ATS: The Truth Behind the Tech That Screens Your Resume
What it is, how it works, and what candidates get wrong.
In 2026, if your CV can’t be read by both, you’re invisible before you even start.
So, does that mean AI is taking over hiring, or are we just adapting too slowly?
Your resume might be read by a robot before a human ever sees it.
Scary? Maybe. But it’s not as cold and heartless as you think.
What is an ATS? (Really)
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is the software that helps companies collect, organise, and filter job applications.
It’s the behind-the-scenes tech that keeps the hiring process from chaos.
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Here in Australia, some of the most commonly used ATS platforms include:
JobAdder
PageUp
LiveHire
Expr3ss!
SmartRecruiters / Lever / Greenhouse
These systems don’t “reject” resumes.
They sort, rank, and surface candidates to help hiring managers manage hundreds of applications efficiently.
How the ATS “Reads” You
Before your CV reaches a hiring manager’s eyes, the ATS scans for:
• Keywords (from the job ad)
• Experience level
• Role titles and skills
• Location or work eligibility
• Clean formatting (so it can actually read your file)
Then it scores or ranks you.
That’s not rejection... that’s automation.
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Why It Matters
Because in 2025, one job post can attract hundreds of applications.
The ATS helps recruiters prioritise, not penalise.
But here’s the catch: if your resume isn’t machine-readable, you’re making the hiring manager’s job harder (and your own chances slimmer).
(It may still go through, but ranked lower in visibility.)
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Myth or Truth #1
“If your resume isn’t optimised for ATS, you’ll never get seen.”
Truth: ATS doesn’t reject, it ranks.
→ Hiring managers can still see every application, but the best-matched ones rise to the top.
So, optimisation isn’t about “tricking” the system, it’s about making your experience legible.
Myth or Truth #2
“PDFs break the ATS.”
Truth: Modern ATS platforms (like JobAdder, Lever, and Greenhouse) handle PDFs just fine.
→ It’s design-heavy resumes with text boxes, columns, or images that confuse scanners.
Stick to clean formatting, not plain design.
Myth or Truth #3
“AI readers decide who gets hired.”
Truth: AI may assist in ranking, but hiring managers still make the call.
→ AI flags; humans hire.
No algorithm can replace intuition, potential, or cultural fit.
How to Beat the Bots (and Impress the Humans)
→ Use clear, simple formatting
→ Match key skills and language from the job description
→ Label each section properly (Experience, Skills, Education)
→ Avoid tables or images for text
→ Save as PDF or .docx (Never Jpeg!)
Lastly, tailor your resume per role. One size-fits-all rarely ranks well.
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The Best Resumes Don’t Just Pass the ATS — They Speak Human Once They Get Through
Stand out, or get filtered out.
Next week: we’ll share the best ChatGPT prompts to optimise your CV, so you can write for both humans and AI.
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