Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
In a previous blog post, "Build a Portfolio That Stands Out", we touched on how ATS filters can make or break your job application. As a refresher, even before many resumes reach the hands of an actual physical recruiter, many of the larger companies use an Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). An ATS is software that streamlines the recruitment process for HR and helps them keep track of and manage candidates in the job hiring funnel. Since companies, especially large tech companies, have large volumes of applicants, one of the features that most ATS have is the ability to automate resume screening and candidate selection. This essentially means that they can filter and/or highlight potential candidates that apply without even having the recruiter involved! (Step 4 in the image on the right) The amazing thing is 98.4% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS system!
So then the big question is: How do you get your resume to pass the ATS system and land interviews?
So then the big question is: How do you get your resume to pass the ATS system and land interviews?
Master ATS Keywords in Your Resume
In our courses at Codeclassroom, we provide Concept Reviews after each of our Video Lessons. In them, we always highlight Keywords which are important concepts or terms mentioned in the lesson. We do this not only to help you review the main points of a lesson, but also so that you know what keywords are important for ATS!
Job Specific Keywords
When applying for a role, make sure to properly scan the job description. Repeated terms or skills under "requirements" or "qualifications" will most likely be keywords that the ATS is configured to look for, so if you have those skillsets make sure you try to match those exact phrases on your resume. (E.g. "looking for proficiency in Javascript and Responsive Design" — try to match)
Generic ATS Keywords
Besides job specific keywords, generic ATS keywords are keywords that a company or team values irrespective of the specific posting. In order to identify these you have to analyze common patterns amongst job descriptions and research industry demand and trends. Skills that are emphasized in popular tech communities and industry blogs will reveal the frameworks, tools, and skillsets to highlight. For example the Client-Server Model in our HTML lesson or Responsive Design in our CSS Sizing lesson are both Keywords that ATS might look for. You can also use some services like Jobscan or Teal or even conversational AI like Grok or ChatGPT to understand where gaps in your resume may lie.
Use Keywords Naturally
When some people first learn about ATS they overstuff their resume with too many keywords in hopes of gaming the ATS. (e.g. mentioning "HTML" 10 times) This is a HUGE MISTAKE! ATS won't reward you for multiple matches. In fact if you don't naturally weave in these keywords with your actual projects and accomplishments, you're going to most likely hurt your chances of making it to the interview round.
Avoid Filler Buzzwords!
Terms like "self-starter" or "team player" might sound nice, but don't mean much to ATS if you don't back it up with some hard skills. You have to DEMONSTRATE your soft skills by backing it up with technical or hard stats/skills.
Job Specific Keywords
When applying for a role, make sure to properly scan the job description. Repeated terms or skills under "requirements" or "qualifications" will most likely be keywords that the ATS is configured to look for, so if you have those skillsets make sure you try to match those exact phrases on your resume. (E.g. "looking for proficiency in Javascript and Responsive Design" — try to match)
Generic ATS Keywords
Besides job specific keywords, generic ATS keywords are keywords that a company or team values irrespective of the specific posting. In order to identify these you have to analyze common patterns amongst job descriptions and research industry demand and trends. Skills that are emphasized in popular tech communities and industry blogs will reveal the frameworks, tools, and skillsets to highlight. For example the Client-Server Model in our HTML lesson or Responsive Design in our CSS Sizing lesson are both Keywords that ATS might look for. You can also use some services like Jobscan or Teal or even conversational AI like Grok or ChatGPT to understand where gaps in your resume may lie.
Use Keywords Naturally
When some people first learn about ATS they overstuff their resume with too many keywords in hopes of gaming the ATS. (e.g. mentioning "HTML" 10 times) This is a HUGE MISTAKE! ATS won't reward you for multiple matches. In fact if you don't naturally weave in these keywords with your actual projects and accomplishments, you're going to most likely hurt your chances of making it to the interview round.
Avoid Filler Buzzwords!
Terms like "self-starter" or "team player" might sound nice, but don't mean much to ATS if you don't back it up with some hard skills. You have to DEMONSTRATE your soft skills by backing it up with technical or hard stats/skills.
Format for ATS Readability
Keywords alone won’t save you if the ATS can’t read your resume. Many beginners make the mistake of using fancy designs—tables, headers, footers, or images—that may cause the ATS to incorrectly parse your information. You want your resume to be machine-friendly while still looking professional for human eyes.
Keep It Simple!
You don't need a fancy resume—no project logos, tables, or graphics. Stick to a clean chronological layout with standard headers like "Skills", "Experience", "Education", "Projects", etc. Bullet points are all you need!
Use Standard Fonts
Using default fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri are tried and true.
Simplify Headers and Footers
Some ATS might skip your headers and footers entirely! They are mainly concerned with the meat of your resume so there's no need to go over the top on your headers and footers.
Keep It Simple!
You don't need a fancy resume—no project logos, tables, or graphics. Stick to a clean chronological layout with standard headers like "Skills", "Experience", "Education", "Projects", etc. Bullet points are all you need!
Use Standard Fonts
Using default fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri are tried and true.
Simplify Headers and Footers
Some ATS might skip your headers and footers entirely! They are mainly concerned with the meat of your resume so there's no need to go over the top on your headers and footers.
Tailor with Job-Specific Context
The ideal candidate for an ATS system is someone who not only perfectly matches their requires skills, tools, and experience, but also shows relevancy to the job or company! This means if you can not only match job-specific keywords, but also add job or company-specific context to your resume, you'll jump to the top of the stack!
Understand the Role
If for example you are applying to a QA job (Quality Assurance); not only is it important to have testing tools on your resume to match their job description like Selenium or Ruby, but also you might want to make sure that your projects include at least one testing-focused bullet point.
Understand the Product
If you apply for a job at Stripe (payments processor), you should understand the suite of products they offer. Maybe you've developed a project that helps you calculate taxes or helps you store documents in a database. ATS will notice this as these fall under some of Stripes product offerings. (Accounting, Sales Tax Automation, Online Invoicing)
Understand the Company
ATS can be programmed to look at some cultural fit. Let's say you apply to Notion (Productivity Software) which values simplicity and user-centric design. If you can frame your projects so that you showcase a desire to match these values, you'll also gain points with ATS. (e.g. I simplified a Hotel Booking webpage’s form layout with CSS, enhancing user experience through clean, intuitive design)
Understand the Role
If for example you are applying to a QA job (Quality Assurance); not only is it important to have testing tools on your resume to match their job description like Selenium or Ruby, but also you might want to make sure that your projects include at least one testing-focused bullet point.
Understand the Product
If you apply for a job at Stripe (payments processor), you should understand the suite of products they offer. Maybe you've developed a project that helps you calculate taxes or helps you store documents in a database. ATS will notice this as these fall under some of Stripes product offerings. (Accounting, Sales Tax Automation, Online Invoicing)
Understand the Company
ATS can be programmed to look at some cultural fit. Let's say you apply to Notion (Productivity Software) which values simplicity and user-centric design. If you can frame your projects so that you showcase a desire to match these values, you'll also gain points with ATS. (e.g. I simplified a Hotel Booking webpage’s form layout with CSS, enhancing user experience through clean, intuitive design)
Resume Help
At Codeclassroom our instructors are all skilled Engineers that have beaten the ATS game and have established themsleves as veterans in various Tech-related industries. In our forums and on Discord we offer dedicated career-focused channels where students can connect with instructors, get their resume reviewed, and glean insight into different companies and job roles. If you're curious about kickstarting your career in tech, come join Codeclassroom!
Build a Portfolio to beat ATS!
Copyright © 2023