A quick review of listings seeking help with resume preparation on sites like Upwork and Fiver, as well as the offerings found on the websites of professional resume preparers, all seem to reflect a common theme. Job applicants are finally starting to realize the importance of having “ATS-friendly” resumes and cover letters when applying for positions online. Is this just a new marketing buzzword used by the sellers of resume preparation services, or is there a real need behind the term? What exactly does “ATS-friendly” (or sometimes “ATS-compliant”) mean?
What is an ATS?
The abbreviation “ATS” refers to “Applicant Tracking System” software. While you have probably heard the term, you may not be aware that its use is not new. Some variants of these applications have been around for decades, although newer ones are much more robust, accurate, and capable of serving as enterprise-wide systems. As the use of the Internet for posting job openings skyrocketed, it resulted in an exponential increase in the number of applications received, all of which required review and processing. However, at the same time, human resource (HR) departments experienced staffing reductions to cut costs, resulting in the need for an automated, computerized solution.
At its core, an ATS allows HR departments to efficiently manage and process the thousands of online applications received for their firm’s job postings. Online applications and resumes are no longer individually read by human HR analysts but instead electronically scanned by ATS software. The software looks at each applicant’s materials for keywords and phrases selected by the HR department, typically those consistent with the posting or job description. This information is stored in the ATS database, enabling an HR analyst or hiring manager to filter the applicant pool and identify those who appear to be the best fit for the position, and therefore, the ones who should be interviewed.
The Gatekeeper is a Machine
Whereas once an applicant just had to get past the HR person to secure an interview, now, the ATS is the gatekeeper. Even if you are an excellent match for the position, if the ATS cannot find the content it is looking for in your resume, application, or cover letter, the information about you stored in its database will not reflect this. Once the filters are set by HR and the system is queried for the best applicants, your name will be at the bottom of the list. Or worse yet, it won’t appear at all. Obviously, that’s a problem.
So What Can I Do?
First, lose the outdated notion that a resume is a “once-size-fits-all” commodity. Unless you are applying for exactly the same type of position with job postings that read almost exactly the same, odds are you are setting yourself up for failure right from the start.
Each job posting likely has a somewhat different set of specific experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities sought by the employer. This difference means that the ATS for each employer is programmed to look for specific items for their listed job. Submitting a resume or cover letter simply filled with generic terms and phrases will probably miss many important sought-after attributes, resulting in a low probability of scoring well.
Although tweaking your resume and cover letter a bit for each separate job posting is admittedly time-consuming, it is the only realistic way to try and ensure the ATS rates you as a candidate worthy of an interview.
Use the Right Words
Next, be sure your application materials include verbiage the ATS is programmed to look for with the particular job posting. How do you know what it wants? While it is impossible to know for sure, your best clues are the terms, phrases, and other information found in the posting or job description.
For example, if the job listing reads, “Must be highly proficient with Microsoft Excel,” do not write that you are “experienced with spreadsheets.” If the ATS is specifically looking for the words “Microsoft Excel” and your materials omit them, you will not look like a good fit based on that requirement.
Unlike a human, an ATS cannot get the gist of what you are saying or understand when two things are essentially the same. If the job posting for a supervisory position requires previous experience conducting “employee performance reviews” and your resume states that you conducted “employee appraisals,” the ATS may not know they are the same thing. Similarly, watch for abbreviations. If the job posting requires you to be “certified by the American Association of Professional Couch Potatoes,” and your resume indicates you have “AAPCP certification,” the ATS may score you as not meeting that requirement.
Avoid Non-Standard Section Headings
Some applicants try getting creative and use section headings such as “My Professional Journey” rather than simply “Work History” or “Employment.” Is that a problem? Yes, it can be. If the ATS is set up to look for a typical section heading such as “Education” and you used a non-standard term such as “Scholarly Preparation,” your required educational information could be missed.
Your Resume is not an Art Project
The trend lately is to use online graphic design platforms like Canva and others to create colorful and eye-catching resumes. Some applicants may even include headshot photos on their resumes (see my post on why this is a bad idea!). Although your friends may have impressive graphical (aka visual) resumes, don’t follow their lead. Why?
The main reason to avoid graphical resumes is that some of the older applicant tracking systems still used by corporate HR departments cannot read them accurately. According to an article on LinkedIn regarding visual resumes and ATS, “These systems are unable to scan graphics and may have a hard time picking up the necessary information from your visual resume.” The website Jobscan advises, “Many job seekers want their resumes to look visually appealing. This might seem like a good idea, but graphic design elements can confuse the ATS. Your best bet is to stick to a simple design that’s easy to read.”
Note that since most ATS software is designed to scan text-based documents that utilize standard, non-fancy fonts, that plain-looking resume may not win an art award, but it is more likely to be accurately read. Save that artsy resume for later after you have made it past the ATS gatekeeper and are ready to email it for an upcoming online interview or hand it out during an in-person interview.
Use a Service?
While I have not personally used them and cannot attest to their accuracy, services such as Jobscan appear to offer both paid and free subscriptions for resume scanning to determine how an ATS might score your resume against your particular job posting. I mention it here merely as a possible resource for you to check out.
Next Steps
Based on all the above, you may have some homework to do to make your resume and other materials more ATS-friendly. While extra work is involved, you may just find you have better success getting through the ATS gatekeepers, along with more invitations for job interviews!
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