Let's talk about the dreaded applicant tracking system, otherwise known as the ATS. As an experienced HR professional, I have been on both sides of the screen of the ATS. Imagine going through the trouble of spending countless hours on career sites to find the perfect opportunities only to be knocked down with the following email: "After careful consideration, we have decided to pursue other candidates that closely match the skills and background we are looking for." Those emails suck, and they make you want to throw up your hands and give up. Is your resume ready to beat the ATS and pass the six-second eye test? The reality for many of us is that our resume enters the dark ATS tunnel only to not come out on the other end. I have worked with many clients who are angry, frustrated, and confused. Many job seekers don't know that as many as 75% of job applications are rejected before they actually reach a human. The bottom line is your resume needs to be created in a way that will beat the ATS and start getting in the hands of real humans. Come with me, and let's take a closer look. What the heck is an applicant tracking system? Whenever you apply for a job online, you are submitting your application via an applicant tracking system. This software is used by recruiters to screen applications and resumes. Resumes are ranked based on keywords that align with the position(s) that you applied for. Back in the day, the ATS was brought into existence for larger Fortune 500 companies that dealt with large volumes of applicants for job openings. 98 to 99% of Fortune 500 companies depend on applicant tracking systems to aid in a more efficient recruitment process. That said, many small to medium-sized employers have joined the party and started using applicant tracking systems. Wondering how the applicant tracking system works? You have applied for the job, and now your resume has been carried away into a virtual black hole. Have you ever walked into an office building for an appointment, and the receptionist asked you a ton of questions (who are you here to see, what time is your appointment, what is your name)? A receptionist is known as a gatekeeper, and so is the applicant tracking system. After your resume has been received, you usually receive a system-generated email informing you that your application has been received. Your resume's content is separated into categories and is then scanned for specific keywords before being forwarded to the recruiter. In a nutshell, the system's job is to weed out candidates who don't meet the criteria. The goal is to ensure the recruiter can focus more on the candidates who meet the job qualifications. The nitty-gritty: How to write an ATS-friendly resume Let's look at some of the most common mistakes made by job seekers on their resumes. These are errors that can be costly in your job search. On average, a corporate job posting receives 250 applicants. Of those 250 applicants, 4-6 will be contacted for an interview. Ultimately, one will be selected for the job. The right file type is important PDF files are not the most compatible with applicant tracking systems. PDFs are excellent for ensuring the design and format of your resume hold firm. However, they are not friendly with applicant tracking systems. Some applicant tracking system software will give you an option to upload the file type you want. Feel free to upload a PDF version, but the safe bet is either a Word document or Plain Text file because they are ATS friendly. Word documents give you more freedom to have a creative resume as opposed to a plain-text file. You still want your resume to have a visual appeal, so I recommend sticking with the Word document. Please stop with headers and footers! Many applicant tracking systems are unable to retrieve information from Headers and Footers. For example, if you put your contact information in the header, your contact information will not display after being scanned through the ATS. Play it safe and leave the headers and footers off of your resume. Key Word Optimization is your best friend Try to stay away from generic "buzzwords" such as "team player" or "reliable." Use keywords that align with the job description and the work the person will be expected to perform. For example, if you are applying for a Project Manager job, then use keywords and phrases associated with that job that includes:
Always think about the frequency and placement of words throughout your document. Also, do not keyword stuff your resume because that is dishonest and if/when your resume reaches a recruiter, then your resume will be thrown in the virtual trash and might make you ineligible for future opportunities. Some systems will assess your skills' strength based on the number of times a phrase shows up in your resume. In contrast, other systems assign an estimated amount of experience for a particular skill based on its placement within the resume. To make a compatible resume with any ATS, you will need to optimize your resume with both systems in mind. Stay away from images and other graphics I say play it safe with the images and graphics. These images can come out on the other end, distorted and hard to read. They can also cause your resume to be rejected altogether. I recommend having two resumes that you can submit via the ATS and another you can email to a contact if needed containing any relevant graphics. Stay away from fancy bullet points Bullet points are an excellent feature for highlighting important information in your document. Do not use any elaborate bullet point symbols because they become scrambled on the other end. Continue to use your traditional circle or square bullet points. |
By Marvin Arts Jr.
Greetings! I am Marvin Arts, and I am the Owner and Chief Career Officer at #GetNoticed Resume Writing and More. My goal is to use my HR industry expertise to help individuals excel in their job search. |
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