A Word On Applicant Tracking Systems

How can I edit my resume to make it past programs that are scanning resumes, Sylvia? It feels like most companies these days are using a program instead of reading resumes themselves.?

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Dear Anonymous,

You aren’t the only candidate worried about software rejecting your application before it even makes it into human hands.

That software is the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). It helps recruiters and companies organize job applications and ensure none fall through the cracks.

I’ve gotten a few similar questions around ATS. Here’s the short answer to your question?

• Is it possible for an ATS to automatically reject my application? The answer is yes, but…

Yes it’s true that an ATS can automatically eliminate a resume BUT it’s not for the reasons many candidates think.?

An ATS is not sifting through your resume to see if you meet five keywords from the job description and then rejecting you if your resume fails to display the magic keywords.?

What is it doing then?

The software is helping to eliminate candidates who don’t meet the basic qualifications of a position by using knock-out questions created by the recruiter. Knock-out questions are close-ended questions such as: multiple choice, yes/no, true/false. They’re not usually open-ended questions.

Let's pretend we're a company hiring for a Weekend Package Delivery Driver. Examples of basic qualifications would be ...

• Are you available to work on weekends?
• Can you drive a manual transmission?

If a candidate answered 'no' to any of the questions, the ATS in place may automatically reject the application because these are basic requirements—core to being successful in this role.

You can’t always be sure you’ve been rejected by an ATS unless you receive a rejection email seconds after submitting your resume (clearly, that’s humanly impossible).

But if you suspect you’ve been rejected by one, think back to the questions you may have been required to answer. Think about how you responded and trust that this job wasn’t a good fit for you.

On a basic level, if you want to make your resume more ATS-friendly:?

• Avoid using pictures or elaborate graphic design?
• PLEASE don’t copy the text of the job description and change the text color to white. (The worst advice the internet has ever given candidates, IMO)
• Avoid resume templates that have columns–those tend to have issues parsing your information into an ATS

Fear not, Anonymous! Put away those crazy "trick-the-ATS" resume strategies you might be tempted to try.

Continue to write your resume with the understanding that a human will be reviewing it.

Signing off,

Sylvia Torres

TL;DR

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) help recruiters and companies organize job applications and ensure none fall through the cracks. It’s not sifting through your resume to see if you meet five keywords from the job description. It’s helping to eliminate candidates who don’t meet the basic qualifications required to be successful in the role. Basic qualification questions are required close-ended questions such as: multiple choice, yes/no, true/false.

ATS-Friendly Tips

• Avoid using pictures or elaborate graphic design?
• PLEASE don’t copy the text of the job description and change the text color to white. (worst advice the internet has ever given candidates, IMO)
• Avoid resume templates that have columns–those tend to have issues parsing your information into an ATS

Continue to write your resume with the understanding that a human will be reviewing it. And if you don’t get the job, trust that it wasn’t meant for you.

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