The System We Love to Hate!

When Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) made their debut in the 1970s, they barely created a ripple in the job search process. They were very basic and were used to help?organize the manual job application process. But the 1990s ushered in a new era of automation, which has continued to progress (or regress, depending on your perspective) to current claims of “one system from hire to retire.”?

While the efficiency and efficacy of the ATS is, on one level, undeniable to an employer, it has evolved to become the bane of many job seeker’s existence. In all the years of supporting people in a job transition, I’ve yet to hear an applicant or candidate extolling the benefits of the ATS! Instead, I’ve heard these complaints about the ATS:?

• Counterintuitive?

• Impersonal?

• Idiotic?

• Robotic?

• Unproductive?

and even “unfriendly” to the user!?Yet the ATS hasn’t bowed to complaint. It has overcome all resistance and appears here to stay! So, what’s a person to do? As Maya Angelou famously said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude!”?

What is the ATS?

If you’re unfamiliar with the ATS, you may be wondering what the fuss is about. In today’s recruitment process, the employer programs the ATS to identify keywords or ask specific questions about the applicant. Using machine learning, the ATS then scans through the resumes/applications to sift through the submissions to statistically present the most matches possible, thus reducing a ton of time for the recruiter / hiring manager to have to sort through the stack as well. The concept makes sense until you run into the myriad of “human possibilities” inherently contained in creating a resume and an accurate job description. Then KA-BOOM, the complaints begin, particularly for the applicant.??

In addition to our attitudes, I’d encourage us to revisit our accountability with, “What more can you do to get a better result?” and add that to our equation. We know we cannot ignore the ATS, and despite our “love to hate it” relationship, people better figure out how to navigate it to get better results. ??

Like many things we can’t control, we have to look at what we CAN do, and that’s what I’m hoping to support you with through this briefing. You may not bat 1000%, but you can certainly increase your odds with some simple adjustments in your ATS approach. ??

Navigating the ATS

First, let’s look at some quick tips to help you navigate the ATS. There are many articles written about this topic, so I won’t elaborate much, but I highlight these tips to better your likelihood of success with the ATS:?

1. Read the Instructions—AND follow them. Every ATS is a little different, and many user mistakes come from assumptions about how to utilize this tool. Hope is not a strategy or tactic, so after reading the instructions, follow them to the letter to ensure you’re not kicked out of the running for a role.?

1. KISS – – Keep It Simple, Silly! Ensure your resume format is simple and straightforward.?Nix graphs, symbols, and acronyms.?Say what you mean and mean what you say. Less is more!?

1. Focus on Achievements – – Work on your resume to quantify or approximate what results were accomplished. Citing the tasks you performed leaves you short of your competition. Use numbers and percentages to tell the system/reader what happened when you performed those tasks.?If you’re not sure, approximate them.?

1. Optimize Keywords – – Vomiting out a bunch of words in hopes of an ATS match isn’t a sound strategy, and the inverse can actually?happen – it can waste a ton of your time. Instead, be thoughtful as you create your resume and utilize relevant keywords to describe it.?

1. Complete the Application Process – – A surefire way to find yourself getting a rejection is to skip responding to some of the questions or leaving blanks.?

Second, let’s revisit some sound, time-tested methods to further increase your odds outside of the ATS:?

1. Network, Network, Network – – All the studies done show that networking is the best strategy for a successful job transition.?In fact, I’ve had people in my small groups get rejected by the ATS only to get further into the recruitment process through a successful networking contact!?

1. Strategic Resume—Rather than try to tailor every job description you encounter to a different customized resume, I’d encourage you to develop a well-crafted, comprehensive, strategic resume. Yes, you may occasionally want to tailor a resume to a job description, but if you do that for every application, you’ll drive yourself crazy AND still not get the results you desire. ??

1. Unique Distinctions – – What is the confluence of experiences, abilities, and character?you bring to the table that literally no one else in the world can bring? Don’t compromise who you are and what you’re selling to bow to the ATS. ??

Discerning the Best Path Forward

Of course, the ATS isn’t mentioned in Scripture, but what principle could we take and apply to what I’ve just shared? Proverbs 3:5-6 is the first passage that jumped to mind:?“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and?lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Trusting the advice and counsel given to you, along with your own reflections on what you do best that the market needs most, seems to be a more sound process than jumping through hoops to theoretically satisfy a machine learning tool.?

John 7:17 also states, “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I’m speaking on My own authority.” Of course, Jesus isn’t talking about a job search process here, but He is advising the people listening to His teaching to discern for themselves what teaching comes from God and makes the most sense. For completing job applications, you’ve got to discern and then follow a strategy. Try to customize your resume/application every time to a different job description, or follow time-tested approaches to avoid that and maximize your results in another way. Your decision!?

As with all technology, we can’t live without it! But we need to continually recognize that, in this case, the ATS is just a tool, and you need to learn about it and then make decisions about how you’ll maximize that tool.?

Having a pity party about its existence isn’t a viable answer! So go get ‘em! Blessings!?

Dave

Dave Sparkman currently serves as the volunteer Crossroads Career Board chair and local ministry leader. He is also the founder and managing director of Spark Your Culture, a corporate culture consulting firm. Prior to that, he worked at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune #5 public company, as the Chief Culture Officer. His unemployment experience came from the implosion of Arthur Andersen, where he served as the West Region Managing Partner, People.

Connect with a Crossroads Guide

We would love to help you by setting up a time to talk to someone who can provide personalized career assistance. Just click the Connect with a Crossroads Guide link below:

Connect with a Crossroads Guide