A recent study indicated that over 70% of Fortune 1000 companies are now using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) which is the software that interprets your resume, feeds it into a central repository, and ranks it according to keywords.
For example, Microsoft gets about 50,000 resumes per week, so they need a system that will automatically review these and only show those that are a good fit. HR also wants to ensure compliance with EEOC rules so they will insist that your resume goes through the ATS.
-Don Goodman, New Resume Black Holes: Applicant Tracking Systems
Feeling discouraged by sending out applications and resumes, yet never getting a callback? If you’ve followed all the rules for the making your resume stand out but still haven’t gotten a call, it may be how your resume is read by an Applicant Tracking System.
What is an Applicant Tracking System? Used by large employers, an Applicant Tracking System sorts a large amount of applications and ranks keywords in your resume to determine whether you should continue to the next stage of the hiring process. Don Goodman has written an excellent article titled, “New Resume Black Holes: Applicant Tracking Systems” that help job-seekers avoid this frustrating problem. Because every Applicant Tracking System is a little different, it’s not a be-all, end-all primer on being the highest rated in an Applicant Tracking System. But it will help you think differently when you format your resume. Remember that when you apply to a large employer, the first person evaluating your resume is a computer. So make sure you follow these tips to avoid the Black Hole.
