Ways to Get a Higher ATS Ranking

Many mid-size companies and large corporations use an applicant-tracking system to manage the hundreds or thousands of job applications they receive each year. An applicant-tracking system makes it easier to identify qualified candidates and produce compliance reports, but there are some candidates who find it difficult to make it past the initial screening. Follow these tips to improve your ATS ranking and give yourself a chance to get the job you want.

1. Submit Your Resume in Text Format

If your resume is in PDF format, take time to create a text version. Many career counselors advise applicants to use PDF format because it works on both Mac and Windows computers. If you are emailing your resume directly to a hiring manager, PDF format is fine, but you should create a text version if you plan to apply to any company that uses an applicant-tracking system. Each ATS is designed to read text documents, so you have a better chance of receiving a high ATS ranking if you submit a text version of your resume.

2. Create a Longer Version of Your Resume

Hiring managers don't want to see a five-page resume, but turning your one-page resume into a two-page document can actually help you make it through an applicant-tracking system. The more pages your resume has, the more opportunities you have to include keywords related to your industry. Many applicant-tracking systems use keywords to rank candidates.

3. Use the Right Keywords

Don't get so hung up on keywords that you forget to include simple words and phrases related to your job title or industry. If you are applying for bookkeeping positions, for example, make sure you include keywords such as "bookkeeper," "QuickBooks" and "reconciling accounts." The hiring manager may not be looking for terms such as "fixed assets," "expense analysis" and "federal audit experience."

4. Avoid Graphics

An applicant-tracking system isn't very good at interpreting graphics. Instead of reading a graphic from top to bottom, the ATS is likely to read it from left to right. If you include important keywords in an infographic or table, the applicant-tracking system is likely to skip right over them.

5. Emphasize Your Job History

Instead of focusing on your dates of employment, emphasize your job titles and professional responsibilities. In most cases, an ATS doesn't care if you worked at a company from 1995 to 2003. Instead, the system scans your job titles to see if they match any of the keywords set by the hiring manager.

If you know a prospective employer uses an applicant-tracking system, you must take steps to ensure the ATS is able to read your resume. Omitting graphics, creating a text-only version and including the right keywords can help you make it past the initial screening.

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