ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that companies use to collect, sort, scan, and rank job applications. Over 98% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS, and the technology has become standard even at smaller organizations.

How ATS Works

When you submit a resume, the ATS:

1. Parses your resume - Extracts text and categorizes it into fields (name, contact info, education, experience, skills)
2. Stores your data - Creates a searchable candidate profile
3. Scans for keywords - Compares your resume against the job description
4. Ranks candidates - Assigns a score based on keyword matches and qualifications
5. Filters applications - Surfaces top candidates for human review

Why ATS Matters for Job Seekers

The hard truth: most resumes are rejected by ATS before a human ever sees them. Understanding how these systems work is essential for getting your application seen.

Popular ATS Platforms

• Workday
• Greenhouse
• Lever
• Taleo (Oracle)
• iCIMS
• Jobvite
• BrassRing

Tips for Beating ATS

• Use standard formatting (no tables, graphics, or headers/footers)
• Include keywords from the job description naturally
• Submit as .docx unless PDF is specifically requested
• Use standard section headings
• Avoid abbreviations without also including the full term

Understanding ATS is the first step to ensuring your application reaches human eyes.