Applicant Tracking Systems are the bane of my existence.

• Overview
• The Problem
• The Goal
• The Process
• Design
• User Flow v.1.0
• User Flow v.2.0
• Outcome
• What I learned

Overview

For the last 8 months, since COVID-19, I've been pivoting. Like many others, this hasn't been a fun experience, but it is necessary.

The Problem

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS') have been around for decades, but they have really only taken off as we know them in the last 5-10 years. They are designed to 'screen' hundreds or thousands of applicants for a role. This is to separate the wheat from the chaff for the sourcer/recruiter. It works, in theory.

In reality, it's a nightmare system that should never been seen as a solution. It prevents a lot of well-qualified individuals from ever getting in front of a human. Here's been my most recent experience:

A little discouraging, isn’t it?

The Goal

To get in front of human eyes - to ethically blow up the bots. They have a very difficult time parsing PDFs, for example. This got me to thinking...

The Process

It was important to channel all of my frustration into a positive direction. Being empathetic (and, having sat on the other side of the table), I realize that no one person was at fault for this, but there had to be a better way, right? 🙃

Design

User Flow v.1.0

As you can see from the Balsamiq user flow, I started off simply with a Google Form→Notion Site→option to DM me in Slack or email me directly. Here are the steps involved:

1. A recruiter would receive a link to my Google Form
2. Once at the Google Form, they would be asked four simple questions:
1. What's your name?
2. What's your title?
3. What company do you work for?
4. What position are we discussing?
3. They would then click 'Submit'
4. A link to my contextual CV would then be provided
5. Communication channels open

User Flow v.2.0

In this refined User Flow, Slack is deliberately left out of the user experience with the only option being to email me.

Outcome

Since adopting this creative technique for submitting my contextual CV, I've gained a lot more traction. In addition, by utilizing analytics, I know when someone has actually taken a look at my background/experience and when they haven't. Quid pro quo, it turns out, is a good thing!

What I learned

• Bots can't handle PDFs, which typically results in an auto-generated generic rejection, but sometimes, it also immediately gets your CV directly in front of a hiring manager's eyes.
• An ATS can be easily gamed and has zero barometer on whether someone is actually qualified for a specific role.
• Being creative is (mostly) appreciated, which gives me hope. 😀
• Individuality is still a great thing.
• Having grit is good; being grittier is better!