If you’re like most people, you’ve sent an application to a company, after spending time customizing it and creating the perfect cover letter. Within a few minutes of sending it in, you get a rejection email from the company or even worse, you never hear from them.
When this happens, your resume was never seen by a human being, and your cover letter was never read. It was automatically rejected by an applicant tracking system (ATS), software designed to help hiring managers wade through hundreds of resumes. Large and midsize firms almost always use these systems to make the volume of applications manageable. A typical job posting could receive as many as several hundred applications. An ATS is intended to screen out people who are underqualified or overqualified, leaving only the best applicants.
In practice, however, applicant tracking systems basically screen out everything that doesn’t have the right formatting or the right keywords. It’s estimated that about 75% of applications don’t make it through the ATS, and this isn’t because those people weren’t qualified.
You’re getting rejected by unthinking, unfeeling robots. These systems aren’t going away anytime soon, and until the software becomes more sophisticated and gains a better understanding of context and nuance, it’s something that you have to work with.
For now, it’s time to welcome our new robot overlords. To avoid the grim reality of contemporary unemployment, you’ll need to appease them as best you can.
Why Does My Resume Keep Getting Rejected?
If your resume keeps getting rejected by applicant tracking systems, there’s probably a reason. The good news is that you can fix it, giving yourself a chance to get your resume seen by an actual person. Here are some of the most common issues with people’s resumes.
The ATS Can’t Process Your Resume Correctly
Ensure that the software can process your resume properly by sticking to formats that work well with applicant tracking systems. When using a PDF file you want to make sure it is a readable PDF. A readable PDF contains actual text that a machine can read. An image PDF, by contrast, might contain text but an ATS won’t be able to read this text. To verify that your PDF resume is readable you can simply copy and paste a line of text into Word – if it copies/pastes nicely then you’re in good shape. When you are applying for a position you can verify that everything will be read properly by reviewing your resume in the HTML box that typically appears during the application process, if you see anything that looks off at this point simply edit the text directly in the HTML area. Even the most basic resumes can look off in this HTML area so don’t worry that you’ve done something wrong if this happens, just be prepared to clean up as needed here.
The ATS Can’t Read Your Headings
Applicant tracking systems sort things out based on section headings. For that reason, you’ll need to stay standard and generic with them. Use standard issue headings like “Experience”, “Professional Experience”, “Key Skills”, “Core Competencies”, “Education”, “Professional Profile”, etc. If you use the wrong heading, the software might just skip the entire section. Remember, you’re not trying to impress a human, you’re trying to input data into software.
You’re not using the right targeted keywords.
When an applicant tracking system “reads” your resume, it’s specifically looking for certain keywords that were determined by the employer. You need enough keywords and key phrases for your resume to make it through. To find keywords, look closely at the job description. Use the same terms and labels that the job posting uses to improve your chances.
You’re using too many keywords.
It would seem that over-optimization is, in fact, possible. You can’t just stuff your resume with a big bullet list of various keywords. Having a robust professional profile and key skills section is great as this will help get some necessary keywords into your resume. But it’s advised that this area doesn’t take up more than a third of a page combined. If you have a key skills section that contains more than 18 lines of key skills you may want to prioritize and cut some unnecessary terms out.
Answer online application questions thoroughly.
In many cases, you’ll need to fill out an application online, as well as submit your actual resume. It’s important to fill in everything if you can, because otherwise, the ATS may throw out your application.
Optimizing Your Resume for Success
To have a shot at almost any job with a midsize to large firm, you need to make sure your resume is optimized with proper keywords and formatting so that it caters to what the applicant tracking system is looking for. At Resume Yeti, we help you create fantastic resumes that appeal to humans and robots alike. Give it a try today, and watch your response rate go through the roof.
