You Can’t Beat the Automated Tracking Systems (But You Don’t Need to Anyway)
Today, I want to demystify the single biggest misconception about the job search that career coaches hear day in and day out: the role that Automated Tracking Systems (ATS) play as gatekeepers of the application process.
For those of you who haven’t heard the term, an ATS is a software platform used by recruiters and employers to track candidates throughout the hiring process. About 70% of large companies and 74% of recruiters use ATS to manage the flow of applications. Many job seekers mistakenly believe that ATS somehow weed out resumes on their own, preventing applications from ever being seen by human eyes. Nefarious companies have blossomed to help candidates ‘beat the ATS,’ charging loads of money in the process. Viral techniques have blazed across the internet - suggesting that if you just load as many key words as possible into your documents or hide them in white font on a white background, you’ll manage to sneak by. (Key words ARE important, but for very different reasons….) These strategies not only don’t work, but they can backfire stupendously by making you seem untrustworthy or lacking in confidence about your abilities.
So here’s the deal: it’s not the ATS system that’s keeping your resume from being reviewed or moved along to the interview stage. I’ll say it again. You don’t have to go to combat with the ATS.
What is happening then? Employers and recruiters are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of applications that they receive. This means they spend mere seconds looking at your resume. If what they see in the top couple of lines doesn’t directly speak to their needs, they move along to the next.
What successful job candidates are actually doing is writing powerful resume summaries that clearly articulate their value immediately, in a way that’s strategically customized to the needs of the job.
For a more in-depth explanation of this, I strongly recommend watching Farah Sharghi’s outstanding YouTube video on this topic. Sharghi is one of my favorite career development thought leaders; a former recruiter turned coach and technology expert, she offers insightful tips that help job seekers better understand the recruitment and hiring process.
An integral part of all of my career coaching packages is a thorough resume review, which includes expert guidance on effective ways to communicate your potential to a hiring manager. For more information, set up a free consultation today!
