How to Beat an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a type of software that many businesses use to simplify their employment process. It is a computerized system that filters job applications, reading their resumes for the necessary requirements and selecting which individuals to interview.

Large corporations are increasingly using these techniques to find candidates online. Your resume will be examined by an ATS if you apply for a job through an online portal. Because applicant tracking systems are automated, they can be easily beat with some modification.

To beat the ATS, it’s important to:
• Use targeted keywords from job profile.
• Use an ATS-compliant resume template.
• Use standard section headings.
• Use correct spelling and grammar.

You can no longer create resumes for human eyes alone as a job seeker. While your resume should still impress recruiters and employers, it must first pass the ATS's initial screening. You'll need the proper format, the right keywords, and the right strategy for your resume to overcome the applicant tracking system.

What is an applicant tracking system?
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a software application that helps businesses automate the hiring process. They process resumes and cover letters, as well as manage candidates.

An ATS can replace any human involvement by the company in the early phases of the employment process. Candidates submit their resume and cover letter, as well as a questionnaire in some cases, and the ATS reads each application and selects the top candidates. The hiring manager will not read your resume unless it has been flagged by the applicant tracking system (ATS). The ATS saves the organization time and effort by automatically limiting down the list of applicants to only those with the greatest resume.

At every level of the hiring process, companies use applicant tracking tools. An ATS can be used to contact candidates, arrange interviews, verify references, and more, in addition to reviewing and sorting resumes. However, from the opinion of a job seeker, the resume processing is the most important stage. When you write an ATS-compliant resume, you're building a resume that gets through the first stage of the application process.

This automated system may appear terrible to job seekers, rejecting applications without regard for the candidate behind the resume. Employers, on the other hand, value the efficiency that these systems give. A recruiting manager would be unable to read hundreds of applications manually due to lack of time. Even a team of humans cannot read hundreds of applications faster than an ATS. It only makes sense to automate the selecting process in a competitive market.

What is an ATS resume?
A resume that has been optimized for an application tracking system is known as an ATS resume. Human eyes don't see successful resumes until after the majority of candidates have been rejected. Your resume will never be seen by a live person unless it is one of the few chosen by the applicant tracking system. If you want your resume to reach the hands of the hiring manager, make sure it has the proper keywords and formatting.

The applicant tracking system (ATS) selects the most qualified candidates by reviewing each resume and cover letter and matching the content to the job description. This means that your ATS-compliant resume must be modified with the proper keywords and formatted in such a way that the ATS can read it easily. A CV containing tables, graphics, and generic information straight taken from your LinkedIn profile is unlikely to go past the ATS screen. You must have the proper qualifications, the right keywords, and the right resume structure when writing a resume to defeat the ATS.

A CV containing tables, graphics, and generic information straight taken from your LinkedIn profile is unlikely to go past the ATS screen. You must have the proper qualifications, the right keywords, and the right resume structure when writing a resume to defeat the ATS.

Customize your resume with the right keywords

The primary purpose of an ATS is to read resumes and compare their content to the job advertisement in order to find the greatest match. As a result, your resume cannot be one-size-fits-all. It must be personalized to each post for which you apply.

To do so, read the job description carefully. The job ad will include a description of all of the position's responsibilities, the credentials and experience the organization is searching for, and the abilities candidates should have. The ATS will be looking for keywords like these.
Once you've found the keywords in the job description, include them into your CV. Make sure your resume contains such keywords, and utilize the exact words as much as possible. This contains job titles, qualifications, and skills. Different organizations will have different names for similar tasks, so feel free to change your job title accordingly. Don't lie–only list the talents you truly have–but make sure you define your qualifications in the same language as the posting.

A Skills section is an excellent location to include keywords in your resume. This is the section where you can list your main skills and abilities. A Skills section, which is usually given in the form of a basic bulleted list, is a simple and well-organized method to list your skills. This might involve particular skills such as "Data Entry" or "Lead Generation," as well as tools and technology such as "JavaScript" or "Node.js." Any skills that you have that are relevant to the job offering should be included here. A Skills section is a great method to make sure you're employing all of the relevant keywords in a way that flows naturally into the resume and is easy for an ATS to understand.

However, you should not stuff your resume with the same keyword over and over again, but neither should you create hidden keywords in an invisible font. When application tracking systems were first introduced, some job applicants believed they could outwit them by including keywords in places where they did not belong. This is no longer true. If you try to deceive the ATS with keyword stuffing in your resume, it will detect it and reject your resume. Instead, naturally include all keywords into your job descriptions and skill listings.

An ATS application may also allow you to be more flexible with your resume editing. Because the ATS is a never-ending machine rather than a bored hiring manager, your resume may be as long as you need it to be as long as the proper keywords are included. If you know your resume will only be read by a computer and that you will be contacted when a genuine resume is required, you may make your resume longer than the standard one to two pages. But be careful; if a hiring manager sees this lengthy resume, they might not like it.

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