ATS is not what you think!
If you are worrying that your Jobscan/ATS tools % match, you are doing it all wrong.
It’s not your mistake though. I also used to believe in the ATS myths. That’s the way it has been marketed to us.
“You are not getting a job because your resume is not ATS friendly”
”Make sure your ATS% score is > 90%”
”The computer is rejecting your application before it even moves to the HR”
All these are myths. Ishank and I, we both did our research.
Here’s how we researched and what we found out:
Ishank went shopping for ATS. He found out that the more you pay, the more features you get. What we think is that all companies have the Ferrari version, but the reality is most companies have a Maruti 800 version.
I went online and buried my head in a lot of articles, went to forums where HRs have given their insights, and talked to my friends working in big companies. Here’s what I found: Even at companies like Deloitte and EY, it’s humans who reject applications, not the ATS God.
So, Bani if it’s all done by humans, what the hell does the ATS do?
ATS stores and organizes all incoming job applications, including resumes and cover letters, in a central database. (Think: clothes in a cupboard rather than scattered all across the room)
It is a qualifier. Ever seen questions: “How many years of experience do you have?” | “Do you have a valid work status” Now, if you answer NO for this, then yes ATS will automatically reject your application.
It does rank your application against others (but the advanced versions). The good news is that most HRs still choose to go through the applications as they treat ATS as an assistant, rather than the ultimate authority to ensure there’s no bias or errors.
So should you stop using keywords at all?
No, even when a real person is reviewing your application, they will evaluate if you have the required skill set, know a particular set of tools, or have experience in XYZ.
Stop obsessing over the %match and stop blaming ATS for not getting a job.
You should take accountability and work on the things that are ACTUALLY causing rejections. Maybe your resume is not strategic (keywords are not everything), you are applying to very few jobs, or you haven’t done any projects and certifications to show practical experience (if you are a fresher).
Keep blooming,
Bani