5 Ways to Stand Out in an Applicant Tracking System

5 Ways to Stand Out in an Applicant Tracking System5 Ways to Stand Out in an Applicant Tracking SystemYou spot a job posting that really piques your interest. You write a winning cover letter, proofread your resume, and send in your job application. Unfortunately, maybe 500 other eager job applicants did, too. Thats why many companies utilize applicant tracking systems (ATS), which helps organizations weed through job applications, tossing the ones that dont have the skills and experience for the punkt theyre applying for.Companies really count on an ATS to help them find job applicants worth calling in for an interview. So it makes sense to know what the ATS is looking for and how to make your job application stand out in an applicant tracking system. In the Careerealism article 5 Ways to Improve Your Applicant Tracking System Ranking, author Don Goodman lists the ways to boost your chances of beating the machine and making it to the next round- i.e., the job interview.Know what to say.Just like a hard-nosed editor, an ATS is always scanning job applications, looking for specific keywords and phrases that will qualify you as a possible employee. So know what words will make the cut- you can start by perusing the job posting and strategically scattering some of the keywords (like the job requirements and duties) into your own application as it makes sense. But you dont want to just have a hunk of keywords in your job application the ATS will spot it and cut you from the competition.Pass on the PDF. Sure, many potential employers would prefer a PDF, particularly if youre submitting samples of your work. But the ATS likes Word documents instead, since its able to read Word docs better than PDF files. If your resume is in a PDF format, convert it to a .doc format so that the ATS can read your resume- and approve itForget the fancy.In an effort to make your job application represent all facets of your personality, youve carefully chosen a font that truly speaks to who you are. That might be all well and good, except that the ATS has a hard time reading fancy fonts (were looking at you, Lucida Handwriting and Trebuchet MS). Opt instead for more traditional (and easier-to-read) fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, and Cambria, all of which are easy on the eye- and the ATS.Learn to label.Everyone has an Objective and Work Experience section on their resumes, but thats so ho hum. You want to give your resume some editorial flair, but the ATS likes facts, not flowery interpretations of your information. Stick to labeling each section as it should appear on your resume so that the ATS doesnt gloss over any pertinent information, like your previous work experience (which should be written out in the following format your employers name job title dates of employment) or skills.Spell it out.Every industry has its own language and abbreviations for certain sayings or even job titles. You have to assume, though, that the ATS knows none of these when craft ing your job application. While its okay to include some acronyms throughout your resume, be sure to spell out the entire job title, too. That way the ATS wont miss anything important. Also, if you have a job that has a slash in it (e.g., Writer/Editor) skip a space in between the slash so that the ATS can read both titles.Standing out in an applicant tracking system is super important for every job seeker. By incorporating some of these tips into your job application, youll make it past the ATS and hopefully be called in for a job interviewReaders, what do you think of applicant tracking systems? Do you prep your job application with an ATS in mind? Let us know in the comments section