If you manage a recruitment agency, you already know your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a critical tool for saving time and keeping the hiring process moving.
But here’s the truth: some candidates have learned how to "game" ATS systems to slip through the initial screening — even if they’re not truly the best fit.

Understanding these tactics isn’t about policing candidates — it’s about strengthening your process to make sure the right people make it through.

Let’s break it down.

First, a Quick Refresh: What Does Your ATS Actually Do?

An ATS is designed to scan incoming resumes and filter candidates based on specific criteria — mainly keywords, job titles, skills, and basic structure.
It saves recruiters from drowning in hundreds of resumes by automatically shortlisting the most "relevant" ones.

Sounds perfect, right?
Not so fast. Candidates have gotten smarter — and some are beating the system.

Common Tricks Candidates Use to Bypass ATS Filters

1. Keyword Stuffing Based on Job Descriptions

Candidates know the ATS is hunting for keywords.
They’ll carefully mirror the job description — sometimes even copying entire phrases — to trick the system into thinking they’re a perfect match.

✅ Example: If your job ad says "proficient in Salesforce CRM," you can bet they’ll insert "Salesforce CRM" several times across their resume.

2. Keeping Formatting Super Simple

Tables, images, logos, text boxes — all beautiful for human eyes, but terrible for old-school ATS scanners.

Smart candidates stick to clean, linear resumes:

Standard fonts like Arial or Calibri
No fancy graphics
No columns or split sections

This way, the ATS reads everything properly and doesn’t miss important keywords.

3. Tweaking Job Titles to Match Listings

A candidate who was officially a "Customer Success Associate" might re-label themselves as a "Client Relationship Manager" if that's the title you're hiring for.

It’s subtle — but it can fool systems that heavily weight matching job titles.

4. Strategic "Skills" Sections

Candidates often dedicate a clear “Skills” section listing every keyword from the job posting:

"Project Management"
"Google Analytics"
"Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)"

Even if their actual experience is thin, it can artificially boost their ranking in your system.

5. Standard Fonts and Character Simplicity

They avoid fancy fonts, symbols, emojis, or anything that could confuse the software.

If a resume looks "boring" — that's often on purpose to ensure 100% ATS readability.

6. Customizing Every Resume

Savvy applicants don’t send the same resume everywhere.
They tailor each one specifically to match the job description — making it easier to pass your ATS filters.

7. Using Both Acronyms and Full Forms

Example:

"Certified in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" instead of just "SEO".

This ensures no matter how the ATS is set up (looking for full terms vs. shortcodes), the keyword will hit.

8. Including Cover Letters Strategically

Some ATS platforms also scan cover letters.
Candidates now keyword-optimize those too — making sure the buzzwords appear naturally.

9. Standard Section Headings

Instead of clever headings like "My Journey" or "What I've Achieved," strong candidates stick to simple ones:

Work Experience
Skills
Education
Certifications

This makes it easier for the ATS to parse correctly without missing important data.

10. Keeping Important Info Out of Headers and Footers

Candidates know some ATS software ignores resume headers/footers altogether.
They keep critical contact information and key points in the main body to be safely read.

Human Judgment Still Matters

Even the smartest keyword-stuffed, perfectly formatted resume can hide a poor candidate.

An ATS only sees words — it doesn’t:

Judge real-world results
Measure soft skills
Spot career red flags

That’s why balancing technology with good recruiter instincts is crucial.

How You Can Strengthen Your ATS Process

✅ 1. Regularly Update Your ATS Settings

Make sure your ATS evolves alongside candidates’ strategies — modern systems handle formatting and variations better than older ones.

✅ 2. Balance Automation with Human Review

Top candidates can still be missed — and keyword abusers can slip through.
Always build a manual review step into your process before final shortlisting.

✅ 3. Implement Feedback Loops

Track:

Which hires worked out great
Which hires looked good on paper but didn’t last

Then adjust your ATS criteria accordingly.

✅ 4. Customize ATS Criteria per Role

Not every job needs the same keyword weighting.
Tailor what your ATS is "hunting for" based on role seniority, industry, and must-have skills.

Final Thoughts: Smart Candidates Aren’t the Enemy — Sloppy Screening Is

Candidates adapting their resumes isn’t cheating — it’s surviving.
Your job is to stay ahead by building a smarter, fairer system.

Use your ATS wisely (and human judgment even more wisely), and you’ll end up with better shortlists, faster hires, and happier clients.

Because great recruitment isn’t just matching words — it’s matching people.

Initial Screening

How Candidates Can Outsmart Your ATS Screening (and What You Can Do About It)