Applicant Tracking Systems: The facts (and fear tactics) you need to know about
One of the services I offer through JOBTALK is a Resume Revamp, so it’s not uncommon for clients to reach out in a panic and say they need help overhauling their on-paper-first-impression. What kills me though is when they add, “I know I’m not getting calls because my resume doesn’t have the right keywords in it to get me past the filters.”
::sigh:: Job Hunting Myth #54: All companies use keyword filters now when reviewing resumes. This is FALSE.
Jobs have been my job for more than a decade, and I can count on one hand the number of companies I’ve ever known that actually used an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) with keyword/ranking filters, Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), or some other non-human filtration tool to sort through their volume. Don’t get me wrong, they’re out there, but these tools are incredibly expensive and are typically only used by very large companies who are sorting through several hundred applicants per role (and sometimes, they don’t even use them).
The ATS landscape continues to evolve and there are now more platform choices and capabilities than ever, but that also doesn’t mean that all recruiters agree that A.I. or keyword filters should be used when selecting candidates (as you’re about to see). These tools, especially A.I., can actually hurt the process more than help, either by passing over totally qualified candidates, or more alarmingly, by unintentionally discriminating against certain demographics of candidates all together. Others, of course, argue A.I. (if used properly) is a way to remove bias from the hiring process. The jury is still out, and because of that, it’s not as widely utilized as some A.I. companies (or shady “resume writers” using fear tactics) would like you to think. Should you include buzzwords and skills in your resume that match the job description? Of course! That’s common sense. But is there always some bot making decisions behind the scenes after you click Apply? No. There’s usually just a well-intentioned human trying to find qualified candidates that match their role’s needs.
To stress-test my own theories (always important to do), I decided to survey my local recruiting network. I created a survey and shared it on LinkedIn. After a few weeks, I collected responses from talent acquisition colleagues from 20 companies that spanned more than a dozen sectors (including pharma, higher education, technology, advanced manufacturing, and consumer goods & services - just to name a few). This of course isn’t a huge sample, but I was curious to see what other recruiters in New England were doing. Of the 20 companies represented, 40% were small but established businesses (with 100 employees or fewer), 30% were medium-sized (101-1,000 employees), and 30% were larger (1,000+ employees).
Here is a brief summary of what we found:
Of the 20 companies surveyed:
50% hired more than 50 new hires per year w/ another 30% hiring 11-50 per year.
95% used a professional ATS, with ADP being the most common.
80% said they DON’T use keyword / ranking tools. (These are the tools that analyze which resumes should be read first due to “how well” they match the keywords in a job description.)
Only 5% said they do use this tool, and 15% said they “sometimes” use them.
95% said they DON’T use A.I. to determine which resumes get reviewed by a recruiter.
65% said they DO use knock-out questions, while 35% said they do not.
In addition to these questions, I also asked participants to share what they DO look for and value when filtering through resumes. Here are some of their responses. (Note: Most responses are copied here in their own words; a few have been summarized for length. The ones in bold were mentioned by multiple respondents.
Always submit a cover letter.
Compare resume to job description and make your application relevant to the experience desired. Related experience is key. We aren’t out to scrutinize. We want to promote your successes and how you handle challenges to a hiring manager when we feel your skills are a good fit.
If there are questions to be answered in the application process, take the time to answer them. We're asking them for a reason. The questions are a direct reflection of what we need. Don't rely on Indeed [or LinkedIn] “Easy Apply” methods.
Make sure to list all software that you have used on your resume. Sometimes we require a specific software and only reach out to those who have that software on the resume.
Make sure your resume - and LinkedIn - are 100% up to date. Your most recent employer should have correct dates listed. Keep it to 2-3 pages if possible.
Don’t stress out about an employment gap. Be confident. Recruiters are human just like you and will understand.
Keep the formatting on your resume very simple. This helps translate appropriately when uploading into an ATS. “Creative” resumes do not parse well [and can get scrambled]. Don’t use funky fonts, graphics, or odd bullets. Keep formatting simple for ATS system to upload. Upload it as a PDF so your resume doesn’t get distorted.
Recruiters go through a lot of resumes. Make it crisp and to the point...data driven. I need to be able to scan your resume in [less than] a minute and be able to understand your experience and skills in relation to the job. If we have to hunt for info or guess - you might get passed over.
Don't rely on an ATS. The best way to get your resume noticed is to network and have someone I work with refer it to me.
Check your email frequently because that’s how we usually reach out. Your voicemail should also be set up, professional, and cleared out so that messages can be received if we need to reach you.
In summary:
Most recruiters surveyed did not use any form of ranking tool or A.I.; however, 65% did use knock-out questions, which are setup so that the “wrong” answer does indeed reject someone. Notice though that this is part of the application, not some machine working against your resume. Also, just because an application has questions for you to fill out, does not necessarily mean those are all knock-out questions. Sometimes employers just want more information, like when they ask for a salary range. Most recruiters I know DON’T make this a knock-out question because there is so much nuance involved. (Is this number want you need for a base? Is this total compensation? Does this include bonuses? Are you flexible?) Most recruiters prefer to talk this out with you, especially if you’re a great fit for the role. They don’t want some filter making that decision for them.
An example of a common knock-out question is around education. The job description might say, “BA degree required.” If the application then asks, “Do you meet the necessary education requirements?” and you answer No, it might knock you out. Not always, but it might if it is setup as a knock-out question. This is 100% up to the discretion of the company, so it will vary.
The other major takeaway from the survey results that correlates with what I stress to my clients came through in the comments. Cover letters, and tailoring that resume, can make a huge difference. But what if my resume needs a lot of work? Resume Revamps are totally worth the money if you feel like it’s a barrier to entry in your search, and you’re not confident in your own abilities to beef it up. That being said, please take into consideration WHO is doing that work for you – especially if they are the one suggesting you need it revamped. If a “resume writing service” or job coach is telling you that your resume isn’t going to “pass the ATS keywords test…” they may not be ill-intentioned, but you need to ask more questions, especially around what kind of background the Revamp-er has. If they haven’t spent time in staffing, HR, career services or talent acquisition, then I can almost guarantee you their “real world experience” with resumes is very LIMITED. I have seen some very expensive, very horrifying, resumes come across my desk, and I’m not going to name names, but the big resume writing services that are out there trolling for business are going to leverage every ATS scare tactic they can to convince you that you should pay them an arm and leg to fix your resume.
So please…do resume (and your wallet) justice here and self-advocate. Think critically about who is working on your resume, where are they sourcing their insight from, and what kind of experience do they themselves have with recruitment? (Have they actually been on that side of a hiring decision?) There’s nothing worse than when I hear someone blew a mortgage payment on some service that literally just spit their info into a template generator and popped out a “brand new resume,” only to find out the formatting and altered content actually hurt them more than it helped. Trust me – when it comes to resume services, the price doesn’t gage quality. The writer does.