Applicant Tracking Systems Kill 75% of Job Seekers' Chances, No Matter How Qualified They May Be (Applies To Non-Job Hunters Too - Keep Reading)

Yes, you read that correctly. I read a report by a job search services provider and a talent management advisory firm explaining their findings in more detail.

They created the perfect resume, matched it to a sample job description with all the right keywords, submitted it through a Taleo ATS website (the leader of ATS solutions), and clicked Submit. Here's what they found:

"...the company saw that one of the candidate's work experiences was lost entirely because the resume had the date typed before the employer. The applicant tracking system also failed to read several educational degrees the putative candidate held, which would have given a recruiter the impression that the candidate lacked the educational experience necessary for the job. The end result: The resume submitted only scored a 43 percent relevance ranking to the job because the applicant tracking system misread it."

Since all ATS solutions use the same underlying technology, this "problem" isn't limited to just Taleo. Yet, Recruiters still use these flawed systems because it makes their lives easier and still gives them enough candidates to start working with.

So, what now and how does this apply to non-job seekers too?

Whether you're creating your resume or your online profile, we have the challenge of making it "readable" not only to the human eye, but also the "computer" eye. Luckily, platforms like LinkedIn give you instant feedback as to how you will appear in searches.

When I read the report, I tweaked my LinkedIn profile and asked an associate to try looking me up (because LinkedIn won't show me myself if I'm doing the lookup). Doing a simple search on LinkedIn for Project Manager showed me on page 1 out of 5,693,751 people. How did I do it? I just kept adding and tweaking that keyword throughout my profile in a way that didn't look like a big keyword dump. It's a balancing act that takes time, but is well worth it.

At the same time, I used a private browser window to do a simple search on Google for IT Project Manager - I was able to squeak by on the bottom of page 1 out of 182,000,000 results - thanks to my LinkedIn profile. Of course, I also ranked on page 1 of LinkedIn for the same term, but it's not as competitive as simply Project Manager. The point is, I did the work on LinkedIn for various keywords and I automatically enjoy the benefits on Google (and other sites).

Now, here's how to beat the ATS at its own game!

  • Never send your resume as a PDF - use a plain text file if possible.
  • Don't use table or graphics - the ATS may get confused by graphics and reads tables up to down * instead of left to right (not a problem if using a plain text file).
  • Use a longer resume - it's ok to go past 2 pages because the recruiter doesn't see your resume, only the extracted text. You can still upload a PDF or DOC version of your resume, but only as an attachment if given the option AFTER filling out the application using your plain text file.
  • Call your work experience "Work Experience" - sometimes the ATS gets confused if you call it Career Achievements or something else and just skips it.
  • Don't start your work experience with dates - follow this format instead... employer name, title, dates (each on a separate line).

I hope you found this information helpful. Sound off below and have a great day!