Recruitment is time and resource-consuming for companies, so hiring managers are always seeking new ways to make the process more efficient and streamlined.
Over the past few years, technology has played a huge role in recruitment. There are two key technologies that have an impact on job seekers: Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
As a result, many people think these tools perform the same role. The reality is, they serve very different purposes in the recruitment process.
To stand out, senior professionals need to have an understanding of these technologies and how they are used by companies to find the right candidate.
In this blog, we will cover the key differences between ATS and AI, how they are used by employers, and how candidates can prepare to meet both when applying for new opportunities.
What Is an ATS (Applicant Tracking System)?
ATS – or Applicant Tracking Software – is a type of software that screens CVs for specific keywords to find the most relevant candidates for a role.
ATS is generally used by larger organisations to manage high volumes of applications. After collecting all the CVs for a position, recruiters will type in key phrases associated with the role and applications will be filtered based on their relevance to the search. But please note each company tailors their own ATS, so avoid generic online tools that give you a score as you need to be assessed against a job advert and against each organisation’s criteria.
Businesses of all shapes and sizes use ATS in their recruitment – including almost 99% of Fortune 500 companies, 66% of large organisations, and even 35% of small businesses.
To meet ATS requirements, your CV needs to:
- Be formatted in a way that the software can collect your information and populate it within their system;
- Avoid common CV formatting pitfalls, such as image-based layouts;
- Use key phrases and language specific to the job advert.
What Is AI in Recruitment?
While ATS is generally only used in the initial screening for a job, AI is used at different points throughout the process.
It is now believed that over 87% of businesses use AI in recruitment. Companies are tailoring AI tools to their specific needs, so they can reduce manual workloads and analyse candidates faster.
Some of the ways that businesses will use AI in recruitment include:
- Compiling job adverts;
- Model success predictors to choose candidates that are the right fit;
- Conducting pre-recorded interviews;
- Video interview analysis;
- Assessing skills, impact, and achievements on CVs;
- Communications with candidates such as automations to inform them about whether they have been successful or unsuccessful in securing an interview.
How ATS and AI Are Used in the Recruitment Process
Rather than choosing one or the other, many companies use both ATS and AI to make the recruitment process more efficient and effective.
As a general rule:
- ATS is used for initial screenings – Holding and filtering candidates using basic criteria and keywords related to the role.
- AI is used for candidate analysis – Analysing skills, experience, and fit to shortlist candidates.
It is also important to note that using this technology will never cut people out of the process. After the initial shortlist is created, it is up to human recruiters to review the selection and decide who to invite to the interview stage of the process.
How to Optimise Your CV for ATS
Here is some key advice on how to make sure your CV passes an ATS screening:
Mirror the language in the job description
Take some time to analyse the job advert and make a note of the language used to describe the key responsibilities of the role.
Then, as you are preparing your CV, ensure this language is reflected as naturally as possible when talking about your experience and achievements. We recommend specifically tailoring your Key Skills and Professional Profile sections with relevant keywords.
Use a clear format
If ATS can’t read your CV, your application will be rejected before the process has really begun.
Avoid including tables, graphics, and columns in your CV. Instead, use a standard layout with a simple font, linear style, and common headings like “Employment History”, as the system will be programmed to pick these up.
Showcase Career Progression
As a senior professional, you need to balance demonstrating your leadership abilities and achievements with using language from the job description.
Keep your CV focused with a structured career timeline, and keep your examples focused on measurable achievements in your previous roles.
How to Prepare for AI in the Recruitment Process
When it comes to preparing for how employers use AI in recruitment, we recommend:
Optimising Your CV
Employers will train AI software to find candidates that meet their specific requirements. Therefore, you need to demonstrate your strategic impact throughout your CV, rather than simply the responsibilities of your previous roles.
It might be tempting to get AI to create your CV for you, but we highly recommend using it as a guide, rather than a writer.
For example – Copy the job advert into a tool like ChatGPT and ask for it to list the main points you should cover in your CV.
Practising With the Software
If an organisation is using AI to conduct pre-recorded video interviews, try to practise with it in advance to ensure there are no technical issues during your slot.
You can also use AI to prepare for video interviews. There is software available that will ask you sample questions, record your answers, and then analyse your performance to give you points for improvement.
Aligning Your Online Presence With Your CV
Finally, some recruiters will use AI to pull information from across the internet to find candidates for a role and one of the first places it will look is LinkedIn.
Therefore, it is important to update your LinkedIn profile at the same time as your CV, so that your Employment History is consistent across all channels.
We hope that this blog has provided some clarification on the difference between AI and ATS and how they are typically used by recruiters.
Understanding these systems gives you a competitive advantage, as you can prepare for them effectively and put your best foot forward in your job search.
At The CV Guru, each of our expert writers have extensive experience creating CVs that will perform well with both ATS screenings and AI tools.