Welcome to Recruiter Mythbusters, a series that replaces hiring folklore with how desks actually work.
The myth
“I never heard back, so the ATS auto-rejected me for my font / format / missing keyword score.”
The bust
Most ATS tools are databases with workflows. They parse fields, run knockout questions you answered, and wait for a human (or a rule the company configured). They do not grade Helvetica vs Garamond. Creative layouts can scramble parsed fields. That is annoying. It is not a mystical reject score shared across the industry.
What usually caused the silence: - Volume: hundreds of applicants, slow SLA - Knockout: work auth, location, years threshold, salary floor - Screen: a human skimmed and passed - Role: paused, filled, or never truly open
What to do instead
Use a clean, text-selectable resume. Answer knockouts honestly. Apply where you fit. Follow up once. Assume humans and volume before you assume a font conspiracy.
Verdict: Myth. Bust the folklore; keep the resume readable.
