How to optimize your CV for ATS systems: a complete guide
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2024 4:55 am
Have you ever been in the situation of applying for a job and receiving nothing but a big silence? Have you ever wondered why this happens and how to avoid it? We have the answer for you in three letters: ATS.
Nowadays, it is very common to find large and small companies that use ATS systems to manage their applications.
These tools are responsible for filtering applications in a certain company , before they even reach the hands of recruiters.
That's why, if you want to make a office 365 email address data place for yourself in the job market, you need to optimize your CV to pass the ATS test. At OnlineCV we teach you how to do it. The rebellion against these bots starts now!
What is an ATS?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS ) is a type of application management software used by recruiters and employers in companies.
An ATS is used during the candidate selection process to scan job applications, facilitating the collection and classification of the applications received.
The system was initially designed for large companies such as Coca Cola or McDonald's, although it is now commonly used in companies of any size. That is why it is important that you know how to bypass their filters.
In fact, over 98.8% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS . Similarly, 66% of large companies and 35% of small organizations rely on ATS software, according to a study cited by hiring platform, GoHire .
Applicant Tracking Systems : How Do Employers Use Them?
An ATS scans candidate CVs stored in a database. Recruiters use the system to pre-screen applications by searching for specific keywords and parameters.
This software then uses ATS filters to return a list of candidates that meet the search criteria.
For example, if a company receives 400 CVs for a job offer, the ATS filter can make an initial selection that will reduce the options to the 30 that best fit what is being sought.
For that reason, you may be the perfect candidate for the position, but if your CV is not optimized for an ATS , the recruiter may never know about your existence.
How to make a CV for ATS?
To ensure your CV is ATS-optimized , you just need to take the time to adapt certain essential elements such as keywords, document formatting, and the way you present the content in general.
Below we offer some recommendations to help you optimize your CV and get it past ATS filters.
1. Select keywords for your resume
Recruiters and managers use ATS filters to search for keywords in their databases and discover suitable candidates. So, this is literally a “key” aspect to optimizing your CV.
The best source for finding relevant keywords for a particular position is the job posting that the company publishes. These are probably the ones that recruiters use in the ATS.
To recognize them, look for those that correspond to skills and are constantly repeated in the job description of the job offer.
Based on our experience, we can tell you that recruiters are likely to use the ATS to search for words related to:
Jobs such as: content manager, transporter, data analyst, export manager, etc.
Professional sector , for example, related to hard skills such as CRM use, customer service, Adobe Suite management, Microsoft Excel management, to name a few.
Some ATS automatically compare the entire content of your resume to the job description, so you're doing two steps in one.
2. Take care of the design of your CV for the Applicant Tracking System
The way you structure your CV can impact how it is read by ATS algorithms, so it's best to stick to a simple design.
Many applicant tracking systems do not process information contained in tables, boxes, or columns . The same goes for footers and headers in complex formats. These should be avoided.
Typically, the ATS tool seeks to remove as much formatting as possible that will hinder the processing of the content.
Nowadays, it is very common to find large and small companies that use ATS systems to manage their applications.
These tools are responsible for filtering applications in a certain company , before they even reach the hands of recruiters.
That's why, if you want to make a office 365 email address data place for yourself in the job market, you need to optimize your CV to pass the ATS test. At OnlineCV we teach you how to do it. The rebellion against these bots starts now!
What is an ATS?
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS ) is a type of application management software used by recruiters and employers in companies.
An ATS is used during the candidate selection process to scan job applications, facilitating the collection and classification of the applications received.
The system was initially designed for large companies such as Coca Cola or McDonald's, although it is now commonly used in companies of any size. That is why it is important that you know how to bypass their filters.
In fact, over 98.8% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS . Similarly, 66% of large companies and 35% of small organizations rely on ATS software, according to a study cited by hiring platform, GoHire .
Applicant Tracking Systems : How Do Employers Use Them?
An ATS scans candidate CVs stored in a database. Recruiters use the system to pre-screen applications by searching for specific keywords and parameters.
This software then uses ATS filters to return a list of candidates that meet the search criteria.
For example, if a company receives 400 CVs for a job offer, the ATS filter can make an initial selection that will reduce the options to the 30 that best fit what is being sought.
For that reason, you may be the perfect candidate for the position, but if your CV is not optimized for an ATS , the recruiter may never know about your existence.
How to make a CV for ATS?
To ensure your CV is ATS-optimized , you just need to take the time to adapt certain essential elements such as keywords, document formatting, and the way you present the content in general.
Below we offer some recommendations to help you optimize your CV and get it past ATS filters.
1. Select keywords for your resume
Recruiters and managers use ATS filters to search for keywords in their databases and discover suitable candidates. So, this is literally a “key” aspect to optimizing your CV.
The best source for finding relevant keywords for a particular position is the job posting that the company publishes. These are probably the ones that recruiters use in the ATS.
To recognize them, look for those that correspond to skills and are constantly repeated in the job description of the job offer.
Based on our experience, we can tell you that recruiters are likely to use the ATS to search for words related to:
Jobs such as: content manager, transporter, data analyst, export manager, etc.
Professional sector , for example, related to hard skills such as CRM use, customer service, Adobe Suite management, Microsoft Excel management, to name a few.
Some ATS automatically compare the entire content of your resume to the job description, so you're doing two steps in one.
2. Take care of the design of your CV for the Applicant Tracking System
The way you structure your CV can impact how it is read by ATS algorithms, so it's best to stick to a simple design.
Many applicant tracking systems do not process information contained in tables, boxes, or columns . The same goes for footers and headers in complex formats. These should be avoided.
Typically, the ATS tool seeks to remove as much formatting as possible that will hinder the processing of the content.