Getting Past the Applicant Tracking System

Up to 90 percent of employers large and small now use applicant tracking software as part of their hiring processes. This software helps companies sift through large piles of applicant résumés by scanning them for keywords and phrases that match traits the company desires. It is more important than ever to create a résumé that can make it past applicant tracking software and into the next step of the hiring process.

Keyword Selection and Placement

To get an idea of which keywords to use throughout your résumé, look no further than the job description. Use this as your clue. If the company is looking for a salesperson, use words such as "sales," "client relations," "vendors" and "account management." An easy way to easily list several keywords on your résumé is to create a separate skills section. This makes it easy for the applicant tracking software to find your keywords, while keeping your résumé easy-to-read for human eyes as well.

Keyword Frequency

Take note of how often the same keyword appears in the company's job description. The more frequently the company uses the keyword, the more your résumé should emphasize it. One résumé tool helps you tweak your résumé by analyzing and comparing it to the job description; it makes suggestions for ways to improve your keyword usage to match up better with the company's job description.

Keyword Relevance

Just cramming keywords into your résumé and cover letter isn't enough to make it past applicant tracking software. You must consider the context of each keyword you use, and use combinations of keywords that make sense. For instance, if you're applying to be an administrative assistant, using the term "administrative assistant" over and over again is redundant and unnatural. Instead, use multiple supporting keywords that relate to that specific position, such as "word processing," "travel arrangements" or "expense reports."

Common Cheats

Applicant tracking systems have become highly advanced and intuitive, so many common cheats no longer give candidates an advantage. One such cheat is copying and pasting chunks of text from a job description. While it's a good idea to mirror the language of the job description and use it to give you keyword ideas, if you blatantly plagiarize it into your résumé or cover letter, the applicant tracking system may penalize you. Another common cheat is using invisible keywords — in other words, writing multiple keywords into the footer of your résumé using tiny white text. While undetectable to the naked eye, the applicant tracking system picks up the words. However, the software now takes into account how the words are used, so listing them one after the other in this way may cause your application to be flagged.

Creating an application that makes it past intelligent applicant tracking software and lands in the hands of a hiring manager doesn't have to be complicated, but it does require an extra level of attention to detail. By adding the right keywords and phrases and using them in the right ways, you can easily get past the applicant tracking system and give yourself a better chance of making it to the final round — the interview.

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