What is ATS and Why Should You Care?

Let's talk about the gatekeeper between you and your dream job: the ATS.

What is ATS?

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. It's software that companies use to:

• Collect resumes from job postings
• Parse and organize resume data
• Search for keywords and qualifications
• Rank candidates by relevance
• Filter out unqualified applicants

Think of it as a very literal robot that reads your resume and decides if you're worth a human's time.

Why It Matters

Here's the reality: Most large companies use ATS. If your resume doesn't pass the ATS, a human will never see it. You could be the perfect candidate, but if the robot doesn't understand your resume, you're out.

How ATS Works

1. You submit your resume - Usually as a PDF or Word doc
2. ATS parses it - Extracts text and organizes it into fields
3. ATS searches for keywords - Looks for skills, experience, and qualifications
4. ATS ranks candidates - Scores resumes based on keyword matches
5. Top candidates go to humans - Recruiters review the highest-ranked resumes

The Good News

You can optimize your resume for ATS! It's not magic, just strategy.

Key Takeaway

An ATS-optimized resume is:

• ✅ Easy to parse (simple formatting)
• ✅ Keyword-rich (matches the job posting)
• ✅ Honest (no tricks or gimmicks)
• ✅ Still readable by humans (not keyword-stuffed)

The goal is to pass the robot AND impress the human.

Learn More

• ATS-Friendly Formatting - How to format your resume
• Keyword Optimization - How to add the right keywords
• Use our AI Review - Get instant ATS feedback on your resume

Pro Tip

All resumes built in shipresume are ATS-optimized by default. We handle the formatting so you can focus on content. Start building or review your existing resume.