You’re ready to find that perfect job. You sent off your resume and are now practicing eloquent answers to those behavioral interview questions. And you wait, and wait… and after a few weeks, you start to wonder what happened, why is no one contacting me? The answer could very well be a number of things.
You could be underqualified, or perhaps you have all the skills and experience required, but your resume couldn’t be read by the program in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). The ATS system itself causes some frustration with job seekers as it feels like you copy and paste from your resume into the “fillable” answer columns for 20 -30 minutes with each application.
So why do companies use Applicant Tracking software? In a nutshell, organizations didn’t maliciously place a software program as an extra layer between the applicant and a real person. The truth is, the Federal Government has passed regulations ensuring that companies of a certain size report annually on the number of qualified applicants as well as each hired employee, as the government monitors diversity programs. In essence, in many of the larger organizations, ATS software is necessary for the HR team as they just would not be able to keep up with daily manually record keeping to meet the annual reporting requirements.
What that means for the applicant is, a good understanding of how the ATS system works, what key words are read through the program and flagged for recognition, what formats and text boxes don’t work, and when to seek outside counsel to assist meet these goals.
On the other hand, maybe you’ve successfully included the top keywords for the position you want, but you’re still not getting the call to interview. The hard truth is, there are a lot of other candidates competing for the same role, and applicants need to ensure that they make The Best first impression possible. The resume gets you in the door for an interview, acting as a sort of entry ticket to the big show.
Understanding your industry and what recruiters or hiring managers are wanting to see on your resume is paramount. Which of the 3 primary formats are a best fit with your background and experience, coupled with expectations by the employer? Is that chronological, functional, or a combination of both? Your goal is to deliver an easily reviewable document that allows employers to quickly see why you are a good fit for the job. This is your time to be assertive about the skills and experience you bring to the table, while also keeping your ego in check.
Recruiters and hiring managers must frequently review many resumes for a single open position. They have a limited amount of time, so it is up to the applicant to make sure the resume highlights all relevant qualifications and is easy to follow. This is not something to throw together at the last minute if you are serious about the job opportunity.
If you’d like some guidance on improving your resume and increasing your chances of landing that perfect role, contact me at PEOPLE HR for a consultation about your skills and experience, and I will be glad to assist you create that stellar resume to get you in the door. And while we are at it, let’s do some practice mock interviews to make sure you are ready to impress.
