Louisiana ranks lowest in monthly ATS searches, at 4.25 per 100,000, 39.02% below the national average
Since 2023 Louisiana has seen an increase in unemployment by 0.9%, up to 3.5% overall
The study reveals significant variations in ATS engagement among states, potentially impacting job seekers' success rates
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) have revolutionized the hiring process for both employers and job seekers, primarily by automating the application filtering process using specific keywords and criteria.
This aids employers in managing large volumes of resumes efficiently.
A study conducted by the job board site, PsychologyJobs.com, analyzed monthly Google searches for ATS-related keywords by state, and compared this to local populations to get a search rate per 100k residents.
Key terms considered in the analysis included "applicant tracking systems", "ats resume checker", and "free resume checker".
Job seekers may be at a significant disadvantage in today's digital-first hiring environment if they're unfamiliar with Applicant Tracking Systems. If a resume isn't optimized for ATS—lacking the right keywords or not formatted correctly—it may never be seen by a recruiter, regardless of the applicant's qualifications.
In the past, ensuring a CV was up-to-date and presented well was the primary concern for job seekers. However, the modern era has shifted priorities due to the prevalence of applicant tracking systems (ATS). Now, resumes must be optimized for digital parsing, emphasizing scannability and indexability to ensure key skills and qualifications are effectively captured.
Low search volume suggests that job seekers are not leveraging ATS tools, including those providing CV scanning to reveal how their resumes are interpreted by this technology as well as a lack of preparation for modern, automated hiring processes and unawareness of their use in the job market.
Job seekers who don't understand how these systems work may inadvertently create resumes that are systematically overlooked, missing employment opportunities even if they're well-suited for the role.
Louisiana, coming in first, has the lowest ATS average monthly search volume per 100k at only 4.25, which is 39.2% below the national average (6.97). The state has seen a 0.9% increase in unemployment rates over the past year.
New Mexico, with an ATS average monthly search volume of 4.41, is in second place paired with an unemployment rate of 3.8% of the state's population.
West Virginia, ranked third with a search volume of 4.7 per 100k, has an unemployment rate of 4.3 - an increase of 0.8% over the past 12 months.
Idaho ranks fourth with a Google search volume of 4.62 per 100k, with a slight increase in unemployment from 2.9% to 3.3% over last 12 months.
Alaska, ranking fifth lowest, has seen a significant increase in unemployment, from 3.8% in 2023 to 4.6% in 2024. Alaska’s ATS search volume is 4.66, 33.14% lower than the national average.
Other states showing a cause for concern are Kentucky, Arkansas, Montana, and Oklahoma, as they reported lower search interest than the national average.
The ten states at risk of being overlooked in the job market
In contrast, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington, Georgia, and New York lead the nation in embracing employment technology, significantly outpacing the national average search rate for Applicant Tracking Systems.
Massachusetts sets the benchmark with an impressive ATS average monthly Google search volume of 13.05, almost double the national average interest (6.97).
Virginia follows closely with a volume of 11.75, while Washington, with a volume of 10.6, also shows strong engagement. Georgia and New York are not far behind, with search volumes of 10.54 and 10.14, respectively.
The ten states most utilizing Applicant Tracking Systems
Amelia Beronilla, Community Manager at PsycholoyJobs, commented on the findings: “This study highlights the need for targeted educational programs on ATS and its crucial role within the job application process. By improving knowledge and usage of these systems, job seekers could significantly increase their chances of making successful employment matches in an automated and competitive market.
“Job seekers can utilize ATS resume checking tools to ensure their resumes are correctly parsed and match the keywords that ATS systems typically scan for. These tools increase the likelihood of a resume passing the initial automated review and reaching hiring professionals.”
Methodology: The study used data from Google Keyword Planner to reveal the rankings, following this process: First a seed list of initial search terms was established based on the 7 most commonly Googled terms relating to the topic. The full list of terms is listed below. Then the monthly average search volume for each term in each state was taken from Google Keyword Planner. Once this was complete, the total number of monthly average searches in each location was compared against its population. This established the monthly average searches per 100,000 people, allowing for accurate comparison of the search rate across locations of differing sizes. This final figure was used to sort the locations into the final ranking. Full list of search terms included in the analysis: Ats resume checker Resume ats checker Free resume checker Best resume checker Best ats resume checker free Ats resume checker online Applicant tracking system
Source: Unemployment statistics per state: https://www.bls.gov/charts/state-employment-and-unemployment/state-unemployment-rates-map.htm
The full data for each state can be found here.
