There is no single experience-calculation rule shared by all applicant tracking systems. A job’s qualifying experience may depend on responsibilities, hours, credentials and employer requirements as well as calendar dates. Keep your history accurate and inspect any imported dates.
State the dates you know
Use a consistent, unambiguous date style. Include month and year when you know them and the form requests that detail. Do not invent a month to satisfy a formatting recommendation; use records or ask the employer how to enter uncertain information.
Overlapping roles and qualifying experience
Two simultaneous roles do not create twice as much elapsed calendar time. Explain concurrent, part-time or contract work when relevant, and follow the employer’s definition of qualifying experience. Do not assume a parser calculates every requirement from a single duration total.
Gaps and screening decisions
An employment gap does not establish a universal automatic outcome. Screening can involve employer-configured tools, questions and review. Give accurate dates and useful context rather than changing your history to avoid an imagined algorithm.
- Keep role dates accurate and consistent
- Clarify overlapping or part-time work
- Read the posting’s experience requirements
- Review imported dates and correct mistakes