All About the Applicant Tracking System – ATS

Are Resumes Still Read by Humans

Hi, I’m Martin Buckland. I’m an executive career management practitioner and I help senior executives reach their career goals.

Today I’m going to give you information about resumes and how they are processed.  When your resume is sent to an HR department or to an executive recruiter, it is rarely read. We’re in a technological age and so, to cut down on time and increase or supposedly increase productivity, resumes are read by the Applicant Tracking System.  In short, it’s called ATS. The resume is scanned into a computer, and then it’s pulled out based on buzzwords, based on certain content, and a certain format. So you can’t mess around with a computer, so you can never beat a computer, but you can at least try and match a computer.

Follow These Guidelines

Try and stay clear of graphics or too much shading.

Tell a compelling story about how great you are based on the ‘STAR’ system (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Your resume must have all your keywords so that when somebody asks me for a free resume critique, I tell them, “Imagine that you are looking for your resume in your own computer, your own ‘ATS system’. What business functional keywords would you type in to have your resume come up in the search?”

Keywords narrow down the search and the more buzzwords you have in there, the more likely you are to come up. Keep it to a maximum of 20, preferably 18, buzzwords; business, functional specific buzzwords. The more you have in there, up to 18 or 20, the more narrow the target and then hopefully, when somebody is searching for talent like you, your resume will come up in the search.  You only get one kick at the can and that computer isn’t going to give you any grace at all.

So I’m Martin Buckland and I’m an executive career management practitioner. I’m also an executive resume writer. I can help you navigate through this ATS system and bring you out number one in the talent pool.

If you are in a career transition or want to manage your career, I can help you.  I am offering a free resume critique and LinkedIn Audit.  I will tell it like it is and give you the straight goods.  Please look me up on social media. I am active on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  So send me an email through my LinkedIn profile and go and view my website, www.aneliteresume.com.