What is Applicant tracking system (ATS)?
Software employers use to post jobs, collect applications and move candidates through hiring. Greenhouse, Lever and Workday are common ones.
An applicant tracking system, or ATS, is the software behind most online job applications. Employers use it to post jobs, collect resumes, ask screening questions, and track each candidate from “applied” to “hired”. When you apply on a company’s careers page, you’re usually filling in its ATS.
Common ones
Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, Workable, SmartRecruiters and Workday are some of the most common. Each has its own application form, which is why every application seems to ask for the same details in a slightly different way.
What it means for your resume
- It gets read as text. Simple layouts, standard headings and a Word or PDF file keep your details intact.
- Recruiters search it. Using the job’s own words for skills you really have helps you show up.
- Screening questions matter. A wrong answer to “Are you authorized to work here?” can end things early.
More in How to get your resume past applicant tracking systems, or try our free resume keyword checker.
In Hunter
Hunter searches career sites on Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, Workable, SmartRecruiters, Recruitee and Workday, and fills in their forms for you after you approve a tailored resume.
Questions people ask
Do applicant tracking systems reject resumes automatically?
Some can filter on knockout questions, like work authorization or a required license. Many leave the judging to recruiters, who search and sort applications inside the system. Either way, a clear resume that uses the job's language helps.
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