Applicant Tracking System software (ATS). Often I joke about an ATS is like a black hole. A black hole where you submit all your most personal information and career history and often, hear silence in return.
Although ATS systems can be frustrating as a job seekers, they do serve a purpose. Recruiters/talent acquisition teams can’t feasibly process the mass amount of online applications. Therefore, they’ve turned to ATS software.
If you are applying online, more than likely you’re applying through an ATS. In fact, 98% of Fortune 500 companies, 70% of large and 35% of small companies use some type of ATS software. Large job search sites like Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn have their own built-in ATS.
What an ATS DOES and DOES NOT DO
It DOES NOT “track” where you are in the hiring process.
It DOES NOT communicate with you about your standing.
It DOES NOT get back with you and tell you how you compare with other applicants.
It DOES NOT make any judgment calls concerning skills and experience.
What an ATS DOES DO is filter resume information based on the parameters set up by the recruitment/talent acquisition team and ranks resumes to determine the strongest candidates.
Again, an ATS filters resume information based on keywords and phrases that match the advertised job description and ranks each resume accordingly.
What does this mean to you as a job seeker?
Tailoring your resume is a must
What Can Employers See?
First, it’s important to know that employers can see the filename of the resume document you submit, so I recommend saving the resume in a professional way. It’s also helpful to list the job you are applying for and the company so it’s easy to find when you get the call for an interview.
Here is the template I recommend using:
First Name_Last Name_Job Title_Company Name
Should I save my resume in a specific format?
Tests have found also that the systems favored a .doc or .docx rather than a .pdf. Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all format that is ideal because each system has quirks. If the information isn’t be parsed correctly in a Word document, then try a PDF version.
How do I know what the keywords/buzzwords are?
One of the best ways to appear closer to the top of the search results is to pay attention to the frequency of keywords. The more often a keyword appears on your resume, the higher you rank when that keyword is searched for. Therefore, it’s important that you insert the keywords into your resume as frequently as possible.
I like using a tool called Jobscan.co, which is essentially an ATS system for job seekers. It will analyze your resume compared to the job description and give you a match percentage rating.
You also want to match your skills exactly to what is listed in the job description. For example, if the job description lists, “Project Manager” versus “Project Management,” and throughout your resume you never listed, “Project Manager,” then a recruiter may never see your resume. Another example is if the job requires a “Bachelors degree,” and you write “Bachelor’s degree,” then your resume may not make it through the system.
However, beware of “keyword stuffing,” if you overstuff your resume with keywords where they don’t belong the recruiter will notice this quickly and throw your resume out. Also, don’t try to change the font to white so it isn’t visible. This is a dubious practice that will immediately eliminate you from candidacy.
Knockout Questions
In addition to keywords, recruiters can use filters by location, the source of your application, whether or not you are a referral, age of candidate profile, and custom filters.
There are also “knockout” questions, also known as job requirements. This includes years of experience, education level, or knowledge/experience of a skill or tool. If you’ve ever applied for a job and immediately received a rejection email, it’s likely that your answers to a knockout question fell outside the parameters that were set. Not having enough keywords in your resume will mean that you aren’t ranking highly in the system, but it’s not a cause for immediate rejection.
Qualifications-based knockout questions include:
- Do you have X degree?
- Do you have X license?
- Do you have X certification?
- Do you have work experience with X?
- What is your skill level with X on a scale of 1-5?
Should I list soft skills?
No bot, nor human, is looking specifically for soft skills, James points out. So delete overused phrases like “quick learner,” “hard worker,” and ”great attitude,” and sub in a list of hard skills. Distinguishable tech and social media knowledge is particularly relevant in today’s job market, she says. (And no, the Microsoft Office suite doesn’t count.)
The #1 Tool that I use almost daily to tailor resumes is Jobscan
Jobscan is the top online resume analysis tool. It tells you how your resume measures up against the specific job for which you’re applying. Jobscan helps beginners and experts improve their resumes. It makes suggestions how to tailor your resume for that specific job.
Step 1 Simply upload your resume or copy and paste it.
Step 2 Copy and paste the entire job description. Copy and paste the main portion of the job description. You can leave out the disclaimers, about us, information about the company, etc.
Step 3 Select Scan.
Step 4 View the Match Rate %, details, and keywords
Unfortunately the free version only give you 2 free scans a month.
Any time that you scan your resume against a job description, it counts as a scan. This includes after you edit your resume and “rescan” to see an updated match report. Each of these “rescans” counts as an additional scan in your account.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the job searching process and tailoring your resume, reach out to Career Confidence, we include a tailored resume we screen record the process to show you exactly what to tweak and change.
Written by Cassie Hatcher, CEO of Career Confidence LLC, a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), and Certified Veteran Career Strategist (CVCS) who translates military leadership experience to ensure your resume is on-target for the civilian workforce.
For 8+ years, Career Confidence Resume Services has specialized in translating military experience into accomplishments-focused resumes. Our goal is to help military service members to find their next mission with a resume that captures employers’ attention and highlights their unique military experience.
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