Your Resume Is Getting Rejected By Robots (Here's How to Beat Them)

Here's something frustrating: you spend an hour customizing your resume for a job, hit submit, and never hear back. Not even a rejection email. Just silence.

What happened? Most likely, a robot rejected you before any human even saw your resume.

What's an ATS?

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. It's software that companies use to manage job applications. And here's the thing: over 75% of resumes get filtered out by ATS before a human ever looks at them.

In the Central Valley, most larger employers use some form of ATS:

• Hospitals and healthcare systems (Kaiser, St. Joseph's, Sutter)
• Amazon and warehouse operations
• Government jobs (city, county, state)
• Banks and financial institutions
• Schools and universities

Even some smaller businesses use free ATS tools now. So if your resume isn't ATS-friendly, you're probably getting auto-rejected from a lot of jobs.

What Gets Your Resume Rejected

The ATS is trying to parse your resume and extract information. When it can't, it either rejects you or ranks you at the bottom. Here's what causes problems:

1. Fancy Formatting

That beautiful two-column resume template you found on Canva? The ATS can't read it. Graphics, text boxes, tables, and columns confuse the software.

2. Wrong File Format

Some ATS systems can't read PDFs properly. Others struggle with .pages files or Google Docs links.

3. Missing Keywords

This is the big one. ATS systems scan for keywords from the job posting. If your resume doesn't include them, you get filtered out.

For example, if the job posting says "Microsoft Excel" and your resume says "spreadsheets" — the ATS might not make the connection.

4. Creative Section Headers

The ATS looks for standard headers like "Work Experience" or "Education." If you get creative with "Where I've Made an Impact" or "My Journey" — the robot doesn't know what to do with it.

5. Headers and Footers

Your name and contact info in the header/footer? The ATS might completely ignore it. Put your contact info in the main body of the document.

How to Beat the ATS

Step 1: Use a Simple Format

• Single column layout
• Standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
• Standard section headers
• No graphics, icons, or images
• No tables or text boxes

Step 2: Mirror the Job Posting

This is key. Read the job posting carefully and include their exact phrases in your resume.

Don't lie — but do use their language. If they say "forklift operator," don't say "warehouse equipment technician."

Step 3: Include a Skills Section

Create a dedicated Skills section and list relevant keywords. This is an easy place to include terms from the job posting.

Step 4: Spell Things Out (and Abbreviate)

Include both the full term and the acronym. Some ATS systems search for one or the other.

• "Certified Public Accountant (CPA)"
• "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)"
• "Registered Nurse (RN)"

Step 5: Test Your Resume

Before you submit, test your resume. There are free tools that will scan your resume against a job posting and tell you what you're missing.

Or use our Job Fit Analyzer — paste the job description and your resume, and we'll tell you your match score and what's missing.

Quick Checklist

Before you hit submit, make sure:

• ✅ Single column, simple format
• ✅ Standard section headers (Work Experience, Education, Skills)
• ✅ Contact info in main body, not header/footer
• ✅ Keywords from job posting included
• ✅ Both acronyms AND full terms spelled out
• ✅ .docx format (unless they specifically request PDF)
• ✅ No graphics, tables, or text boxes
• ✅ Standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times)

The Human Touch Still Matters

Here's the thing: beating the ATS just gets you in front of a human. You still need a resume that impresses them.

So yes, include keywords and use simple formatting. But also:

• Quantify your achievements — "Managed a team of 8" not "Managed a team"
• Focus on results — "Increased sales 25%" not "Responsible for sales"
• Keep it relevant — Tailor to each job, cut what doesn't matter

One Last Tip for Valley Job Seekers

Smaller local businesses often DON'T use ATS systems. When you apply to the local restaurant, the family-owned shop, or the small warehouse — a human is probably reading your resume directly.

That's one advantage of using local job boards like 209.works. Many of our employers are small-to-medium businesses where your application goes straight to the hiring manager, not through a robot filter.

Questions? Email me: paul@209.works