How 98% of Fortune 500 Companies Review Your Resume
Days Since Last Full-Time Employment: 105
In early 2011, I was perusing the Craigslist jobs board when I came across a posting for a writer. The organization was seeking someone to share their story and that of the community they served. I clicked the link to the website, and I was introduced to Mid-America Transplant Services.
By April, I had joined the team at what was then known as MTS. Frankly, I felt like I found the proverbial needle in a haystack.
Over my nine-and-a-half-year tenure, colleagues would ask how I found my job with Mid-America Transplant. I always had to explain it was a time when Craigslist was just starting to become creepy.
I don’t recall if the organization was using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) at the time. I suspect they were. I’m absolutely confident I had never considered an ATS when I applied then. I can say that because I learned about these systems in November 2020 during a call with a career coach.
What is an Applicant Tracking System?
An Applicant Tracking System is software used by recruiters and hiring professionals for several functions, including to collect and sort resumes. Unless you submit your resume by email to an actual person, your resume is likely going through an ATS. More on that in a bit.
Today, more than 98% of Fortune 500 companies are using an ATS. Other research suggests 55% of all businesses use an ATS.
Background on Applicant Tracking Systems
As online job boards grew in the 1990s, ATSs quickly followed in the late 90s. Before online job boards made it easy to apply, job seekers would search the newspaper classified section to find job openings. The job seeker would mail, fax or hand deliver a resume and cover letter.
Naturally, this process limited the number of applications. However, the boom of job boards exponentially increased the number of applications a company would receive. It was no longer feasible for a recruiter to review all of the applications. That’s where ATSs come in.
What does an Applicant Tracking System do?
An Applicant Tracking System collects and sorts the hundreds of resumes a company receives for each open position. Each job posting you apply to has a set of keywords, and the ATS processes your resume against those keywords. The results determine if your resume will be seen by a human recruiter.
I’ve been told companies can get between 250-500 for EACH posting. The human recruiter will pull the best 10-20 matches based on the ATS results, and review those. They’ll likely select 3-5 to interview.
How to write a resume for Applicant Tracking Systems
As a communications professional with experience in the Adobe Creative Suite, especially Adobe InDesign, I was convinced a well-designed resume was crucial. In October, I had a two-column, one-page resume (side note: I was still working from the assumption that a resume should be one page. That’s no longer the case for me).
While it was visually pleasing, this two-column format was not optimized for an Applicant Tracking System to review my resume and find keywords. My career coach recommended a new, single-column format that was easy for the systems – and recruiters – to scan. Take a look here!
In addition to format, the content needs to be tailored to each job position with a focus on keywords in the job description. Unsure of what the keywords are for a position? Online resources like Jobscan compare your resume with the job description. It tells you what percentage match your resume is for the job description.
Jobscan says an 80-percent match is a good target. In my experience, which was validated by my career coach, 80 percent is a bit high because Jobscan is accounting for words that may not be keywords. For example, a graphic design position within a university admissions department may include the word “admissions” several times. Jobscan will consider “admissions” a keyword. In reality, admissions is not a keyword that should show up multiple times in a graphic designer’s resume. For this reason, 50 percent to 60 percent is a good target.
Job Search Update
The job market appears to be picking up after the holidays, as expected. The week after Christmas, there were several new openings in marketing and communications. Last week was similar. I’m encouraged by the opportunities I’m seeing, and the response I’m receiving.
My encouragement starts with feeling prepared for success. My resume and cover letter are optimized to illustrate my value, talent, and career/volunteer highlights. Big thank you to my career coach, Tami, who has provided exceptional feedback to get to this point.
About The Blog & Author
Phel Into This is the blog of Justin Phelps (Hey, that’s me!). First published at 16 years old, I am a writer and digital marketer. Phel Into This was developed to share perspectives on seeking employment during a global pandemic after my job was eliminated by restructuring in 2020. I enjoy soccer, cooking, trying new restaurants, and spending time with my terrific family.