Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by most medium to large companies to screen resumes before they ever reach a human recruiter. These systems scan resumes for keywords and other criteria to determine if candidates are a good match for the position. Unfortunately, many qualified applicants are rejected by ATS before their resumes are ever seen by human eyes.

Understanding How ATS Works

ATS software parses your resume and ranks it based on how well it matches the job description. The systems look for:

• Keywords from the job description
• Job titles that match the position
• Required skills and qualifications
• Industry-specific terminology

Optimizing Your Resume for ATS

Follow these strategies to ensure your resume makes it through ATS screening:

• Use standard section headings: 'Work Experience' instead of 'Where I've Worked'
• Incorporate keywords: Carefully review the job description and include relevant terms
• Avoid graphics and tables: Many ATS can't read information in these formats
• Use a simple format: Stick to traditional fonts and avoid columns
• Include full acronyms: 'Search Engine Optimization (SEO)' instead of just 'SEO'

Common ATS Pitfalls to Avoid

These mistakes can cause your resume to be rejected by ATS:

• Submitting your resume as a PDF (unless specified)
• Using headers and footers for important information
• Including text in images or graphics
• Using unusual file names like 'Resume_Final_v3.pdf'