professional career to increase your opportunities.


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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Jeannette thanks for your comment. Tanking was the correct word in this context. Tanking - as in bombing your chances. Glad that you are reading the article though! Best of luck on your job search.

  • Jeanette R.
    Jeanette R.

    Proofread your article...tanking vs. taking under Proofread?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Barbara your plight is most common today. We hear from job seekers all of the time who have been looking and applying for so many years. Frustrating to say the least. Suggestion for you: take your resume and a sample cover letter to your college and have them review it and assist you in making an excellent resume as well as assist with a cover letter to get you started. Remember, you will have to modify these but it will get you started down the right path. You didn't mention if you had any interviews but your college's career services department can assist you with a mock interview, too. In addition, I might offer a suggestion. Since you have been in clerical all of your life, maybe you can try going back to that but letting it be known that you wish to be groomed for management. The problem is that you don't have any management experience. I know - it's that Catch 22. How can I get a job without experience and how can I get experience without a job. But, since you are competing with others who do have management experience, this might be your best option. It would be great if you could get into a situation where the office manager is close to retirement but that might be hard to find. Best of luck.

  • Barbara S.
    Barbara S.

    I'm 51 years old and used to be able to get a job anywhere any time I tried, but for the past 5 years, i have been unable to find anything, even with recent college credits (although I still don't have a bachelor's degree) and my coworkers who do hiring say my resume looks great. I'm hoping to get into entry level management after being in the clerical field my entire life. Got any ideas about that Shelly?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Eliot thanks for the comment. It is true that it's hard to hide our age. But older job seekers are being hired. We get thank you notes from them all of the time. So don't give up. Keep applying, keep smiling. The job is out there for you - you just have to find it. I am not trying to make light of the issue, either. I am a senior and I am working so I know that companies are hiring.

  • Eliot S.
    Eliot S.

    The thing about age discrimination is that there is no way to hide your age. The way I look at it, if my age is going to be an issue, I'd rather not find out after I am working at the company. Suppose you are able to hide your age well enough on your resume. You get to the interview. Then what? Do you really want to go through the stress of preparing for and travelling to an interview when you will be put in the "forget him/her list" the moment they see you? But maybe you can convince them during the interview your age isn't a problem? The problem is, age bias isn't based on facts or evidence. It's based on prejudice. They don't want to be convinced your age doesn't matter and they won't be.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Farrah DOA means "dead on arrival". In other words, something on your resume is wrong and the system throws it out right away. Most companies today use a software program called ATS for applicant tracking software. What it does is score your resume based upon a set of predetermined criteria. If your score is too low, it discards your resume - thus DOA. As for the age question @Ruth and @Michael - sadly there isn't much that can be done about that. Technically it's illegal to ask for your age but not for the year you graduated. The only thing that I can recommend is that you make sure that you have used relevant keywords in your resume and cover letter so that you score high enough that your resume is seen by a human. Wish that there was a way around the ATS but it appears that it's here to stay for the time being.

  • Farrah R.
    Farrah R.

    What does DOA mean? I am confused!

  • Michael Manning
    Michael Manning

    Ruth - that is a very interesting question. If the software is able to sort on age (very easy when asking what year you graduated), it has a built in age bias.

  • Ruth M.
    Ruth M.

    If they ask what year I graduated, I'm DOA

  • Ruth M.
    Ruth M.

    Does ATS throw out your resume if they think you're too old? Age discrimination is outrageous!

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the comments. @Olivier I would think that the larger staffing agencies would use ATS but I bet the smaller ones don't. Not sure why it is that we receive tons of calls and get tons of emails and then... nothing. Same thing happens to me - feast or famine. When you submit your resume are you following up? Thanks for the heads up @Bill. Appreciate it.

  • BILL T.
    BILL T.

    Use jobscan.co for keyword comparisons. It will shock you how many you are missing for a given position. HR algorithms are not at all intuitive.

  • Olivier M.
    Olivier M.

    I wonder if the staffing agencies use ATS on job boards to select which resume to add to their database and contact the right candidate. I used to receive tens of phone calls from recruiters telling me that they found my resume on xyz job board and I was a good fit for the position. When I submit my resume, absolute silent. What's wrong? Note: I'm not on the job market.

  • RoSean H.
    RoSean H.

    CDE sys professional teaching license is still valid; schools want a currently renewed license.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Elizabeth many of us have taken breaks to raise families. This isn't unusual for companies to see. It's great that you volunteered. That will pretty much be the core of your resume. So much has changed in 18 years that most of what you did back then would be obsolete. Hopefully the volunteer work that you did is in line with a job that you are seeking now. I would just highlight those achievements and go with it. Also, if you have experience in any of the newer technologies or if you have any recent college, I would include that. Keep us posted on your progress. All the best.

  • Olga g.
    Olga g.

    Thank you, it's very helpful.

  • Elizabeth M.
    Elizabeth M.

    I have a break in my employment where I had to stay home with a disabled child. How much does this hurt me and is the experience I had prior to the break now not valued? The break was 18 years, but did a great deal of volunteering.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for all of the great comments. @Shelley in most companies, the resume goes through an applicant tracking system (ATS) which scans the resumes and cover letters and sends the most applicable ones to the hiring manager - or, in some cases, to HR depending upon how the company has it set up. (ATS is a software program) What is needed to get the resume to that person? As indicated in the article, keywords are crucial in order to get your resume and cover letter to a human. @Adnan that is what is needed: a resume that is applicable for the position; appropriate keywords in both the resume and cover letter; typically keeping it to one page; a cover letter that tells the company how they will benefit from hiring you and a resume and cover letter that is error free. You would be amazed at some of the resumes that job seekers submit! @John K you are absolutely right that the ATS doesn't know anything about a person's ethnicity or sex. Hope that helps. Best of luck all.

  • Adnan A.
    Adnan A.

    How can I make my CV is Not DOA? I did not get it!

  • Shelley Horwitz
    Shelley Horwitz

    Hiring managers DON'T scan resumes. The most junior members of Human Resources department scan resumes. Only those resumes that meet the minimum standard for skill and experience ever get to the hiring manager's desk. This is a common mistake resume writers make; they write resumes to be read by the hiring manager, not the Human Resource scanner.

  • James F.
    James F.

    All good points but if you are an older candidate you have bigger hurdles to get over despite your use of key words or pleasing resume format.

  • John K.
    John K.

    Pastori B...... Your resume does not tell me if you are white or black, if you male or female. What does tell me.... If you have the skills set I'm looking for and if you can articulate it in your resume.

  • Pastori B.
    Pastori B.

    What employers look for? You must be in this order; a White male, a white beautiful white woman, a black beautiful woman, a Black male last. In government: party affiliate; relative of hiring authority i.e. governor, deputy etc.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    So very true @Antoni. You would be surprised at some of the emails that job seekers create. You feel so bad for them that you just want to contact them and offer to write them a decent resume. Then they get mad at us because they are unable to find a new position. So very true - you reap what you sow.

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