How to Beat an Applicant Tracking System
E'jaz Malik, MCom, Chartered FCIPD, CHRP, CHRL, CHRE, CPHR, SHRM-SCP.
Visionary Board Leader | Strategic HR Architect | Talent Development Advisor | Career Growth Catalyst | DEI Champion | Celebrated Mentor | People Empowerment Specialist | Culture Enrichment Advocate.
How do applicant tracking systems work?
An Applicant Tracking System evaluate your resume in the way similar to how hiring manager is glancing at it for ten seconds. Both are searching for certain criteria to accept or reject a resume. But while a recruiter is usually looking for things like lack of experience or relevant skills, typos, and spelling mistakes, ATS scan tool matches keywords required to accept you for the position. In other words, it is programmed to search for chosen keywords, and if your document contains them, the machine sends your resume to the next stage of recruitment.
?As you can see, the rule of the game is simple: in case your resume contains the needed keywords, the system will rank it higher in the search results presented to the employer and that`s how you beat automation testing resumes. The required keywords include names of educational institutions, skills, and experiences specific to the available vacancy. What is more, the hiring manager can use automated resume screening to analyze an entire database of submitted resumes and choose candidates with a certain qualification. Due to this automation testing resumes, yours can be kept in the company’s database for an exceptionally long time, and Applicant Tracking System might identify you as a perfect candidate for job positions opened in future.
?How to get past Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
Passing ATS is not as hard as it seems at first sight. Still, it requires an elevated level of dedication and concatenation while you are working on your resume. If you want to pass through each resume filter, consider the following tips and tricks:
1.????Make sure your document includes the required keywords.?
2.????Avoid generic resumes
3.????Mention the dates of your employment
4.????Put your social pages right.
5.????Keep the format simple.?
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6.????Stand out from the crowd
Resume format for applicant tracking system should be kept in ATS-friendly manner. The main principle of formatting says to keep it as simple as possible. Here are some key features to keep in mind while working on the resume:
1.????Title the document with your name and desired job title.
2.????Use common resume headings (Education, Work Experience, Skills, Summary, etc.).
3.????Save the document as a basic Word file (doc or txt).
4.????Avoid columns, tables, and images.
5.????Do not use special fonts and colors (only black).
6.????Remove spelling mistakes to help in scanning resumes.
7.????Place contact details in the body of the resume.
8.????And finally, yet importantly, when describing your work history, mention each employer in reverse chronological order to make your outline an ATS friendly resume.