What Happens Once You Submit Job Applications

Organizations often use applicant tracking systems (ATSs) to coordinate and organize resumes received for an open position.?

ATSs are the subject of some of the most common pieces of misinformation online about the job search process. Specifically, many claim that few applications and resumes are ever seen by humans. They often believe that computers largely decide who gets interviewed. The short answer is that humans read most applications and resumes, making interview and hiring decisions.

Of course, the longer answer is more complicated, but important to understand — especially if you're going to spend hours or days on applications and resumes.?

Do Recruiters Read Resumes?

Recruiters have a difficult job. In addition to moving a large number of people through the hiring process as quickly as possible, they need to follow many regulations. These rules ensure that the hiring process is fair and free from discrimination. One area of focus is record keeping, including applications and resumes.

Recruiters end up manually reviewing most resumes to comply with these guidelines.

A review doesn't mean a recruiter spends hours or even minutes examining your application or resume, though. Recruiters know what to look for on a resume to exclude applicants or move them forward. You may have heard an often-cited (and debated) statistic that recruiters look at a resume or application for only 6 seconds. While that may be true for some, a recruiter will look at your materials until they have enough information to make a decision one way or the other.

What About Bots or Resume Scanners?

The resume "bots" or "scanners" you hear about online are ATSs that track applicants. Any job opening will likely have hundreds or thousands of candidates. An ATS allows employers to keep track of those applications in an organized and streamlined manner — from start to finish.

ATSs aren't as scary or smart as people on the internet make them out to be.

When you apply, the ATS creates a uniform file for the recruiter to access. They can then look at all of the information you submitted to move you along in the process or reject your application. Recruiters can then use the ATS to schedule interviews, pass information along to hiring managers and keep the process as orderly as possible.

As for "scanning" resumes, ATSs do that to parse your information into its files. You've likely seen this go awry when submitting an application. For example, you'll upload your resume as part of the application but it then asks you to fill out the same information in several text boxes. When this happens, it's because the ATS can't figure out which information from your resume goes in the right box.

Why Did My Application Automatically Get Rejected?

The answer is that most jobs have minimum requirements — either imposed by the hiring manager or the government. When you're working through the online application process, there are likely "knock-out questions" somewhere along the way.

For example, a recruiter may have the ATS ask applicants for a nursing position if they're certified in the region where the job is located. If you respond "no," the system may automatically reject your application because you do not meet the required qualifications. If so, you'll likely be notified that the system rejected your application soon after you hit "submit."

So, one lesson from this article is to read each question on a job application carefully.

Is There A Way to Get an Edge With Your Application?

All of this information is probably bad news if you plan to "beat the ATS" or game "the system" with your resume. Frankly, a lot of the hacks you find online won't work. Some tactics can make your application or resume unappealing to recruiters and hiring managers.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to increase the odds of success when submitting applications.

First, make sure you can do the job. Above all else, hiring processes are designed to find people who can do the job that's being advertised. Instead of asking yourself if you meet 50% or 70% of the qualifications, you should be able to say that you can do the job and do it well.

Second, focus on crafting an appealing resume and application. Don't worry about the ATS or whatever other computer system might be involved in the hiring process. You can't control any of those factors. What you can control is the application you put in front of the humans who will ultimately make the hiring decisions.

Third, apply early to open positions. Recruiters are tasked with filling positions in a timely manner. As a result, they start reviewing applications as soon as they come into the ATS. The longer you wait to apply, the more likely it is that someone is farther along in the hiring process.

In the end, the best thing you can do is submit a comprehensive, quality and well-time application for jobs you can do and do well.

(This article has been adapted by Todd Dybas from existing reporting appearing on Get Hired by LinkedIn News and Get Hired by Andrew Seaman.)