Applicant Tracking Systems
Applicant Tracking Systems
Video file
Video file
What are Applicant Tracking Systems?
- An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a software application that enables the electronic handling of incoming applicants. These systems can sort through thousands of resumes—in minutes.
- It’s software that many employers use to accelerate the hiring process by organizing, screening, and filtering a large number of candidates, to finish with a shortlist.
- Companies of all shapes and sizes use applicant tracking systems to pare down the recruitment process. In fact, 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS to sort through resumes.
General Tips
- Utilize relevant keywords from the job posting. The applicant tracking system will highlight the matching words.
- By submitting applications for jobs that match your work history, education, skills, and experience, it is the easiest way to be accepted by the ATS
- While you don’t need to hit every qualification, you do need to illustrate how you match the core skills the employer is looking for
- Through the ATS, recruiters can see all of your applications with an organization
- Find the positions you are serious about apply for those
- While .pdf formats are best at keeping your format in all other situations, .docx formats are most accurately scanned by the ATS. So if you want to beat ATS, a .docx file is suggested. However, always follow directions on the posting!
- ATS often convert documents into simple text-only files. Fancy formatting or accessories will be lost or warped – so don’t rely on these features. Use common fonts the software can recognize and scan. If you include any acronyms, also spell them out so that the software will recognize it.
- Tailoring your resume with relevant keywords does not mean pasting the entire job description, stuffing it with keywords completely out of context, or adding a section labeled “keywords” where you stick various words from the job description (and more sneakily, in “invisible” white text). You only want to use your keywords if it is truthful and correct to your experiences and skills. Ensure it is still human-friendly.
- Some tracking systems only display the URL and drop the words you linked, so it is best to not link any important words (for example, your job title or an accomplishment.) Instead, link words like “website” or “portfolio" or paste the URL without linking it.
- Uploading will decrease the likelihood of losing your format
- That way you hit all the recognizable keywords and score the most "points" through the algorithm!