Why Knowing the Software Being Used Can Help

Every ATS follows the same basic logic (scan, extract, score), but their settings vary. Knowing which tool the hiring company uses — often visible in the application page's URL — lets you fine-tune certain details to maximize your chances.

The Main ATS Platforms on the Market

  • Workday: extremely common at large international corporations. Multi-step application interface, automatic resume parsing to pre-fill fields — always double-check that pre-filled fields actually match your original resume.
  • Taleo (Oracle): one of the oldest and strictest on format. Often explicitly recommends .docx and penalizes complex layouts.
  • Greenhouse: popular with tech startups and scale-ups. Its matching algorithm is generally considered more tolerant of formatting, but still sensitive to keywords.
  • SmartRecruiters: modern interface, used by many mid-sized companies. Emphasizes consistency between your resume and your answers on the application form.
  • Lever & iCIMS: widely used across mid-size to large companies; both rely on the same keyword-matching fundamentals as the platforms above.

What Stays True Regardless of the Software

Despite their differences, all these tools share common requirements:

  • Extractable text (no images, no complex tables).
  • Recognizable section headings ("Experience," "Education," "Skills").
  • Consistent, well-formatted dates.
  • The posting's exact keywords, present in the body text.

Optimizing for these shared fundamentals protects you no matter which ATS is on the other end, without needing to guess which one it is.

An Application Form Never Replaces a Strong Resume

Many of these platforms ask you to fill out a form in addition to uploading a resume. Never rush through this step: some ATS platforms weigh the form fields just as heavily as the resume content itself in the final score. Fill them out with the same care as your document.

To go further on the fundamentals that work across all these tools, check out our guide on how to pass ATS filters and which keywords to use for your industry.

A Resume Compatible With Every ATS, Without Having to Guess

CVPocket generates structured resumes following standards compatible with Workday, Taleo, Greenhouse, and most recruiting systems — you don't need to know which one is on the other end, the structure stays universally readable.