What is an Applicant Tracking System and how does it affect you?

Getting your resume past the gatekeepers to get an interview is a top priority if you are job-seeking. In the past, that just meant crafting a well-written resume that described your experience, skills, and accomplishments. It used to be that as long as the resume and the cover letter stood out, that would be enough to land an interview.

Now, most resumes have to go through an applicant tracking system before approval. Applicant tracking systems, or ATS, are the new gatekeepers of the resumes that come into an organization. If you aren’t up to date with your knowledge of ATS, there is a chance your resume won’t get the attention it should. We’ll dive into the nuts and bolts of applicant tracking systems and how they work so that you will be prepared to secure the interview you want.

With Ladders, you can actually upload your resume and have it scanned by an ATS, so you can see how it treats your resume and its formatting. You can also have your resume matched to any job description to see how many keywords match and how many you are missing.

What is an Applicant Tracking System?

An applicant tracking system is a sophisticated software program that assists the HR team. Hiring managers utilize an ATS to streamline the application and hiring process. In fact, the ATS is instrumental in all aspects of hiring, including recruitment, resume analysis, and scheduling interviews.

With the power of an ATS, hiring managers can move from job listing to role fulfillment much more quickly than in times past. However, it may not always be as effective as job seekers would like. ATSs take the place of human eyes on your resume in the initial stages. So, without an optimized-for-ATS resume, you could get overlooked.

Not all applicant tracking systems are the same. There is a long list of capabilities that the software can do, but not all will have the same features. Here is a list of some of the specific tasks of an ATS:

• Stores critical job candidate information, making it easier to access and organize material like cover letters, resumes, references, and so on.
• Monitors application status from the beginning to the end of the hiring process.
• Filters out unqualified candidates using information such as keywords, important skills, and job titles.
• Recommends the best job applicant for the position based on the parameters and data input by HR. Only applicants who make it through this step will move to the next phase of the hiring process.
• Uses automation to complete routine administrative tasks, saving HR managers substantial time. Some of the tasks that are automated include screening applicants, reviewing resumes, scheduling interviews, and sending email notifications to job candidates and employees.

How do Applicant Tracking Systems work?

Although applicant tracking systems have a range of capabilities and functionalities, the main processes and/or steps are similar:

How does an ATS work for hiring managers?

• A hiring manager begins with a job order. Relevant information is inputted into the ATS, like job title, parameters of the position, desired or necessary skills, educational requirements, and required work experience.
• The ATS develops a profile for the ideal job candidate based on this information.
• Once applications and resumes come into the ATS, it allows hiring managers to efficiently identify qualified candidates.
• The hiring process is simplified and sped up for HR teams.

How does an ATS work for the job candidate?

• Once an applicant submits his or her job application and/or resume, the ATS will scan the information and analyze it for keywords, job titles, and skills.
• ATSs takes the resume data and converts it to searchable content that is easy for the system to scan and understand.
• After the resume is reduced to its critical information, the ATS can see if it fits the employer’s criteria.
• Some resumes will be automatically rejected based on the answers to certain application questions. These are referred to as knockout questions because they “knock” the applicant out of the running. An example of this type of question would be, “do you have an X certificate?” Applicants who don’t possess the certificate would be disqualified or, at the minimum, flagged for elimination.
• An ATS may also have parameters set by the HR manager that can help further cull the applicants. If an application meets the parameters set, it moves to the next phase. If not, the candidate is eliminated.
• Some applicant tracking systems will review your resume for how closely it matches the “ideal” candidate profile. It then gives the resume a score. If the score is high enough, a hiring manager will review it.

As you can see, many resumes are eliminated before a single human looks at them.

Who uses Applicant Tracking Systems?

Almost all top Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking systems to facilitate a quick and efficient hiring process. Most large companies and even smaller ones will use some form of ATS.

The ATS functionality may vary depending on the size of the company. However, you will most likely be dealing with applicant tracking systems when applying for a job.

Optimizing your resume for ATSs

Since applicant tracking systems are so widely used, optimizing your resume is vital for making it through the ATS to the next stage of the process. Applicant tracking systems rely on automated software and AI to determine which resumes to push forward and which ones to toss out.

Since ATSs scan resumes for particular keywords, job titles, and other requirements, you could get removed because you failed to use the appropriate wording.

Applicant Tracking Systems are not 100 percent accurate because they rely on technology, not a person who would be able to determine context. These factors make it essential to optimize your resume for these systems. Creating a well-written resume that includes relevant keywords is a start to getting past the ATS.

It’s also helpful to review the job description thoroughly for clues as to what parameters and keywords might be used for the ATS.

If a job title, degree, certificate, or company has an abbreviated form, use both the long-form version and the acronym to ensure the best search results.

Next steps: Resume building

Seek a professional’s help with building your resume by reaching out to The Ladders. We will help ensure your resume doesn’t get overlooked due to an Applicant Tracking System. With an optimized resume, you have a far better chance of landing the interviews you want.