Myths About Applicant Tracking System

As you begin the job-seeking process, you might think that the old way of building your resume is good enough. However, a brilliant resume is one that is applicant tracking system optimized. These systems are great tools to weed out candidates who aren’t what the company is looking for. For as good as these systems are, there are myths surrounding them as well.

The first myth is that if you have a keyword-rich resume, it will go to the head of the class, and you will automatically get the job. The truth is that the hiring manager still reads all resumes that the applicant tracking system suggests. He still interviews all potential candidates, and normally, more than a couple of interviews take place.

The second myth is that once you have a system optimized resume, you will never have to write your resume again. Applicant tracking systems are different depending on the company, or type of job, you’re looking for. Plan to spend some time optimizing the resume for various positions using keywords that these systems pick up on so that the program recognizes you as a good potential candidate. The human resources department or the hiring managers tell these programs what to look for in a resume.

Spend some time researching the company so that when you build your resume you have a better idea of which keywords to use. However, you must make the keywords flow naturally throughout the document. The last thing you want is to have your resume picked as one of the best by the tracking system but for the hiring manager to see jumbled up words. The same goes for formatting: ask the human resources department if the system reads Word files or another format. Not all of these algorithms are the same. Some might accept several formats, while others accept only one.

Don’t fall for the myth that applicant tracking systems eliminate the need for networking. Even though a hiring manager may interview many people, he may still hire a candidate whom a friend or colleague recommended. Don’t quit networking just because your resume is optimized for an applicant tracking algorithm and happened to land on top. Remember that a human, not a database, decides whether you have a future with a particular company.

Even though one of the myths surrounding applicant tracking systems is that they are unfair, the reality is that they treat every resume the same. They look for keywords and headings that match the hiring manager's inputs. As long as you understand that keyword optimization and logical flow are important to get your resume noticed, you will do well.

Companies find themselves inundated with candidates just like you. Creating a great resume, that's optimized for the applicant tracking system, can land you an interview for the job of your dreams. It's up to you to do the rest.

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