An ATS-compliant resume is a document created in a way that lets the applicant tracking system ‘parse’ (resolve a sentence or information into its component parts) the application with ease. The formatting is simple and easy to scan. ATS-friendly resumes also contain keywords that match the job ads and highlight relevant work experience and professional skills.
An ATS is a tool for recruiters, so why should you bother?
If your resume doesn’t fit well with tracking systems, it will never get through to the human recruiter.
But how does ATS work?
The ATS scores candidates’ resumes according to certain preset criteria and shows the recruiter which candidates are the best fit for the advertised position.
The ATS must be able to parse your resume. If the content of your resume is ATS friendly but the template isn’t parsable, your resume will fail the ATS scan anyway.
Why is ATS important and why do so many firms use ATS?
According to research, 83% of customers using ATS software said they are likely to recommend it to other professionals.
And 95% of professionals say that ATS has improved their company for two main reasons:
Using ATS is very productive for companies because:
The system narrows down the flood of applications, saving them time and resources.
Instead of going through stacks of paper, the online system keeps things organized.
The system is also non-discriminatory, which means it does not take into account factors such as age, gender, or race.
At the end of the day, machines can’t be biased.
Everything you need to know and more about Applicant Tracking Systems.
First, the system creates a job posting for the company.
It then publishes this posting to company websites, job boards, hiring platforms, or email.
Once an application for the job comes in, the system scans it.
The ATS divides the resume into the different resume sections:
- work experience
- Education,
- Skills,
- Languages
- Certifications, etc.
The best executive resume writing service is crucial in making sure everything is dealt with correctly.
It then searches for specific keywords and qualifications to see whether you match the job description or not.
In order to understand how an applicant tracking system works, it’s helpful to know what ATS software is and why so many companies rely heavily on it.
Applicant tracking systems are a form of software used by HR departments to simplify the hiring process. They are programmed and equipped to pre-screen candidates before their resumes ever make it to a corporate recruiter. These systems can handle thousands of resumes, sort through and organize them, and bring the best and brightest to the top of the list of people to interview.
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The key reason ATS is used
To Easily Narrow Down the Applicant Pool:
Job search engines have made it easier than ever to submit a resume to a company. Some websites allow applicants to apply with as little as one click.
When a job listing is posted online, it’s easy for recruiters to be overwhelmed by the number of applications submitted. Hiring managers may not have the time or the means to look over each one, especially considering how many unqualified candidates must first be weeded out before they can even begin to stack the competitive resumes against each other. An ATS narrows down the applicant pool by instantly eliminating the obviously underqualified candidates.
To Save Time and Money in the Business:
While some recruiters still prefer to glance over every application that comes through, applicant tracking systems can save a business significant time and money on the hiring process by quickly reducing the size of the applicant pool and determining the top candidates.
To Be Compliant With the Internet Applicant Rule:
ATS are an easy way to stay compliant with the Internet Applicant Recordkeeping Rule, which covers strict record keeping of employees recruited through electronic means. ATSs store this information and make the reporting process much easier.
When you upload your CV or resume to an ATS, it is typically ‘parsed’ into the system. Parsing means your CV is read, pulled apart, and important information such as your work history, qualifications, keywords, and contact details is recognised and stored appropriately in its candidate database.
Once your details are saved in the database, recruiters and HR people can then easily search it to find suitable candidates for jobs (both current and future) that they are seeking to fill.
How to do a compliance test for an ATS resume.
ATS compliance means that a CV will be parsed correctly by the majority of ATS systems and its content will be allocated correctly within the database. If a CV is not ATS compliant, it may not be found in the system. Your CV may look fabulous, but if a recruiter can’t find it, it’s useless.
How to ensure ATS compliance?
Career Ladder’s resume writing service has been tested and fine tuned thoroughly with all available systems, so we know that content will be parsed and CV content allocated correctly in the databases of the chosen systems.
Using appropriate key words and making the resume parse-friendly will mean that your resume has ATS compliance.
How Do Applicant Tracking Systems Work?
At this point, you’re probably wondering how an applicant tracking system works and how it’s able to accomplish all of these remarkable feats. To answer this question, an ATS streamlines the hiring process by helping recruiters create job postings, publishing them to company websites and job boards, screening applicants, tracking their status, storing their information, and simplifying the final steps of the hiring process when an offer is extended.
Streamlined hiring features can include:
- Candidate sourcing
- Resume storage
- Resume parsing
- Filters
- Keyword search
- Applicant communication
- Job posting distribution
- Automated email customization.
- Sourcing the Right Candidates
Once a recruiter has made the decision to hire, the first step in the process is to track down the most qualified candidates. An ATS makes it simple to post and distribute job openings in the right places so that you can attract people with the skills you’re looking for. ATS software allows you to do this on company websites, job boards, and through various email marketing means.
As job postings are generated, we create a detailed listing that will help your ATS better match you with employers who fit the job description. If you fail to explain specifically what kind of job you want, you risk being drawn to the wrong profile.
That’s why ATS requires candidates to answer a series of elimination questions, which immediately deletes anyone who does not fit. These questions can require a short answer or checkbox response, and if the applicant doesn’t provide satisfactory responses, the ATS will flag and reject the application. Conversely, answers that align desirably with company needs will move onto the next step of the recruitment process.
To conclude, an applicant tracking system (ATS) is a valuable recruiting tool that helps hiring managers and corporate recruiters sort through hundreds of applicant resumes to find the top qualified candidates. It does so by storing, ranking, and scoring resumes based on keywords, relevant job titles, formatting, and other factors, depending on the system. Having your resume made ATS compatible is an important step in your job search.
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