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What is an ATS and Why Should I Care?

I’ve heard stories about a time when you could cold-call a company, drop off your resume, and have a reasonable expectation of getting an interview.  If that time ever existed for project managers, it’s not today.  With companies starting to look for more specialized project managers and improved tools for screening potential candidates, it seems like the barriers to getting a job as a project manager are increasing.  Let’s talk about one of those barriers - the ATS.

WTH is an ATS?

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System.  It is a software program that scans resumes for keywords to help identify potentially qualified job candidates to interview.  

How is an ATS Used?

The process for recruiters and hiring managers is fairly straightforward.  

• Someone enters a job description into the ATS, including required skills and work experience.
• The job is published.
• Applicants submit their resume, cover letter, etc. for the job.
• The ATS scans the application information, compares it to the job description, and then scores the applicant with what is called a match rate.  The match rate reflects how relevant the resume is to the job description.
• Based on the match rate, the ATS ranks candidates and produces a short list of the most qualified (at least on paper) candidates.

Why Should I Use an ATS-Friendly Resume?

For the majority of us in the project management and PM-adjacent fields, our resumes aren’t going to be graded on their artistic merits.  While I have seen some pretty resumes, and I’m sure I’ve submitted at least one fugly resume (I had what I thought was a pretty nicely formatted resume.  After I entered everything in manually, I had to either upload a TXT file version or paste my entire resume into a text editor that didn’t have formatting options.  Who does that?), you should temper your urge to make your resume a masterpiece.  If you really need a pretty resume, print out several copies and bring them to your interview, but only hand them out if asked for them.  People involved in the hiring process often print out their own copy of your submitted resume.  Providing a resume that appears different can create confusion.

Consider it this way; if you are a project manager, why did you get (or why are you getting) your PMP?  A sense of accomplishment might be part of the answer, but the truth is that most employers, in Utah, that are hiring project managers list PMP as a requirement.  If you don’t have your PMP, your chances of getting an interview are significantly diminished.  

Another way to think of it is, if you’re a student submitting a paper and the professor requires APA formatting, you wouldn’t use MLA formatting and expect a good grade.  Unless you are handing your resume directly to a human who will be part of the hiring decision, it is in your best interest to have and maintain an ATS-friendly resume.

Tips for Creating an ATS-Friendly Resume

Some of these tips will sound familiar.  Making your resume ATS-friendly shouldn’t result in a total overhaul of your resume if you’ve followed most advice given in the past few years; it just adds some nuances you might not have considered before.

1. Use action verbs whenever possible to describe your qualifications.  Avoid excessive repetition of action verbs.  Emphasize your accomplishments and how you add value, not just the project accomplishments.  
2. Review the job description and match your qualifications to the job requirements.
3. Use an ATS resume template.  Label resume sections clearly with standard headings.
   1. Name and contact information.
   2. Summary – include the specific job title (this will be harder if you’re changing fields).
   3. Experience.
   4. Education.
   5. Relevant job skills, specifically those listed in the job description.
4. Avoid graphics, images, symbols, tables, columns, headers, and footers.
5. Set 1-inch margins on all sides.
6. Use single-spacing between lines of text.
7. Select an ATS friendly font.
   1. For example, Garamond, Calibri, Times New Roman, Arial, or Helvetica.
   2. 14-16 point font for section headers, 11-12 point font for everything else.
8. Apply keyword optimization.
   1. Just like SEO, keyword stuffing counts against you.  Don’t overuse individual keywords.
   2. To determine which keywords to use, read the job description closely and use keywords exactly as they appear in the job description.
   3. If you have space, use acronyms AND spell the acronyms out the first time you use them.
9. Choose the right resume file type.
   1. Maintain a master resume in DOCX format.
   2. PDF is usually acceptable for submission, but some ATS’ may require DOCX, DOC, or TXT.

References:

• Hanna, Kellie (2023), ATS, Resumes, and Beating the Bots in 2023.  Retrieved on 10/18/2023, from https://www.myperfectresume.com/career-center/resumes/how-to/ats-friendly.
• Henderson, Robert, (2003), How to Create an ATS-Friendly Resume in 2023. Retrieved on 10/18/2023, from https://www.jobscan.co/blog/20-ats-friendly-resume-templates/. 
• Taylor, Suzanne (2023), How to Write an ATS Resume.  Retrieved on 10/18/2023, from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/ats-resume-template.

While not a Utah native, Aaron Porter raised his kids here and enjoys the sense of community he's found in Utah.  He maintains an on-again, off-again relationship with his blog on projectmanagement.com where he also participates in discussions on project management topics.  This is Aaron’s second time on the PMINUC Board of Directors; his first time was from 2010-2012 as VP of Education.  In between board positions, Aaron enjoyed volunteering as a project manager mentor, in the chapter and with other non-profits.  He’s contemplating finishing up his current term on the board, in 2024, and then focusing on his writing and getting published.