If you've applied to more than a handful of jobs online, your resume has almost certainly been processed by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). These systems are the gatekeepers between you and the hiring manager — and understanding how they work is crucial to landing interviews.
#What is an ATS?
An Applicant Tracking System is software that companies use to manage job applications. It does three main things:
- -Collects resumes from various sources (job boards, company website, email)
- -Parses resume content into structured data
- -Ranks candidates based on keyword matching and other criteria
Popular ATS systems include Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, Taleo, and iCIMS. Each works slightly differently, but they all follow the same basic principles.
#How ATS Parsing Works
When you submit your resume, the ATS attempts to extract key information:
Name: John Smith
Email: john@example.com
Phone: (555) 123-4567
Skills: Python, JavaScript, React
Experience: 5 years
Education: BS Computer Science
Here's where many resumes fail: if the ATS can't parse your information correctly, it gets lost or corrupted.
##Common Parsing Failures
- -Tables and columns — Many ATS systems read left-to-right, top-to-bottom, turning multi-column layouts into gibberish
- -Headers and footers — Content in these areas often gets ignored entirely
- -Graphics and images — ATS can't read text embedded in images
- -Unusual fonts — Some fonts don't render correctly and cause parsing errors
- -PDF compatibility — Not all PDFs are created equal; some are essentially images
#The Keyword Matching Algorithm
Once your resume is parsed, the ATS compares it against the job description. This typically works through:
- -Exact keyword matching — Does "Python" appear in your resume?
- -Semantic matching — Understanding that "JS" means "JavaScript"
- -Frequency scoring — How many times do key terms appear?
- -Contextual relevance — Is "Python" in your skills section or just mentioned in passing?
Pro tip: The job description is literally a cheat sheet. Use the exact terminology from the posting in your resume.
#What Gets You Ranked Higher
Based on our analysis of thousands of resumes and job postings, here's what moves you up in ATS rankings:
##Skills Match
The #1 factor is whether your skills match the job requirements. If a posting asks for "5+ years of React experience" and you have "6 years React," you'll score well.
##Keyword Density
You need to mention important keywords multiple times, but naturally. Once in your summary, once in your skills section, and within your experience descriptions.
##Recency
Recent experience is weighted more heavily. Your job from 2024 matters more than your internship from 2015.
##Education Fit
If the job requires a specific degree, having it (or equivalent) is often a hard filter.
#How to Beat the ATS
Here's our battle-tested strategy:
- -Use a clean, single-column format — No tables, no graphics, no fancy layouts
- -Mirror the job description — Use their exact words for skills and requirements
- -Include a skills section — Make it easy for the ATS to find your key competencies
- -Use standard section headings — "Experience," "Education," "Skills" — not creative alternatives
- -Submit as PDF or .docx — Check what the application form accepts
#The Human Element
Here's what many people forget: even if you pass the ATS, a human still reviews your resume. The goal is to optimize for both:
- -For ATS: Keywords, structure, parseability
- -For humans: Compelling narrative, clear achievements, professional presentation
This is where VoidCV shines — we optimize your resume to pass ATS screening while keeping it compelling for human reviewers.
#Test Your Resume
Before you apply, test how well your resume performs:
- -Copy your resume text into a plain text editor — can you read it clearly?
- -Compare your resume against the job description — are the key terms present?
- -Run it through an ATS simulator to check for parsing issues
Or let VoidCV handle it all automatically. We analyze your resume against the specific job posting and generate an optimized version that passes ATS screening.
Ready to stop getting rejected by robots? Try VoidCV free and see how your resume scores against any job posting.