Why Is My Resume Getting Rejected by an ATS?

Let's say you spot a job opening at your dream company. You instantly tailor a resume, fix up all the issues, and apply. But despite having experience and relevant skill sets with you, you never get the call; chances are your resume got rejected because an Application Tracking System (ATS) has poorly ranked your resume in the pool of candidates.

This can happen to anyone, from a fresher to an experienced employee, and this is because a lot of job seekers are not aware of ATS. Interestingly, a study suggests that 75% of applicants are often rejected in the resume-parsing state, never reaching the scrutiny of recruiting managers.

So, in this latest edition of the Pitch N Hire newsletter, we will understand the working mechanisms of ATS because by developing an understanding of ATS, we can empower ourselves to navigate its processes and ultimately avoid rejection strategically.

Why now??

First things first, what is an ATS? It is a software that integrates with the recruiters' system. It allows recruiters to screen tons of resumes so that the HR department doesn't have to go through the hustle of reading and analyzing them.

If you are wondering, why are organizations using ATS now? It should be noted that every other organization is adopting ATS; in fact, 75% of employers have already adopted ATS, largely due to the prevalence of online job boards. The Internet and various job posting services have made job submission easy, meaning candidates can now apply for multiple jobs simultaneously with minimum effort.?

This simple reason has caused recruiters to be flooded with thousands of job applications for one job posting. That's where effective ATS like Pitch N Hire step in. They make the hiring process quick and equally effective. According to a study, 94% of recruiters have reported an enhancement in their hiring process due to the implementation of ATS.

So the answer is clear: it's quick, effective, and tackles the problem of a huge inflow of applications. But why is it rejecting your resume? Let's explore.

Reasons an ATS is rejecting your resume

So, now that ATS has become so commonplace, if you haven't tailored your resume to be ATS-compliant, chances are you won't even land that first interview. So, here is what you must do to ensure your resume is never getting rejected:

No keywords

This is not a hidden secret; every other ATS, from simple ones to complex ones, works on keyword scanning, which means the ATS scans your resume to find the relevant keyword, and that's how it knows your resume is relevant for the job.?

For example, if you are applying for a UX writer position, you need to include keywords like microcopy, user interface (UI) text, and UX copywriting. If you fail to include them, you will be ranked poorly in the candidate resume ranking, making the recruiters ignore your application and reject it.

Pro tip: Pick keywords from the job description and strategically sprinkle them in your resume.

Overuse of acronyms and jargon

Acronyms often stir debate among HR experts when incorporated into ATS. However, we strongly suggest you use industry-relevant acronyms or jargon. But avoid overusing them, as excessive use may hinder your resume's performance in an ATS.

Pro tip: Use the full name as well as the short form.

Formatting issue

Complex and irregular resume formatting may confuse the ATS, causing it to misinterpret your resume. It is recommended to avoid the use of pictures, tables, columns, or graphics because, as cool as they might look, you need to understand that ATS is emotionless programming. You can't impress it with your cool formatting, so stick to the basics.

Font style and size

This goes without saying, but we see this mistake repeatedly. Most experienced applicants commit this mistake with inconsistent font size and style. The font style and size need to be of standard rideable type.?

Stick to fonts such as Times New Roman, Helvetica, Calibri, Georgia, or Arial with a size between 12 and 14 (depending on your formatting and spacing).

Email address

Your resume demonstrates meticulous attention to detail, from using relevant keywords to proper font style. However, you used an unprofessional email address under the email section. This oversight can diminish your chances of being ranked highly in the pool of candidates. In fact, a study suggests 3 in 10 resumes are rejected for having an unprofessional email address.

Language

Avoid overly complex language in your resume because not all ATS are engineers with sophisticated mechanisms to read and interpret complex data and language. So, we recommend you stick to easy-to-read language without using complex sentence formation.

File format

Before you submit your resume, ensure it is in a common file format (.Pdf . or.docx) and is not too large to be processed by the ATS. An interesting study suggests that recruiters are 70% more likely to prefer an applicant who submits a two-page resume over a similar candidate with a one-page resume.

Other reason

Apart from the reasons mentioned above, a few are often overlooked, like grammatical errors, which can also lead to rejection. Moreover, if you're applying for two different roles within the same organization, ATS may reject your resume due to a duplication filter.

Final word

ATS is a powerful recruiting tool that streamlines the hiring process not only for recruiters but for candidates as well. Without its AI-enabled quick resume parsing mechanism, filtering top-tier candidates and advancing them to the next hiring stage would have taken over six months to complete.

In the evolving landscape of the HR world, ATS emerges as the ultimate reality. While they may propose some challenges, gathering sufficient understanding regarding the ATScan improves your chances of landing your dream job.

If your hunt for a better job opportunity is on, then you can consider applying through Pitch N Hire's job board, where you will be presented with a diverse range of authentic job opportunities that align with your requirements.

Thank you for being a part of this newsletter edition. We hope you learned ways to craft an ATS-friendly resume so that the next time you submit your resume, it will be a strategic move, tailored not just for human eyes but also for the ever-watchful gaze of the ATS.