We have spoken quite a bit about Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and what they mean for you and your resume. Since ATS software has differences depending on the company who designed it, their capabilities and uses will vary. However, in all ATS software, a critical feature is resume parsing. Often, we find people aren’t exactly sure what this term means.
As the number of applicants continue to grow, the demand of sorting through individual resumes can be challenging. Therefore, organizations are turning to software systems to help alleviate the workload, and with overall costs.
What is resume parsing?
In an online article, resume parsing is described as the following: “Resume parsing is the automated storage and analysis of resumes received from candidates. It typically involves using a resume parser to review multiple candidates’ documents.”
Resume parsing allows for the automated storage and analysis of resume data. The resume is imported into parsing software and the information is extracted so that it can be sorted and searched. For example, these software programs can help hiring managers and interviewers search for keywords or use more specific criteria to find the most qualified candidates. Using resume parsing helps companies identify the top applicants, based on the information they have input into the system.
How does it work?
There are a few steps regarding resume parsing. To begin, all applications are queued into the parsing software, then the documents are scanned for relevant information based on the needs of the company. In general, the software will scan for job skills, work experience, credentials, and professional certifications. Using this software removes the task of having to manually sort through each application.
Keeping resume parsing in mind, and how it works, is important. For example, in terms of the format of your resume, you want to be careful. The format of your resume is less about aesthetic, and more about its effectiveness on getting your resume successfully through ATS software. Last week, we highlighted three things to remove from your resume, and discussed the issue of including multiple columns in your resume. It is important to ensure the information you include in your resume doesn’t get missed or overlook by the software, and our team can help with this.
What are some challenges of resume parsing?
Technology is wonderful, but it is not without its flaws. Understanding and interpreting language is a process, so relying on a computer program to do this job can be challenging. Therefore, depending on the ATS software being used, some are more efficient than others.
While ATS software can save large organizations time and money, they aren’t always a perfect solution for finding the ideal candidate. This is why ensuring your resume is crafted in a way that appeals to both technology and the human eye is key to success.
If you would like to chat more about how our team can help improve your resume for ATS and resume parsing, please give us a call. We look forward to working with you!