If you’ve been googling like crazy for information on how to write a resume lately, chances are you’ve come across the term ATS (Applicant Tracking System). You may have a vague idea of what it is and/or what it does. You may also wonder how this will affect your resume and job search.
On the other hand, you may have never heard of ATS and don’t know how to deal with it. If so, don’t worry. In this article, I’d like to take a closer look at ATS and how it affects your job search.
For more information, read on:
- What is ATS
- Why you should care about ATS, and
- The 3 most important things to know about ATS
What is ATS (Applicant Tracking System)?
What is ATS HR software Designed to streamline the hiring process for companies. With hundreds of job seekers per job posting, it’s impossible for a recruiter to read every application.
With ATS, Applications can be ranked based on how well they match the job description.. Recruiters can focus on only the top-ranked candidates instead of reading every resume. Recruiters and hiring managers can also search her ATS using keywords if they want to find candidates with specific skills.
When you submit your resume to ATS, the information is extracted from your resume and sorted to fit into the software’s database. The way this information is extracted and processed can affect whether a hiring manager sees your resume.
Why should I care about the Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
The majority of companies are now hiring online. When you submit a job application online, your resume is scanned by our applicant tracking system. If your resume format is not compatible with her ATS, no matter how qualified you are, you will not be ranked high enough for recruiters to look at your resume and consider it. Basically, you can get lost in the wave of applicants.
However, if you learn how to use this system effectively, you can become one of the candidates who will stand out and pass the interview effectively.
ATS may sound depressing, but it really isn’t. Think of it as an opportunity that you can take advantage of. Learning how to effectively write a resume using an ATS-friendly format so that your resume fits his ATS and passes your interview is not that difficult.
Top 3 Things to Know About Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
1. If you are applying online, the resume format you use must be compatible with ATS.
A lot of information exists about which resume formats are compatible with ATS. In fact, there is a lot of conflicting information. As a professional resume writer (especially when I was just starting out), I found this really frustrating. I’ve found that in most cases, simpler is better. Here’s what I’ve learned to make sure your resume works.
columns and tables
Using the one-column format is one of the easiest and best ways to ensure that your resume will work with any ATS.
Don’t take my word for it.blog post from job scan illustrates this perfectly by showing what happens when a two-column resume is uploaded to a common ATS.
As you can see above, ATS consolidated the content from the left column “Experience” section into the left “Skills and Competencies” section, providing the receiving recruiter with utterly meaningless data.
As a resume writer, I have seen anecdotal evidence myself. Many people come to me with his elaborate two-column résumé, but they don’t reply. Job seekers may personally love the look, but the results tend to disagree. There’s no guarantee that you won’t pass an interview using the two-column format, but it seems likely that your chances of success will be reduced.
clean resume design
The applicant tracking system parses your information into an online database. Resumes should have a traditional structure with specific headings and format structure so that the system can easily process the data. This includes the use of headings such as ‘professional experience’ and ‘education and qualifications’. Getting too creative can cause problems for your system.
fonts and bullets
While it may be tempting to use an exciting new font to stand out from the rest, it’s best to stick to common, simple fonts. ATS is having problems with less common fonts. I use Calibri, Cambria and Georgia a lot. Other fonts that work include Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, Verdana, Times New Roman, and Palatino. You may love your new funky font, but you may not like ATS.
Some of the more complex and rare bullets are also not compatible with ATS (as you might notice). The most important selling point can get confused. A good way to avoid this is to use regular points and rectangles.
colour
It used to be that resume colors were thought to affect processing in ATS, but as far as I know, this is no longer an issue. But don’t overdo it with colors. Use one color and keep it in your headings for human readability.
Graphics
Unfortunately, images and charts are also not compatible with ATS. You may love how it looks (that is, a chart showing your most important skills), but these important keywords may be completely missed when the ATS parses the information.
PS – Do you want your resume to measure your skills? Read my article here on why you really shouldn’t.
2. Your resume should contain relevant keywords that match the job description.
Review the job description carefully to identify suitable keywords.
What are keywords? I define them in this context as: specific competencies, skills, and qualifications that recruiters are looking for in candidates.
Look for patterns as you review the job description. If a few words or phrases appear frequently in job descriptions, it could be keywords that recruiters think are important for the role. And if you really have these skills (above all, don’t lie), you need to make it stand out on your resume.
focus on hard skills
Applicant tracking systems (and recruiters in general) scan resumes for hard skills (explicit skills gained from experience and training in marketing, Microsoft Excel, editing, customer service, accounting, financial analysis, etc.) are most likely to be examined. soft skills. Soft skills are also important, but are generally better gleaned from interviewing the person than from reading resumes.
imitate the wording of the job description.
Depending on the role, the job description keywords may be different for each role. Please pay attention to this. Depending on the position, you may need to edit the wording slightly so that your resume stands out.
example:
You’re a project manager and you’ve found a great post you’d like to submit. You have all the skills and experience, but your title is program manager and your job description repeatedly mentions “program management.” You may need to edit the language describing program management and project management to ensure your resume is compatible.
3. Remember that after passing the ATS, your resume will be reviewed by a human.
Remember – after passing the ATS, your resume will be viewed by a human. ATS does not make hiring decisions. ATS only helps professionals recruit by letting them know which resumes are best suited for advertised positions. Therefore, your resume should be human readable. this means:
No keyword stuffing – Don’t overdo it by inserting relevant keywords throughout your resume. Firstly, you don’t need this, and secondly, if a recruiter or hiring manager reads it, it’s likely to be ignored because it doesn’t make sense.
don’t lie- Don’t lie on your resume if it doesn’t match the job description. I want my experience to look relevant, but I don’t want to say that just including a few keywords in my resume isn’t true.
This alone may sound like a lot of work, but I promise it’s not. Finding a resume format that satisfies both the system and the person in charge of reviewing your resume is very easy.
Download our free resume checklist below to see what’s not right when it comes to your resume.
