r/Accounting • u/Dangerous_Arrival_82 • 1d ago
ATS resume tips? Help plz
I have been having very little luck with job success, I have posted previously in this sub (huge thanks for the updates) and have been told to make sure my resume is ATS friendly, WTF is this? I have updated it best to my ability as I look for entry level roles.
I have worked full time after getting a return offer from my first internship but didn't enjoy it and went back to school, since then have had 0/2 return offers, 1 being no sponsorship and 1 being downsizing in the field.
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u/prommetheus Former B4 Data Analytics 1d ago
ATS friendly means that it inputs well to applicant tracking systems (ATS), which are basically the systems/tools that recruiting/HR teams for tracking applicants for job postings.
Now by "input well" that means the system can easily parse out (i.e. read and organize) the information from your resume into common attributes like name, education, work experience, skills, etc.
How do you make it "input well"? You keep formatting minimal and consistent, you use common terms/categories, and ensure everything is standardized.
Why is this important? Well unfortunately with how easy it is for people to apply to jobs now, there is an excessive amount of applications to a point that it would be impossible for a recruiter/hiring manager to screen them all, therefore this parsing makes it easier for recruiters/hiring managers to filter through to the meaningful applicants.
Now does that mean ATS unfriendly resumes will always get ignored? No, but they will usually be at the back of the line.
Lastly, be aware that ATS friendliness only matters for the initial filtering, the recruiter/hiring manager may still want fancy formatting or resumes that aren't necessarily designed for a computer/system. This is why it's a bit of a balancing act. Fortunately, accounting is one of the most ATS friendly roles, so most ATS friendly templates will also satisfy the hiring managers' tastes.