How to Get Past the Applicant Tracking System
Posted May 5, 2014 & filed under Job Search, Resume
When a new job opens up, the first resume is submitted about 3.5 minutes later. An average of 1,000 applications will flood the hiring manager’s inbox – Google receives 60,000 applicants each week – and make it nearly impossible for any human being to feasibly sift through them all. An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) diminishes the strain on hiring managers, but occasionally screens good candidates out of the running. So, how do you get past the ATS?
How an ATS works
An Applicant Tracking System evaluates application content and rates the overall material on a scale from 0 to 100. Depending on the hiring manager’s level of scrutiny, anywhere between 70 to 90 points is an acceptable score. Usually, those applications that pass on to the next phase in the hiring process have elements from the following criteria:
Optimized Keywords
Applicant Tracking Systems are programmed to evaluate keywords based on more than just quantity. A modern ATS measures contextualized keywords, giving more points to applications where a required skill is used in a recent position frequently.
For example, if you mentioned you used SolidWorks in your career, the ATS will skim your resume to determine whether the modeling software is used in your current job or is a forgotten relic of an old position.
Keyword Tips
• Make a list of relevant keywords included in the original job opening and emphasize those keywords in your resume if they are not already present.
• Fill your first page with contextualized keywords (Application Tracking Systems spend the most time there).
• Saturate your resume with industry-specific keywords and relevant jargon.
A Clean Layout
Any unneeded flair in a resume can lose your application in ATS limbo. Though relatively sophisticated, Applicant Tracking Systems are not equipped to handle documents that are filled with pictures, graphics, or other non-text elements. Flashy resumes like this “choke the system,” and can keep even a highly qualified candidate from ever receiving a call.
Additionally, headers and footers are often beyond the comprehension of Applicant Tracking Systems. So, if you are trying to conserve space with this slick trick, think again.
Inclusion of the Company’s Name
Companies try to eliminate spam emails off the bat by making this an essential criteria for an Applicant Tracking System. How you insert that name is up to you. Some include a brief sentence at the top of the resume while others include the company’s name in the cover letter.
Error-Free Documents
Typos, grammar errors, and syntax mistakes in a resume often disqualify a candidate outright. Sometimes, a hiring manager will overlook this mistake, but an Applicant Tracking System has an unerring eye for inconsistencies.
Always proofread your application and have someone else (with a fresh pair of eyes) look it over too. That way, you don’t lose points for simple slipups.
On a Final Note
Some job seekers run the risk of gaming Applicant Tracking Systems. They submit various resumes with subtle differences, they insert an 8 point font keyword list at the resume’s end, and they oversaturate their resume required keywords. These tactics backfire more often than they work. Hiring managers evaluate those candidates that pass the ATS and are more likely to eliminate those who made it through with shady means.
If you really want to bypass the ATS and make a direct connection, reach out to one of our recruiters today. They are in touch with a multitude of hiring managers who are looking for candidates just like you.
by James Walsh
