The Dos and Don'ts of ATS

Why Am I Not Getting the Jobs I Want?

You’ve spent hours perfecting your resume and cover letter and submitted countless applications, but you still haven’t heard back from most companies. Why is that?

One common obstacle you may encounter is an applicant tracking system, also known as an ATS. These systems organize applicants for recruiters and human resources by using automated resume analysis. Companies around the world use ATS to review thousands of applications efficiently, while limiting the resources required by recruiters and hiring teams.

ATS primarily functions as a tool to streamline the hiring process for recruiters. Much like a search engine, some applicant tracking systems rank candidates based on keywords (skills and job titles) and filters (for example, location and education).

Recent research found that 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS. Meanwhile, a Kelly OCG survey estimated that 66% of large organizations and 35% of small organizations rely on recruitment software. Nike, Clorox, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and Allstate all use tracking systems that scan your resume before it ever reaches a recruiter.

Like any system, ATS has both advantages and limitations. These systems typically search for specific keywords and resume sections relevant to particular positions, which can leave gaps where strong candidates may be overlooked.

Introducing Quinncia, a strong tool to help you prepare your resume for the realities of applicant tracking systems. Use this cheat sheet to review the do’s and don’ts of ATS.

Areas of Improvement

PDF vs Word

You can create your resume using Microsoft Word or Google Docs, but you must export it as a PDF once you’re finished. Submit the PDF version with your job applications. Your file may lose its formatting if you upload it as a Word or Google Doc instead of a PDF. ATS may also be unable to read your resume if the formatting is not compatible. In addition, ATS may have difficulty parsing resumes prepared with tools such as Canva or Photoshop, because those files often export as images, which are not reliably readable by ATS.

If you reuse the same PDF too many times, it may become corrupted and less reliable. If you are actively applying for roles, save updated PDF versions of your resume frequently.

Section Titles

Essential:

Include Contact Information
Work Experience
Education

Nice to Have:

Resume Summary / Objective
Awards and Honors
Volunteer Work
Languages
Hobbies and Interests
Publication
Skills

Work Experience

You can include all relevant experience and leadership responsibilities in this section, and the ATS will be able to capture them. You may also add a special projects section; however, we do not recommend it. If you choose to create separate sections, make sure each one includes Experience in the title.

Contact Information

Provide clear information on the best way to reach you. Typically, candidates include phone numbers, email addresses, and LinkedIn profiles. In today’s digital environment, there is no need to include your home address.

Education

Don’t:

Quinncia University

Quinn School of Business

Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Do:

Quinncia University, Quinn School of Business

Bachelor of Science, Accounting (or)

Bachelor of Science

Major: Accounting

Quantifying Experiences

Don’t:

Designed a social media campaign to promote summer specials

Do:

Designed and launched a social media campaign resulting in a 30% increase in engagement

Performed X to do Y resulting in Z.

Abbreviations

For the word management, use the abbreviation mgmt.
Abbreviate months using the first three letters of the month’s name. For example, Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., and so on. Be consistent.
You can also abbreviate degrees in your education section. Use M.B.A. for a Master of Business Administration, Ph.D. for your Doctor of Philosophy, and other common degree abbreviations such as M.D. and B.A.

Common Mistakes

Graphic Resumes

ATS systems cannot effectively parse these resumes. Save these designs for later stages in the interview process.

Photos

ATS systems also can’t read photos. Professional headshots may lead to an instant rejection if an error occurs. Some companies may even choose to reject applications with photos to keep their hiring process free from bias.

Columns

Columns can create problems for ATS. Ensure that you use punctuation—such as bullet points or another delimiter—to separate columns.