Your Resume + ATS Software
Photo by Bram Naus
Have you applied to a job by uploading your resume into a company's application system and then become immediately frustrated because the application fields aren't filled in correctly? For example, some boxes are blank and others have your title in the company line.
Why do they make you take the time to upload your resume AND have all the fields filled in correctly? It's endlessly frustrating and I wish someone would figure out how to make the process less painful and time consuming for candidates!
You're asked to do this because companies small to large use Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software to hold and search the resumes they receive. Many now have AI capabilities.
Unfortunately, there's not one resume style that can parse 100% correctly into all ATS software. In addition to the more well-known software systems like Workday, SuccessFactors, iCIMS, and Greenhouse, there are hundreds to thousands of proprietary and niche platforms available. Therefore, it's impossible to create a one-size-fits-all resume.
Should I use an ATS resume checker to see if my resume is compatible with these systems?
There are companies out there like Jobscan and MyPerfectResume that have such tools. While it can be a good metric, don't assume that it's knowledgable about how your resume will parse for all the hundreds to thousands of ATS systems out there. You may try asking an AI like ChatGPT this question to see what answers it gives you, and may even be able to ask if it will parse well into a specific ATS software if you know the name of it. Hint: you can often find the software company name in the URL of the application site.
How can you make your resume ATS-friendly?
Use a Word document or PDF.
Use a traditional reverse chronological style, not a functional style.
Use standard fonts like Sans Serif. Don't use fancy formatting with tables, images, or graphics.
Use keywords that match the job posting (only those that apply to you).
Important! As you check the fields of the application system to copy/paste the correct information into the boxes that did not parse correctly, do not write "see resume" in a text box where it asks for your job responsibilities! You won't be found when they're searching the database for candidates with certain skills.
Words of caution
Don't get so focused on optimizing for an ATS that you forget that humans will also be reading your resume. Your goal is to get into the ATS so you can be considered for a job. But it's the human who hires, so you need to satisfy both the computer and person.
When I used an ATS in my recruiting company ServingTalent from 2015-2019, it was built on Salesforce. I thought it would parse well and we'd be able to conduct accurate searches. That wasn't the case. We would remember inputting a resume into our database of a person that had particular skills and then not be able to find them again when an appropriate job came up. So it was frustrating on the company side as well.
Why am I telling you this? Because ATS software is far from perfect. Connections are still going to be your most powerful way to get in the door. Either before or after you apply, find a person to connect with in the company to have a conversation. The purpose is not to shove your resume in their face and ask if you're a good candidate for a role, but to ask about their career path or the organizational culture. That's how you start a conversation that could turn into an interview, which could turn into a job offer.