More and more companies, large and small, are choosing to recruit their staff using special software, the so-called ATS, Applicant Tracking System, or simply Software for Personnel Selection. To pass the automatic selection phase assigned to these software, it is good to compile a resume that is specific and machine-readable. Here are our tips for you on how to compile your CV so that even an ATS can easily read it.
What are ATS software?
The “Applicants Tracking System “or” ATS “are software used by companies to place an order and make a first selection among all the applications received. What the software does is associate the candidate with the job description, allowing companies to get a first selection before moving on to classic selection. The software, in essence, scans the various curricula and based on their characteristics, it chooses some that blend well with the characteristics of the job. At that point, the recruiter is spared the hassle of making the very first choice, especially when the job position is attractive, and you receive a lot of difficult-to-manage applications.
The benefits of Recruiting Software
For companies, the Recruiting Software is a great tool that facilitates the search for the ideal candidate. In turn, the software is also useful in that it does not make personal distinctions but treats all candidates equally, giving everyone the same opportunity to be called back for an interview.
The disadvantages of software for Staff Selection
Since we are talking about machines and software, it is not certain that the selection of candidates is really that relevant. In fact, a software searches for recurring elements in the CV and matches them with recurring elements in the job description but in doing so you lose all the nuances that a human eye can see clearly. It is therefore no coincidence that to pass the ATS exam you have to write a CV made specifically for this type of machine, to avoid being discarded a priori.
How to write a good CV readable by Software for Recruiting?
To optimize your resume so that the most famous Recruiting Software can read and evaluate it, you should follow some specific rules:
Simplicity
Even if it is tempting to use an original form to present your CV, it is good to always keep within the standards and prefer simplicity. Leave aside symbols, colors and signs that are not readable by the ATS and always opt for a clean, simple and without excess formatting;
Keywords
In addition to simplicity, another element essential to ensure that the CV is read correctly by an ATS is to use specific keywords for the job position for which you are applying, trying to extrapolate them directly from the job description in the offer. The keywords must be distributed in the document and must always be included in the personal profile and at the top of the CV.
Technical terms
To insert diplomas, certificates and skills it is good to use the official names even if they are technical terms or acronyms: ATS software is programmed to read and understand the abbreviations of official ones that become as fundamental as keywords.
Personal touch
In the face of simple formatting and the use of technical terms and keywords, it goes without saying that the CV must always be optimized for human reading as well and therefore must be customized so that it can pass the software exam but also a second human examination. Therefore, do not forget hobbies and interests, if in some way related to the job position for which you are applying or to your own experiences.
In summary
- The Staff Selection Software are increasingly used by companies that want to automate the first phase of personnel research;
- An ATS software is designed to capture information, scan it and link it to the job position, identifying its similarities;
- A good CV should be designed keeping in mind the keywords, clear formatting and the use of specific terms, in order not to go unnoticed in the software scanning phase;
- Automatic scanning is always followed by a reading human so it is good not to forget to add other details that can make a difference to the eye of a recruiter.