Summary

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are now central to modern recruitment. As organisations strive to become more inclusive, especially under schemes like the UK’s Disability Confident and RNIB’s Visibly Better Employer, ATS platforms offer a unique opportunity to level the playing field for disabled candidates. This article explores their origins, current capabilities, and strategic potential to increase interview access for people with disabilities.

Background: The Rise of ATS

ATS platforms emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s, driven by the need to manage increasing volumes of digital job applications. Initially designed to streamline hiring, they evolved into intelligent systems capable of ranking, filtering, and automating recruitment tasks.

Founders and Pioneers

• 1996: Resumix introduced the first web-based applicant tracking system (ATS), making it possible for recruiters to access candidate data online. Recruitify

• Andrew Hider – Current CEO, leading global expansion and innovation: YouTube.

• Early systems focused on manufacturing automation but quickly adapted to HR needs as digital recruitment grew.

While ATS Corporation began in industrial automation, the broader ATS market now includes platforms like Greenhouse, plus many more, each with unique approaches to talent management.

Present Day: Why Organisations Use ATS

Modern ATS platforms are used to:

• Streamline recruitment: Automate job postings, resume screening, and interview scheduling.

• Enhance collaboration: Enable hiring teams to share feedback and track candidate progress.

• Improve candidate experience: Offer structured communication and timely updates.

For employers, ATS reduces administrative burden and ensures no candidate is overlooked. For job seekers, especially those with disabilities, it can be either a gatekeeper, or a gateway. This is simple down to how depending how inclusively it’s designed or maintained.

Key Question: Can ATS Systems Advance Disability Inclusion?

“Yes”

Especially when aligned with schemes like the DWP’s Disability Confident and RNIB’s Visibly Better Employer. AI-powered ATS platforms can:

• Reduce unconscious bias by focusing on skills and qualifications. Please read this article from Robert Newry’s Findings: AI Interventions in CV Creation

• Ensure fair screening by applying consistent criteria.

• Enable reasonable adjustments through customisable workflows.

When future job descriptions are created with the presumed knowledge on what the minimum requirements are. Clearly defined and embedded, AI can help surface qualified disabled candidates who might otherwise be filtered out due to non-standard CV formats or gaps in employment.

Who’s Leading the Way?

Inclusive ATS Providers:

• Fasthire.io – Uses AI to promote diversity and mitigate bias fasthire.io.

• Hireful – Offers guidance on inclusive recruitment practices for UK businesses hireful.com.

• PEAT (USA. Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology) – Advocates for disability-led innovation in AI hiring tools PEAT or Peat.

There are many other systems working towards this objective, I welcome feedback and an open discussion towards future development.

Organisations and Advocates:

• Scope UK – Offers toolkits and platforms like the amazing Evenbreak to connect disabled candidates with inclusive employers scope.org.uk.

• Celebrating Disability (Esi Hardy) – Provides consulting and training to improve recruitment accessibility co.uk.

• Open Inclusion – Conducts research on AI’s impact on disabled communities open inclusion.

Strategy for Change

To embed disability inclusion into ATS systems, a multi-pronged strategy is needed.

“What if they did?”

• Thousands of disabled candidates could be surfaced for interviews.

• Employers would meet inclusion targets more effectively and go beyond statements like “sensory disabilities”.

• Recruitment teams might need:

Additional training on inclusive interviewing.

• Support staff to manage reasonable adjustments.

• System updates to handle accessibility requests and feedback loops.

System Format Changes Could Include:

• Voice-navigable application portals.

• AI prompts to flag potential bias.

• Resume parsing that recognises alternative formats and lived experience.

Final Call to Action

Solution 1: Strategic Alliance Form a coalition between ATS vendors, disability charities (RNIB, Scope), and government bodies (DWP) to co-develop inclusive hiring standards and tools.

Solution 2: Pilot Program Launch a pilot with Disability Confident employers using enhanced ATS platforms to track interview rates for disabled applicants. Use the data to refine algorithms and scale success.

Together, we can transform recruitment from a barrier into a bridge—ensuring that every qualified candidate, regardless of disability, gets the opportunity to shine.

Candidates are now using AI tools and strategic CV interventions to navigate ATS systems more effectively—especially those with disabilities who face systemic barriers. Insights from Robert Newry and Jeyhun Hatamkhanov reveal how these approaches can reshape access to interviews.

Expanding the Landscape: Emerging Insights

Candidate Approaches to Navigating ATS

As ATS systems become more sophisticated, candidates are adapting their application strategies to improve visibility and fairness. These approaches include:

• AI-powered CV optimisation: Candidates use many different platforms like ChatGPT, Jobscan, and Rezi to tailor resumes to job descriptions, ensuring keyword alignment and format compatibility.

• ATS-friendly formatting: Avoiding tables, graphics, and unusual fonts to ensure parsing accuracy.

• Strategic keyword placement: Embedding role-specific terms in experience and skills sections to match recruiter search queries.

• Multiple resume versions: Creating tailored CVs for different roles or industries to meet ATS filters.

• Direct outreach: Combining ATS submissions with LinkedIn networking or recruiter engagement to bypass algorithmic gatekeeping.

These tactics are especially valuable for disabled applicants who may have non-linear career paths or alternative qualifications that ATS systems might overlook.

Robert Newry’s Findings: AI Interventions in CV Creation

Robert Newry, CEO of Arctic Shores, advocates for candidate-led AI systems that empower job seekers to take control of their applications. His recent post highlights:

• AI-generated CVs that align with job descriptions and ATS filters.

• Candidate dashboards that track application status and feedback.

• Personalised job-matching algorithms that reduce bias and increase relevance.

Newry’s approach suggests that AI can democratise access by giving candidates tools to compete fairly, especially those from underrepresented groups. His call to “create your own AI job application system” encourages innovation beyond employer-controlled platforms linkedin.com

Jeyhun Hatamkhanov’s Perspective: Transparency in ATS Monitoring

Jeyhun Hatamkhanov, a global talent acquisition expert, emphasises how ATS systems track applicant history, including:

• Number of applications submitted.

• Reasons for rejection.

• Interview feedback and outcomes.

He notes that recruiters can search by name, email, or phone number to review a candidate’s full profile. This transparency can benefit disabled applicants if employers commit to inclusive review practices and avoid penalizing candidates for gaps or adjustments linkedin.com.

Positive Outcomes and Emerging Best Practices

Beyond the sales pitches, these insights reveal several positives:

• Structured feedback loops: Candidates can learn from past applications and improve future submissions.

• Reduced bias through automation: When minimum requirements are clearly defined, AI can surface qualified disabled candidates who might otherwise be filtered out.

• Data-driven hiring: Employers can track diversity metrics and adjust ATS settings to align with inclusion goals.

These developments support the idea that ATS systems, when designed inclusively, can be powerful tools for equity.

🌿 Moor, Mountain, Grow: Confidence in the Countryside 🌿

In 2026, I will be launching a new initiative designed to open up the beauty of Exmoor to more people. Over the course of three days, participants will be guided through practical skills and confidence-building experiences that prepare them for longer expeditions in the years ahead.

This project is especially for those who have ever thought: “I’d love to go on a walking holiday, but I’m not sure how to organise it or whether I’d feel safe and confident enough.”

Moor, Mountain, Grow is about breaking down those barriers—creating an inclusive, supportive environment where everyone can discover the joy of the countryside, regardless of experience or background.

👉 If this speaks to you, or if you’d like to explore how you can be part of this journey, please click below and get in touch. Together, we can grow confidence, build community, and open the outdoors to all.