What is an ATS and why do employers use one?

An ATS (applicant tracking system) is software that employers and recruiters use to collect, store, sort and manage job applications. When you apply through a company's careers page, your resume and answers usually go into an ATS rather than straight to someone's inbox.

Employers use one because it helps them:

• Keep every application for a job in one place, linked to a job ID.
• Move candidates through stages such as "applied", "screening", "interview" and "offer".
• Search their database of past and current applicants by skills, job titles or location.
• Send standard emails, schedule interviews and keep records of hiring decisions.

An ATS is mainly an organising tool. People still decide who gets interviewed; the software helps them handle volume. Different products and different employer settings work differently, so nobody outside a company knows exactly how its system is configured. The safest approach is a clear, text-based resume that both software and a person can read easily.