How to Make Applicant Tracking Systems Work for You

[TheWorldNewsOrg]

Applicant tracking systems are used by employers to manage job openings. However, according to CIO magazine, these systems discard approximately 75% of submitted resumes for a variety of (what would seem to be) inconsequential reasons.  For example, if you incorporate the “wrong word or phrase” or format incorrectly, your resume may not be selected for review.

You may be a perfect match for a job, but if you do not understand how these systems work, your resume stands a good chance of being passed over.  The best offense is knowledge. 

To ensure that qualified applicants are not filtered out, there are a few things that the savvy job seeker should know:

1. An applicant tracking system is a software program that stores and organizes resumes, allowing recruiters to screen, sort, track, and rank all the resumes they receive. The system contains database fields for the applicant’s name, contact information, work experience, job titles, education, employer names, and periods of employment. The system then tries to assign the desired data on the resume with the fields in the software.

2. For each job opening, the employer searches these data fields for the key words/phrases associated with the position by entering specific keywords into the ATS. If your resume doesn’t contain these specific keywords, it will likely be filtered out and placed in the “rejection pile”, which will in turn generate an automated generic rejection email to the applicant.

3. ATS uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, which simply means that your resume is scanned into the software so that it becomes searchable. During the conversion process, words and letters are sometimes left blank if the program has problems matching the expected information with the fields in which that specific data is stored. ATS has problems, for example, with extracting data from text boxes and tables.

4. ATS is designed to rank resumes in a variety of ways. Sometimes, for example, high rankings will be based  on the frequency that the keywords and phrases programmed for the job opening  appear, as this is perceived as an indication of how well matched the resume is to the job requirements.

5. Hiring managers and recruiters rarely see the actual resume until you are invited in for an actual interview. Instead, they typically see a screen view of the information in the database that the ATS has pulled from the resume.

Tips on How to Optimize Your Resume for an Applicant Tracking System: 

1. Copy and paste the job ad into Wordle.net or Tagcrowd.com to generate a tag cloud of the ad to identify the core keywords. Make sure that those keywords are on your resume or application.

2. Use language found in the job description – As you are customizing your resume, look through the job listing/posting to determine the skills and competencies that are required.  Identify industry terms, buzzwords and jargon that have been used most frequently in the description.  Then put these key words and phrases (plus their acronyms, if applicable) into your resume.  Put some thought into this process.  Do not needlessly repeat keywords and jargon.  Even though the system may select your resume, the actual recruiter who reads it later may frown on any repetitive, nonsensical use of these words.  

3.    Unless specified, do not send your resume as a PDF file, and do not include textboxes, tables or graphics. Use .RTF or .DOC (i.e. Word) file types.  PDF documents are easily misread.  

4.    Avoid the use of tables and graphs.  They are not read the same way by many of these systems as people read them.  Instead of reading a table from left to right, an applicant tracking system reads it up and down.  

5.    Call your work experience, "Work Experience": Sometimes job seekers refer to their work experience on their resume as their "Professional Experience" or "Career Achievements" (or some other variation on that theme). People get very creative on their resume because they think it will help them stand out, but in fact it hurts them, often the computer will completely skip over your work experience because you didn't label it as such."

6. Don't start your work experience with dates: To ensure applicant tracking systems read and import your work experience properly, always start it with your employer's name, followed by your title, followed by the dates you held that title. (Each can run on its own line). Never start your work experience with the dates you held certain positions. Applicant tracking systems are programmed to read company name first, so have your job tenure after the company name and position held

7. Avoid functional resumes. Functional resumes are very difficult for parsing technology to read and recommends using the more traditional chronological format for optimal results.

8. Submit a longer resume – With an applicant tracking system, the resume length does not matter as much as it might with a recruiter.  The system will scan any resume, regardless of its length.  Submitting a longer resume will allow you to pack in more relevant (key word being “relevant”) experience and keywords/phrases that could increase your chances of ranking higher in the system.  However, be forewarned, creating a resume that is “too long” may negate it with a recruiter who is looking for stability in their applicants.

9. Spell check, spell check, and then spell check again – An applicant tracking system will skip keywords that are misspelled.

10. Save your resume with a relatable name – You want to save your resume with a file name that is useful and meaningful to the recruiter (not to you).  You want the person to find your resume quickly and easily, and you want to make it very clear what the resume is for.  So, for example, include your name (last name at minimum) plus the word “resume” and the title from the listing.  

11. Fill out all fields the company asks you to fill out (accurately). Some ATS applications will take you thirty minutes to an hour to complete. Job seekers will skip filling out all the information like references and exact dates of employment. Why? It requires research. HUGE mistake. Even if you get the interview and the job offer, any false information found on your application is grounds for immediate termination. The sad part is the reason this happens is because many don't take the time to make sure their application process is flawless.

Most experts agree that applicant tracking systems are flawed, but approximately 50-75% of employers do rely on them to screen resumes.  They save time by performing the initial screening of submitted resumes.  So even if some perfectly qualified candidates are thrown out, these systems give recruiters and hiring managers a better, more manageable starting point. 

However, you need to walk a fine line.  The applicant tracking system will categorize the resumes for consideration, so you need to format your resume correctly.  Remember, though, if your resume is passed on for review, a human will actually read it.  Therefore, you need to create a resume that both passes the muster with the system, but does not offend (and in any way turn off) the actual recruiter.  

 

 

Tips on Job Applications and Mistakes to Avoid

Take the time to carefully complete every application you fill out to be sure the information is accurate, your dates and job descriptions are correct, and there are no spelling or grammatical errors.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid and tips for improvements:

Skimming the instructions and missing the real intent of application questions. Read carefully and don't rush. After all, who wants an employee who doesn't follow directions?

Writing "see attached" to avoid filling in material on applications. Many employers will screen primarily on the application itself so fill in all the blanks even if the information is duplicated on an attached resume.

Supplying generic statements about your skills or experiences. Instead, highlight and front load the skills and experiences most relevant to your target job.

Fabricating or exaggerating your qualifications. Dishonesty and fabricated information are grounds for immediate dismissal so avoid the temptation to make up or puff up your credentials.

Submitting your application to the wrong person or department. Make sure you direct your application to the individual or department referenced in the ad or online. You might also email other contacts you have at the company. For example: "I thought you might want to see the materials which I submitted to HR given our helpful informational meeting last week."

Spelling or grammatical errors. Copy and paste online descriptions into a spelling and grammar checker like Word first. Then put your finger on every word and make sure it is spelled correctly. Read your document out loud to check for grammatical errors and, when possible, have another set of eyes review your document before submission.

Writing descriptions that don't include accomplishments. Even though the application says job description, take that to mean a description of how you added value as opposed to a bland list of duties.

Neglecting to explain job gaps. If you have legitimate reasons for gaps in employment, find a way to explain why you were out of work such as "I left in good standing to care for my newborn baby or a terminally ill parent." Or “Left to return to school and completed my AA degree, certificate, etc…”.

Listing an unprofessional sounding email address. Set up a separate email account for job related purposes that doesn't include anything like partygirl@yahoo.com.

Have an updated version of your resume ready to upload if needed. You may also need a cover letter to apply for some jobs.  Some sites let you upload an existing resume from Microsoft Word on your computer with the click of a button. On other sites, you may need to copy and paste from your resume into an online profile or use a resume builder that is incorporated into the job application system.

Apply direct at the company web site whenever possible, even if you find the listing elsewhere. Your application will go directly into the company's applicant tracking system and you'll be able to monitor its progress.

Don't just wait for a response, check LinkedIn for contacts you may have at the company, ask for a referral or an introduction, if a contact person is listed in the job posting follow up.

http://www.right.com/blog/careerpluswork/2013/how-to-make-applicant-tracking-systems-work-for-you/

Tips on Job Applications and Mistakes to Avoid.docx