Are you answering online job postings with no success? That’s because the ATS or Applicant Tracking System matches your resume to the job description. If you aren’t an 85-90% match no human being will look at your resume.
You should not be spending more than 10% of your time answering ads, but when you do, follow these 5 tips to make sure your resume gets read.
1) Key Words and Phrases – You must use the keywords that are found in the job description. If it says Word, Excel, Power Point then you have to say that in your resume. If you say Microsoft Office Suite, the ATS will kick you out. If the job description uses customer, use customer NOT client. If the job description says “x” use that word or phrase.
2) Answer the ad within two days of posting. Any longer and there will be hundreds of resumes ahead of you inline. A week or two weeks later is too late.
3) Network with your connections to see if you can get introduced to someone in the company so you can write directly to that person with a cover email and your resume explaining that you have applied to the job online..
4) Research the company and department to find out the name of the hiring manager, not human resources. Then send an email to that person with your resume attached.
5) Don’t spend more than 10% of your time answering online job postings. A better use of your time is to write directly to hiring managers and build your network to get information meetings.
Remember: You are the the manager of your job search. Schedule time every day to work on your search, whether it is 10 minutes or one hour, thinking about possible companies, or time to make phone calls, or time to research an interview on LinkedIn.
(c) 2020 Amy Geffen All rights reserved