Applicant Tracking Systems - What do Candidates Need to Know?

An Applicant Tracking System ("ATS") in its most basic setup does exactly what the name implies - it tracks the activities occurring when a person applies for a position, or when a recruiter is dealing with an individual for a current or future client requirement.

However, any ATS that is currently being marketed, and most ATSs that are in use today, contain capabilities that greatly exceed the simple tracking of activities. As a Candidate, the most important characteristic to you of an Applicant Tracking System is its ability to "match" the requirements of a specific job with the qualifications of candidates that are applying for the job. And, in almost all cases, an ATS can match the requirements of a specific job with the qualifications contained in every resume that is on file in the ATS database.

So, why is this capability important to you? As a Candidate, why do you need to know about this?

This capability is important, and you need to know about it, because the initial screening of candidates is typically performed by this automatic matching. Given the number of candidates that apply for open positions, especially in this current recessionary period, using the ATS matching feature is the fastest and easiest way for a company or a recruiter to perform that first screening. And, do not believe that the ATS is trying to screen candidates in – the process is intended to screen candidates out.

Therefore, if you want to get past this first hurdle it is critical that what you have written in your resume effectively "matches" the majority of the requirements listed in the job posting. If that occurs, the chances that your resume will actually be read by either a recruiter or a hiring manager are greatly increased. So, knowing that this capability is used by all Applicant Tracking Systems is very important to you.

Now that you are aware that this automatic matching occurs, what do you do about it? As an Executive Recruiter, one of the most frustrating parts of the job is reading countless resumes that get a very low "match" percent. I often wonder what the candidate was thinking when they sent their resume to me in response to a posting. Occasionally, however, even when the match percent is low, I will see something in the resume that is either intriguing or alerts me that there is a possibility the candidate really does match up with the job to which she or he applied. When that happens, which is not often, a quick phone call can help me find out if the candidate may be a potential match for the role.

When it appears the candidate may be a match for the role I always ask why he or she did not spend the time to study the key words in the job posting, and then match their own knowledge, skills and experience (KSAs) to the role. The answer to that question is usually that the candidate was told to use one resume to apply for all jobs, or the candidate was not aware of Applicant Tracking Systems or how they work to match and screen candidates.

But, now that you have read this far, you know how the ATSs work and you likely already are thinking what you need to do about it. The answer is obvious. It is up to you, the candidate, to modify your resume to reflect the requirements for each role for which you apply. That must be done honestly and ethically, as anything else would constitute resume fraud. But, as long as your resume is accurate, and reflects your qualifications, adjusting your resume to be responsive to the positions for which you are applying is a critical step in your job search.

To drive home the point of how important this is, I will often ask a candidate to "match" a position description to their resume. Even if I am going to submit the candidate directly to the hiring manager, increasing the "match" percent makes it easier for the hiring manager to see my Candidate’s value. And, engaging the Candidate in matching themselves to the job in advance of being submitted helps the Candidate focus on the role, and focus on how close they really match up to the role. In many cases, just by going through that exercise, Candidates conclude that they really are not as close a match as they originally thought. The result is that I do not waste either my time or the time of the hiring manager by presenting a candidate who would not be chosen for the role.

So, let’s go back to the beginning. Applicant Tracking Systems – what do candidates need to know? Candidates need to know that almost every company and recruiter uses an ATS; that a great feature of an ATS is that it can "match" job requirements with candidate KSAs; and that the matching process is intended to screen candidates out, not screen candidates in.

And, now that you know this you also know that the way to successfully get beyond this first hurdle in the application process is to take the time to "match" what your resume states you offer (your KSAs) with what the job requires. By doing this, you will make the Applicant Tracking System work for you and not against you.

If you want to have a great Impact Resume as a starting point - a resume that you can modify to "match" you to great job postings - click here to learn more about how you can put an Impact Resume to work for you.