Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software tools that screen resumes before a human reads them. They scan for keywords, dates, job titles, skills, and contact details. If your resume lacks key terms, the ATS can filter it out.
For a Freight Clerk, ATS optimization matters because hiring teams look for specific freight skills. Common keywords include "shipping and receiving", "bill of lading", "freight billing", "LTL", "FTL", "TMS", "EDI", "carrier rate negotiation", "manifest", "claims processing", "inventory control", "DOT compliance", "Excel", and "shipment tracking".
- Use standard headings: Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications.
- Write clear job titles and company names.
- List dates and locations for each role.
Avoid complex formatting. Do not use tables, columns, text boxes, headers, footers, images, or graphs. ATS often misread those elements and drop content.
Pick readable fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Save your file as a .docx or PDF, unless a posting asks for another format. Keep design simple and clean.
Do not replace exact keywords with creative synonyms. For example, don't write "shipment coordinator" while the job asks for "Freight Clerk" and "bill of lading". Also avoid putting contact info in headers or footers. ATS might ignore it.
Finally, tailor each resume to the job description. Mirror the language and include relevant certifications such as "Hazmat endorsement", "C-TPAT", or "Forklift certification" when they apply. That step boosts keyword match and helps you get to the interview.