HOW TO BEAT AN ATS (APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM)?
Preface :
I got the Idea to write this article during a chat with my
LinkedIn contact Syed Ehtesham uddin he asked me this question How to beat ATS ? hence I am
Writing this article for all those who may find this useful .
WHAT IS AN APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEM?
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that
employers use to find the most qualified candidates for a role. These systems
help streamline the hiring process and remove resumes that do not meet the
qualifications. An ATS is more likely to submit your application to the hiring
manager for review if you have optimized your resume and cover letter for the
job you are specifically applying for.
WHY DO COMPANIES USE APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS?
The relative ease of submitting an online job application
has created a challenge for hiring companies. Online job postings can elicit
hundreds of applications, many of which are from unqualified job seekers who
figured “it was worth a try.” Instead of sorting through a stack of paper
resumes or crowded email inbox, recruiters and hiring managers use ATS to keep
themselves organized and efficient. This solution is especially critical for
larger companies that are hiring for multiple positions and departments
simultaneously.
Among other features, ATS offer CRM-style tools to help streamline hiring pipelines, communication with applicants, distribution of job postings, and proof of government compliance for things like the EEOC. In theory, these systems also save time by automatically surfacing and highlighting top candidates. In reality, ATS do help hiring professionals narrow their applicant pool, but top candidates slip through the cracks.
WHY ARE APPLICANT TRACKING SYSTEMS A PROBLEM FOR JOB SEEKERS?
Corporate recruiters can have their ATS automatically extract information from an applicant’s resume to build a digital applicant profile that can be searched, filtered, and/or ranked. The goal is to quickly cull out anyone who is under-qualified, make the applicant pool smaller, and quickly identify the top candidates.
Unfortunately for job seekers, most ATS lack sophistication and are not able to search and filter candidates reliably. Some highly qualified candidates fall through the cracks and are wrongfully eliminated from the applicant pool because their resume has formatting issues or lacks the correct search keywords.
This is a necessary tradeoff for many hiring professionals
with limited time and resources. In order to get noticed, job seekers must
optimize their resume for ATS.
There are dozens of ATS used by companies big and small. A few of the more popular ATS include:
- Taleo by Oracle (Starbucks, Boeing, Nintendo)
- iCIMS (Southwest Airlines, Uber, Amazon.
- Greenhouse (AirBnb, Pinterest, WeWork)
- Jobvite (Zillow, Spotify, Logitech)
- Brassring (Disney, GE, Lockheed Martin)
- Lever (Indiegogo, Lyft, Shopify)
Some large companies develop their own proprietary applicant
tracking systems, such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Etihad, Emirates, Marriot and Facebook
HOW DO APPLICANT
TRACKING SYSTEMS (ATS) WORK?
Applicant tracking systems act as electronic gatekeepers for
employers and hiring managers. The ATS parses a resume's content into
categories and then scans it for specific keywords to determine if the job
application should be passed along to the recruiter. Its job is to essentially
weed out unqualified applicants so the recruiter can devote his or her time to
evaluating the candidates who are more likely to be a match for the position.
In other words, the ATS is apt to toss the least-qualified candidates, rather
than identify the applicants who are the best fit.
HOW TO WRITE AN ATS-FRIENDLY RESUME
Best
practices for getting your resume through an applicant tracking system
To increase your chances of getting hired, you need to first make it through the applicant tracking system. Here are some best practices you can consider to get your resume through the ATS and to the hiring manager:
1.
Only apply for jobs you qualify for.
2.
Be selective about the jobs you apply for at one
company.
3.
Use relevant keywords.
4.
Connect your keywords to unique experiences.
5.
Include a skills section.
6.
Use basic language.
7.
Write out acronyms.
8.
Submit a tailored resume for each job.
9.
Keep your resume simple.
10.
Use basic formatting.
11.
Submit the right type of file.
12.
Update your information online.
13.
Include referrals in your application.
1. Only apply for jobs you qualify for
The easiest way to make it through the applicant tracking
system is to apply for jobs you qualify for as the ATS might otherwise reject
your application. By submitting applications for jobs that match your work
history, education and skills, your experience should naturally appeal to the
tracking system.
2. Be selective about the jobs you apply for at one company
Human resources professionals and hiring managers can log
into the applicant tracking system at any time to sort through the submitted
resumes. They can also see your application history, including how many active
applications you have at their company. It is better to remain selective about
the jobs you apply for to show hiring managers how serious you are about the
right position.
3. Use relevant keywords
Look at the job posting, and use the same keywords in your
application in a way that naturally highlights your experience and skills.
Consider looking up similar jobs to get ideas for other terms you can include
that may pique the interest of the applicant tracking system and hiring
manager. To determine the most important keywords, make a note of specific
software, education, certifications and methodologies that a job posting
mentions.
4. Connect your keywords to unique experiences
The applicant tracking system is more likely to send your
resume through if there are enough mentions of certain keywords relevant to the
position, but hiring managers want to see how those keywords connect to real
skills and experiences in the workplace. Think about your unique job history,
and concisely explain how it makes you the perfect person for the position.
5. Include a skills section
A skills section is your chance to include relevant keywords
in another location on your resume, especially for assets that didn't naturally
fit into your work history section. Including a skills section with keywords
makes it easier to scan your application for the terms the hiring manager is
looking for.
6. Use basic language
It may be tempting to use section headers that are a little
less traditional, especially if you're applying for a creative role and want to
show your personality, but using uncommon language on a resume can confuse an
applicant tracking system. Use basic language and terms that are easy to
understand, and mimic how you would address your qualifications during an
in-person interview.
7. Write out acronyms
Depending on an applicant tracking system's settings, it may
either search for acronyms or written-out phrases. It's more likely going to
look for the long-form term or phrase, but it's best practice to include both.
For example, you could say something like, "Experienced in Search Engine
Optimization (SEO)."
8. Submit a tailored resume for each job
Even if two positions you are applying for are very similar,
you should tailor your resume to each one. The job descriptions are likely to
vary from each other in some way, so use any differences you find to make your
resume more specific to each job. The companies are different as well. Take the
time to visit each company's website to get an idea of their values and the
business they do. You can then incorporate what you learned into your resume
and cover letter to stand out.
9. Keep your resume simple
You may want to create a resume that's graphically enhanced,
especially if you're applying for a graphic design position, but it's best to
keep it as simple as possible. An interesting-looking resume may be attractive
to the hiring manager, but you need to make it past the applicant tracking
system first. Some tracking systems have a hard time processing complicated
resumes and may place the content in the wrong places.
10. Don’t Include Too Much Fancy Formatting
It may pain you to hear this, but you likely need to get rid of that expensive resume template or heavily designed custom resume. “If you speak to experienced hiring managers [and] recruiters, they’ll tell you that creative [or] fancy resumes are not only harder for [an] ATS to read, but also harder for them to read!” says Mahtani.
In order to scan your resume for relevant keywords most ATSs will convert the document to a text-only file. So at best, any fancy formatting will be lost. At worst, the ATS won’t be able to pull out the important information and so a person may never lay eyes on your nice designs—or read about the experience and skills that actually qualify you for the job.
When designing a resume to go through an ATS, avoid:
- Tables
- Text boxes
- Logos
- Images: In the U.S., your resume should never include your photo.
- Graphics, graphs, or other visuals
- Columns: Since ATSs are programmed to read left to right, some will read columns straight across rather than reading column one top to bottom and then starting column two at the top.
- Headers and footers: Information in the header and footer sometimes gets dropped by the ATS completely. Make sure all text is within the document body.
- Uncommon section headings: Stick to conventional labels like “Education,” “Work Experience,” and “Technical Skills,” so the ATS knows how to sort your information. This is not the place to get creative with something like “Where I’ve Made an Impact.”
- Hyperlinks on important words: Some systems will display only the URL and drop the words you linked from, so don’t link from anything important (like your job title or an accomplishment). Instead, paste in the URL itself or link out from a word like “website” or “portfolio.”
- Less common fonts: Stick to a universal font like Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Garamond, Georgia, or Cambria. Avoid fonts you need to download, which the ATS may have trouble parsing.
- Here are some elements you can use without tripping up an ATS:
- Bold
- Italics
- Underline: But stick to using underlines in headings and for URLs, Shields says. In general, people have been trained to see any underline within sentences as links.
- Colors: Just know that the ATS will return all text in the same color, so make sure your color choices aren’t vital to understanding the text of your resume.
- Bullets: Bullets are an important component of any resume, but stick to the standard circle- or square-shaped ones. Anything else could get messy.
Still not convinced that you should ditch your fancy resume? To show how formatting can trip Check this Link
11. Submit the right type of file
After completing your resume, it's important to pay
attention to how the job portal tells you to submit it. Specifically, you need
to ensure that you are using an acceptable file type. If you submit any other
type of file, the tracking system is less likely to read it accurately or even
at all.
Even if there are many acceptable file types listed, try to
upload only .pdf or .docx documents. Although both are common, applicant
tracking systems typically find it easier to read .docx resumes, so consider
using this file if you can.
12. Update your information online
Some applicant tracking systems do more than search the
resume you've submitted. They may also search the web for your information to
make sure it all matches. Keep your online profiles up to date to make your
application more complete.
13. Include referrals in your application
Referrals have always been an important part of getting a job.
Hiring managers want to hear directly from someone who knows you and can vouch
for your work ethic. During an online application, there is often a section
that asks if a current employee of the company has referred you to the role. If
this is the case, remember to put your friend or colleague's name here to
increase your chances of making it through the applicant tracking system.
Some companies even have employee referral systems that can
move your application straight through the ATS to a hiring manager, so you
should use this to your advantage if you have a contact within an organization.
References:
I have referred the contents and borrowed these mostly from these websites and put it here for the easy access of job seekers
- https://www.jobscan.co
- https://ae.indeed.com/?r=us
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-beat-applicant-tracking-system-ats-lee/
- https://www.topresume.com/
- https://www.themuse.com/
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