Navigating Applicant Tracking Systems

What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

Many companies streamline the hiring process by using applicant tracking system (ATS) software to collect, organize, and analyze job applications. These systems scan resume content, search for keywords/phrases predefined by the hiring manager, and filter only strong matches into the hands of human recruiters. To enhance your chances of securing an interview, you’ll want to optimize the formatting and content of your resume for ATS software. Here are some essential guidelines:

Meet the Core Job Requirements and Tailor Each Resume Submission

• Start by reviewing the job description for relevant hard/technical skill and soft/transferable skill keywords. Then match them to your qualifications as you curate and refine your resume sections and bullet points.
• While it’s acceptable to aim for roles that are slightly beyond your current experience, applying for positions for which you lack fundamental qualifications can lead to automatic rejection by the ATS. Choose roles that align closely with your skills and experience and customize your resume for each job application.
• Submitting applications for multiple or very different roles within the same organization can signal a lack of focus. ATS software allows recruiters to see all the positions you’ve applied for, and applying indiscriminately can diminish your perceived suitability for any single role. Concentrate on the position that best matches your career goals and qualifications.

Incorporate Relevant Keywords

• ATS algorithms scan for frequency of specific keywords that match the job description. For example, if the job description asks for leadership experience, use that phrase on your resume rather than simply listing your leadership roles and expecting them to be recognized as leadership experience.
• Some ATSs can even evaluate context, so be sure to integrate keywords and phrases naturally throughout your resume. For example, rather than only listing “management” in a Skills section, provide context for that skill in your Work Experience section (e.g., “Managed a team of five executive board members”). (Note: The human who eventually sees your resume will want to know how your accomplishments are unique to YOU, and providing context on how you used a skill and what the results were is very important.)
• Avoid “keyword stuffing,” which is the practice of overloading your resume with terms in an attempt to manipulate the ATS. This can lead to your application being flagged as spam.
• Remember to spell out designations such as Certified Nursing Assistant, but also include the acronym (CNA) as well, to make sure the ATS finds what it is looking for.
• Don’t forget that keywords may include the job title itself, lab skills, languages, software programs, industry terms, methodologies, certifications, licenses, and other specialized knowledge, and keywords may be included in other sections, such as your Professional Summary or Volunteer Experience sections, not just Work Experience and Skills sections. This targeted approach demonstrates your suitability for the role and increases your resume’s chances of passing through the ATS filters.

Use Standard Formatting

• Maintain a clean, consistent, and straightforward resume format such as chronological or hybrid chronological/functional. (Resumes in purely functional format can make it hard for the ATS to know how to sort different sections of text when there isn’t a clear work history to draw from.)
• Avoid margins narrower than half an inch, complex layouts, graphics, tables, text boxes, symbols, icons, logos, columns, headers/footers, hyperlinks, and nonstandard fonts, as these can confuse ATS software. (Standard fonts include Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, Garamond, Helvetica, and Verdana.)
• Many ATSs cannot properly read and parse information stored in the header and footer sections of a Word document, so place important contact details (such as your name, phone number, and email address) outside the header or footer of your resume.
• While your resume can have more than one page, recruiters may prioritize what they see first. Ensure that your most critical qualifications/skills and accomplishments appear on the first page, that page numbers are not part of any footer, and that formatting (date format, font, header styles, etc.) is consistent across pages.
• Like humans, ATSs read left to right, so using columns on your resume might lead the software to read the information straight across, rather than going from top to bottom in one column before proceeding to the next column.
• Using conventional section headings such as “Work Experience,” “Education,” and “Skills” can help ensure that the system accurately parses your information.
• PROOFREAD your resume for grammar and spelling errors, as the ATS may reject a resume with too many errors.

Use Standard File Formats and Naming Conventions

• Submit your resume in the format specified in the job posting. If one is not specified, submit it as a Word file (.docx) or a simple PDF (.pdf) file.
• Ensure that your file name is professional and includes your name, for example, “Jane_Smith_Resume.docx.”

Verify That Your Resume Is ATS-Friendly

• To verify that your resume is ATS-friendly, copy the entire content of the resume and paste it into a plain-text document and review the results. If the plain-text version has misplaced words or sections, is missing details from your original resume, or has characters saved incorrectly, you will need to continue editing it to make it ATS compliant.
• There are also numerous free generative AI services that can evaluate your resume for ATS compliance and optimization.