Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software programs used by companies to expedite the recruiting process. ATS serve many functions but are primarily used to scan applicant résumés and highlight the most qualified candidates based on relevant key words, skills, experience, location, and more. The way you write and format your résumé can have a big impact on how successful your résumé will be at passing through the filtering process.
How to know if an employer uses an ATS
Over 90% of Fortune 500 companies report using Applicant Tracking Systems and they are gaining popularity among smaller companies as well. While some organizations may use the same ATS, the software versions they utilize, or the way in which those systems are set to evaluate a résumé, may be different. The table below outlines some of the more commonly used ATS software.
| JazzHR | VidCruiter | Greenhouse | Breezy | BambooHR |
| Jobvite | Freshteam | Arcoro | ClearCompany | Oracle Taleo |
| WorkDay | Homegrown | Brassring | ExactHire | Hireology |
While there is not a hard and fast way to determine if an organization is using an Applicant Tracking System, there are some indicators you could look for. To start, try looking at the application portal’s URL as it may display a separate software name like one of the examples listed above. You can also look for a designation or icon on the webpage itself saying the system is “powered by ”, or simply outlining the software’s image.
Tips for optimizing ATS results
Because you may not know which version of ATS is being used or the parameters your résumé is being evaluated against, there will never be a fool proof way to “beat the ATS”. However, there are steps you can take to make sure your résumé is as optimized as much as possible.
| Save your résumé as a .doc or .docx file | Avoid the use of templates, tables, grids and columns | Do not write content in a header or a footer |
| Mirror language from the position description in your résumé (do not copy and paste) | Write an objective to include additional key words or transferrable skills | Spell out your degree but also use the degree abbreviation to increase the odds of a match |
| Include the word “experience” in each Section Header | Incorporate software names or other application names (e.g. Excel Pivot Tables) into your bullet statements |
View our Résumé Sample Binder for an example of an ATS formatted résumé along with many other samples to use as inspiration when creating your document.
ATS Résumé Sample
