Did you know that when you submit a job application online, it’s probably read and filtered by a robot before a human ever sees it? No, this isn’t Star Wars. It’s just the 21st century job market. And that “robot” is something called an applicant tracking system (ATS). There’s no way around it, but there are a few things you can do to help your application pass through the system and make it to a real, live human being.
What Is an ATS?
An applicant tracking system is a type of software that helps filter and sort online job applications, so recruiters can find the people who are the best fit for their company. Since most companies get hundreds—if not thousands—of applications, an ATS is a time-saving tool because it can filter out spam and applicants who aren’t a good match. It can also store resumés for future job openings, check references, and do other things that help with the hiring process.The downside is sometimes a perfectly good application can slip through the cracks, because it doesn’t meet all the criteria the ATS is looking for.
