Dates on Resume Demystifying the Applicant Tracking System

Dates on Resume â€" Demystifying the Applicant Tracking System I saw a blog post last week about how to write dates on resumes.  It inferred that if job seekers don’t use the writer’s prescribed format, then applicant tracking systems (ATS) will shoot their resumes to the Black Hole of Death.Not the case.Parsing Software Reads Your ResumeFirst, to pick nits, the ATS doesn’t read your resume. Rather, applicant tracking systems include resume  parsing software. The parsing software reads your resume seeking to populate a database of user-defined requirements.Beyond that, organizations use many different parsers. They range in accuracy from “not so good” to “almost as good as a human reader.” Thus, a small real estate management company might use an inexpensive, not so good parser while a large Wall Street investment bank might have a parser thats almost as good at parsing language as you would be.Some companies write their own parsers. Other companies buy parsers and integrate them with their ATS. If you google around a bit, you can even find free parsing software.The ATS Isn’t a MonolithBloggers often write about the ATS as if it’s a monolith with an inalienable set of truths and rules.As you can see from the above, that’s far from true. Companies can choose from many systems and parsing options (which use a  variety of parsing methodologies). Moreover, they define the data they want their parsers to find.Thus, they tell their systems how to look at your work history, your years of experience, your job experience, whether or not they care about older jobs, etc.Applicants Don’t All Write Dates on Resumes the Same WayBeyond the variety found in parsing software, methodologies, and user requirements, applicants vary in how they present information in their resumes.The people who develop parsing software know this, so they write code that enables their parser to recognize different presentations of the same information.You hope the prospective employers you’re applying to have invested in highly accurate resume parsing software. However, you don’t know exactly how their parser works, so you don’t have a way to compensate within your resume if they haven’t.That’s why it’s best for you to  network  your resume into the hands of the hiring manager.How a Good Resume Parser Handles Dates on ResumesNow lets examine what parsers do with dates.Applicants write dates of employment and graduation dates in a variety of ways. They might use months and years or just years. Some people leave dates off of their education.A good developer will study reams of resumes to identify the different ways people write dates. They will then code their parser to recognize all of them. You can read a discussion of that here. As you will see, in all likelihood, the ATS doesn’t care how you write dates on your resume. It wants you to list the dates, but it should have your back on a variety of ways for you to do so.Chill on the ATS ParanoiaWhile it’s good to be aware of resume parsing techniques, it’s also important to use common sense. Don’t believe everything you read about the evil ATS.Ask yourself if it’s likely that parsing software would be written to compensate for what you’re worried about, such as how to present dates. If it is, then relax and move on with your job search.Image Courtesy of Toa Heftiba Updated March 2019 2015 2019, Donna Svei. All rights reserved.Donna SveiDonna Svei, an executive resume writer and former C-level executive, retained search consultant, and CPA, writes all of AvidCareerists posts. She has written for and been quoted by leading business, general, and career media outlets, including Forbes, Mashable, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Lifehacker, Ask.com, Social Media Today, IT World, SmartBrief, Payscale, Business News Daily, and the Muse. Let her background and experience inform your job search strategy and decision making.Learn more about Donnas executive resume writing service or email Donna for more information. Resumes â€" Structure Format (5 Posts)