ATS, or applicant tracking systems, are utilized by companies to help with the management of the hiring process for a variety of roles. These platforms assist recruiters and other staff in tracking applicants’ status vis-a-vis the hiring process, often with interviewer notes, and keep all relevant candidate information in a centralized database.
More advanced systems also utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning to scan resumes, which is why optimizing your resume for ATS is critical. This is especially true if you’re applying to a large company; at scale, it’s difficult for any HR department to track applicants for jobs with dozens or even hundreds of candidates. Knowing how to optimize your resume to pass the ATS scan and get in front of human eyes is important.
What is an ATS?
An ATS is a platform, often subscription-based, that helps companies keep track of job candidates. More advanced ATS will also scan resumes for keywords associated with the role.
For example, if you are applying to a front-end developer job, the company you’re applying to may have its ATS scan for terms like “Figma” or “CSS.” Some systems can even help correlate experience level to the skillset employers are looking for.
ATS are helpful for recruiters and hiring managers who don’t have time to review hundreds of resumes. An ATS platform is also a relatively simple tool, and only as good as the keywords and phrases humans asked it to track.
Why is ATS resume optimization important?
When applying for jobs, your goal is to speak to a human (i.e., land an interview), and you must get past the machine-based screening first. Optimizing your resume for ATS helps transform the machine-scanning portion of the job application process into a rubber-stamp affair.
Keep in mind that some flavors of ATS will also “score” your resume based on how much you optimize it. “A good resume score depends on the ATS used and its configuration,” says Ana Colak-Fustin, co-founder of ByRecruiters. “Different ATS systems use various scoring methods. Some assign percentages (ranging from 0 to 100 percent) when comparing resumes to job descriptions, while others use scales of 0 to 5 or 0 to 10. This score reflects the ‘matching’ rate between the two documents, with a higher rating indicating a better match.”
Meanwhile, some ATS do not score resumes. “Instead, they evaluate responses to ‘killer questions,’” Colak-Fustin adds. “For instance, when applying for a job, answering questions about your qualifications, experience, and legal eligibility to work in the job location may be scored against the ideal answers.”
Understanding how ATS works
Here’s a quick breakdown of how ATS actually works:
Keyword optimization
The experts we queried advise tech professionals to remember that employers are looking for more than people to write code or build out a tech stack; they also want good people who are team players. To that end, you’ll want to mimic the words and phrases found in the original job posting in your resume, right down to the soft skills.
“In crafting a tech resume for an ATS, consider including standout keywords associated with cutting-edge programming languages which portray you as the ideal candidate,” notes Derek Bruce, HR & Operations Director at First Aid at Work Course. “It's also imperative to include terms spicing up your application’s appeal with soft skills: phrases like ‘team player,’ ‘detail-oriented,’ and ‘critical thinker’—all characteristic traits treasured by employers.”
“Knowing that ATS matches your resume against the specific job you applied for, it’s clear that no keyword will be effective across all available tech jobs,” says Colak-Fustin. “Technically, there are no universally ‘excellent’ ATS keywords.”
That being said, “specific soft skills are desirable for most jobs in tech, such as collaboration, communication, time management, stakeholder management, and risk management. Using them as keywords in your resume is a great starting point,” Colak-Fustin adds. “To take it further, incorporate job-specific keywords to highlight your hard skills. Always use a job description as your roadmap to identify the best keywords.”
Formatting and Structure
Remember, a machine is “reading” your resume first, so you’ll want to keep yours simple. Avoid fussy fonts, background colors, images, and graphics. Your best bet for passing ATS is to keep your resume structured and your skills and accomplishments listed in a bulleted format.
Tips for Mastering ATS Resume Optimization
Ready to optimize your resume for ATS? Consider these tips:
Use an ATS-Friendly Resume Template
“The most ATS-friendly resume format is the one that is easy to scan and read,” notes Colak-Fustin. “This means that ATS-friendly resumes shouldn’t have any advanced graphic elements, including tables, fancy fonts, or photos, especially ones that interfere with content. Plus, it should be in a universal, easy-to-read format like PDF.”
To ensure your resume format is 100 percent compatible with ATS, opt for a minimalist, professional design. Save it as a PDF.
Bruce adds: “The most ATS-friendly resume template combines chronological and functional layouts; it integrates your professional history with the skills relevant to the job you're targeting. It presents your work experience in reverse chronological order—a straightforward layout that ATS systems effortlessly scan.”
Tailor your Resume for Each Job
“One of the most impactful strategies for ensuring CV success in ATS screening is customization,” Erik Pham, a member of the Forbes Business Council, tells Dice. “Job applicants should tailor their CVs to address the specifics outlined in the job description directly. Highlighting relevant experiences, skills, and achievements that directly align with the job requirements increases the likelihood of passing through ATS filters.”
By emphasizing the unique aspects of their background that match the position, applicants can demonstrate a genuine interest in and suitability for the role, Pham added. “This tailored approach improves ATS compatibility and makes a compelling case to human recruiters.”
Get a Professional Evaluation
If you upload your resume to Dice, you’ll see a prompt to get your free evaluation from TopResume, which can help ensure your resume is formatted correctly for an ATS.
Here are some additional tips:
- When writing your resume, make sure to include relevant keywords throughout the document. ATS systems scan resumes for specific keywords, so including the right ones can help your resume get noticed.
- To identify the right keywords, carefully review the job description and incorporate terms that match your skills and experience.
- It's important to strike a balance between keyword optimization and natural language. Your resume should be both ATS-friendly and engaging for human readers.
Use Keywords in Context
Keyword stuffing is a bad look for resumes. Adding job post keywords to your resume without context may raise alarm bells with an ATS platform.
Don’t simply stuff job post keywords into the “skills” section on your resume. Instead, the best path forward is to list them in your skills section, then break down your use of them in greater detail in the experience section.
An ATS system may be scanning for keyword volume, too. If a front-end web developer only mentions HTML once in their resume, for example, it may not pass ATS screening.
Avoid Using Headers and Footers
All experts we spoke to note that headers and footers can confuse ATS platforms. While these features are great for creating documents, they are universally frowned upon for resumes. “Ensure clear contact information; avoid headers and footers, as they may confuse ATS scanners,” Bruce notes.
Headers and footers may cause formatting issues when converting your resume to PDF format, too. Simply put, headers and footers are a risk factor for resumes, so avoid them. If you feel you need to have notes attached to your resume, chances are the resume itself is a bit too complicated and needs to be worded differently.
Proofread Your Resume
A human reading a resume might read “JavaScrit” and know you meant “JavaScript.” An ATS system doesn’t operate on such logic; it only knows “JavaScrit” isn’t a keyword it’s looking for, so you may be rejected.
Proofread your resume for clarity, spelling errors, and context.
Conclusion
Our tips and tricks will help your resume get more human eyes on it. That’s the goal. An ATS can’t have discussions with you about all the great things you’ve done in your career, so getting past the machine to speak to a human is your ultimate aim.
