Blog Tip #10: Know What You Are Up Against
February is month 8 of my job search. I have been successful
in finding contract and part time work, but am still on the hunt for the full
time employment that will support my sons and me. Surprisingly, I am optimistic. Due to a
concerted effort, my skills and knowledge are growing each day and that gives
me hope and a sense of self-worth.
What tends to drive us towards depression or self-defeat is
the unknown. Fear of the unknown takes
its toll by robbing us of our confidence. The best way I have found to fight
back, especially in a search that has been going for a while, is to arm myself
with knowledge from two directions:
1. Outwardly: What should I
understand about the success rates in the applications I send?
2. Inwardly: What should I be
doing right now to make myself the best candidate as opportunities arise?
To help with number one I have taken advantage of a number
of classes and some of the best have been through the Dislocated Workers
Program. One recent workshop discussed
the likelihood of getting a job, or even an interview, when the application
goes through an ATS or Applicant Tracking System. Most of the ‘fill in the
blank’ forms you encounter online go through this type of sorting program. It looks for key words, and when they are not
found in the version of your resume or cover letter that you are allowed to
provide, your application is rejected. The Hiring Manager will never see what
great things you have to offer.
Some facts on the ATS:
- They exist to make the recruiter, not the applicant’s life easier
- They are often not formatted correctly for the job or the resumes being submitted
- They kill 75 percent of candidates' chances of landing an interview as soon as they submit their resume
One quick takeaway is to be very selective on whether you
spend your time applying for a job where an ATS form is the access point. It
may rule out some jobs you were considering applying for, but perhaps your time
would be better spent on a more accessible application, for example: Send a resume and cover letter to Bill@thisjob.com. You get the idea. A human may actually be the
first person to see your qualifications and the amazing cover letter you worked
on so diligently.
If you really want to apply for a job using this software, here
is a good article on CIO with some great ideas to try to beat the ATS: http://www.cio.com/article/2398753/careers-staffing/5-insider-secrets-for-beating-applicant-tracking-systems.html.
Next blog I will discuss number two above on how you can arm
yourself inwardly. Till then, I am really
pulling for you, Susan
