What is PBX?

ATS, or Recruitment System, is a software application that allows recruiters and employers to automatically manage candidate data, search for candidates, and respond to job seekers.

Typically, it contains a database with details of the candidates whose resumes were entered, a search engine that a recruiter or employer can use to view the details of candidates, and often a tool for responding to selected or rejected candidates.

In times of online application filing, when hundreds or even thousands of applications can be submitted for a single job, recruiters and employers use ATS to make sure every resume can be read without manual work.

How does PBX work?

ATS stores and collects resumes in a database using a search engine that allows recruiters and employers to search for candidates by a keyword or multiple keywords. After entering a keyword, the search engine filters candidates who have included relevant keywords in the appropriate section of their resume, for example, the project manager in the “Work experience” section.

Some ATS go further and rank candidates according to how well their resume fits each of the job requirements. Recruiters then filter out candidates who do not score more than a certain threshold.

Tips for Defeating ATS

Now that you know how ATS works, you can optimize your resume with the following tips in mind:

Use the right keywords Emphasize your skills and competence in a separate section of your resume Stick to standard resume titles Use bulleted lists Avoid acronyms and acronyms Avoid sans serif fonts Pay attention to formatting and design Avoid graphics, tables, and special characters Check your resume

Use the right keywords

The best way to optimize your resume for ATS is to include the right keywords. You can do this by reviewing the core requirements or criteria listed in the job description and adding keywords from those sections to your resume.

While it’s never a good idea to lie on your resume, if you have the skills or qualifications required for the position, you should make sure to list the relevant skill using the same language as in the job description. For example, if you write that you are “good at spreadsheets,” but the employer is looking for someone with “Excel skills,” the CV is likely to be rejected by the ATS. Likewise, if you are a project manager, but you indicate on your resume that you are a marketing manager, your resume will not pass the ATS filter.

However, beware of over-optimizing your resume with keywords. Not only will your resume be unnatural to read, recruiters may ask if you really have all the skills that you say you have.

Highlight your skills and competencies in a separate section

To make it easier for the ATS to read your resume, consider highlighting your skills in a separate Skills or Core Competencies section.

Often times, employers will pay special attention to this section of your resume to see if you have the skills you need to be successful at work. Hence, the more keywords you can add to this section, the more likely your resume will pass the ATS review.

Stick to standard resume titles

ATS scans your resume for relevant keywords and categorizes them under specific headings.

So if you try to get too creative, such as renaming your Personal Statement to About Me, chances are your resume won’t go through ATS because it doesn’t recognize the title you used.

Use standard section headings just in case, for example when you stick to standard resume headings like personal statement, work experience, skills, education, etc.

Use markers

Use bullet points instead of paragraphs to list your skills and experience. This is a great way to organize the information on your resume and also easily analyze them for the presence of ATS.

To make sure the markers you use are ATS compatible, stick to a solid square or circle and avoid more complicated markers.

Avoid cuts and cuts.

While ATS may handle some acronyms like SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for example, it may not recognize others. To avoid confusing ATS, always write the entire abbreviation in parentheses.

On the other hand, acronyms should be avoided altogether as they can be misunderstood by ATS and recruiters.

Stick to sans serif fonts

Sure, you want your resume to stand out, but if you’re using a font that’s hard to read, there’s a good chance ATS will make your resume unreadable.

Let your experience speak for itself, use a font that is easy to read, such as Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, or Calibri.

Pay attention to formatting and design

Complex layouts or resume designs can look creative but will most likely not be scanned correctly by ATS. It is also not recommended to include your contact details in the header and footer section as ATS will not be able to parse the section correctly.

Stick to a simple layout and list your experiences in reverse chronological order so your resume is easy to scan and read.

Avoid graphics, tables, and special characters

Many ATS cannot read images, special characters or tables:

Photos

If you need to submit a profile photo, many recruiting agencies offer you the option to upload it directly to their system.

Special symbols

Regarding special characters, the ATS software will not be able to read accented characters, even if they are part of your name, and may replace them with characters, for example “Stefan” becomes “St @ phane” or “St? Phane “.

Tables

ATS have difficulty reading the information in the spreadsheets; as a result, they may confuse information or fail to recognize important keywords.

Instead of using tables, it can be helpful to use a resume builder like Jobseeker to properly format the sections of your resume. The advantage of using a resume builder is that you don’t have to spend hours adjusting margins or aligning bullets.

All you have to do is select a template and enter your information, and the resume builder will take care of the rest.

Subtract your resume

First of all, don’t forget to proofread your resume. You can easily rely on the spell checker, but it doesn’t catch everything, especially if the word is spelled correctly but you misused it, such as “them” versus “there.”

To make matters worse, if ATS detects spelling errors, it may not consider your resume good enough to move on to the next stage. If your resume fails the ATS review, the hiring manager will almost certainly reject your resume if it contains spelling or grammatical errors.

Instead of relying on a spell checker, have a friend or family member look over your resume.