How to Beat Big Job Application Systems - FlexJobs

How to Beat Big Job Application Systems - FlexJobsHow to Beat Big Job Application Systems -00Are you curious how to beat big job application systems? How many times have you submitted your resume and cover letter into the black-hole that is a giant job application system? Do big job application systems withnames like Brassring and Taleo ring a bell? You go through each required field, every page in their process, and hit submit. And then you wait. And wait. And most of the time, wait some more. And nine times out of 10, youll never hear back (thats a real statistic, according to a survey by the nonprofit Talent Board, which found only one in 10 employers respond to every job candidate.). Is there any way to beat big job application systems? To make sure your application reaches a menschengerecht being? Or increase your chances of getting a response? Thankfully, yes We spoke to a number of human resource professionals and other experts to get their insider tips for how to beat job app lication systems. Read on6 tips on how to beat big job application systems1) Change your resumes content for each job. Use the job description to determine the key words and phrases for the job, and then rework your resume to make sure that every keyword which matches you is included. Keywords in your resume should be natural and related to the work you have done. If the words are in your resume, they will come up in a search, says Tiffani Murray, a human resources technology consultant with Personality on a Page and former manager of HR Technology at Coca-Cola.But, Murray warns, I dont advise my resume clients to pad their resume with keywords. While this may help you come up in search results, if you have not actually performed the activities related to the keywords you may still not be called or be easily eliminated after a phone screen. So make sure that any keywords youre adding to your resume accurately reflect your skills and experience. Matching your resume to each job is an excellent tip to beat big job application systems.2) Be the first to apply. Or at least, one of the very first. Through job alerts and daily emails on job search websites ( has them), platzdeckchen yourself to be notified as soon as a new job is posted. This may be easier said than done, but it is a goodway tobe successful when dealing with big job application systems.Recruiters will act just as we all do when we search with Google or another search engine we stop looking as soon as we find what we need. There may be other, more qualified candidates back on page 5,6,7,10, but well never know, says Mauri Schwartz, a career management consultant for Career Insiders. Make sure your resume is one of the few that actually gets looked at by applying as soon as possible.3) Fill out every applicable text box. It can be tedious, but filling out every text box with your application increases your searchable content and can help get you through the application system and in front of the eyes of a human. If you want to successfully work within thebig job application systems Make sure that you dont simply attach your resume, but also paste the information in the summary boxes, says Melissa Anzman, human resources professional and the president of Loosen Your White Collar.4) Format your resume so a computer system can read it. If you have a fancy, gorgeous looking resume, by all means, mail it into the company. But use a simple resume to apply through application tracking systems (ATS). Kat Krull, Associate Marketing Manager of Resunate, a resume optimization tool, has these formatting tipsGet rid of graphics and special characters. The ATS is breaking down your information and sorting it into different categories, and it wont be able to understand these when parsing your info.Choose web-safe fonts like Arial, Georgia, Impact, and Tahoma.Make your skills section as comprehensive as possible. fruchtwein employers use their ATS to search by technical or specialized skills. Spell out skills and also include industry-specific abbreviations or acronyms.Avoid spelling errors. The ATS will miss an important keyword if youve misspelled it5) Combine angeschlossen applications systems and your professional network. When a position does appear online, reach out to your networking contact at that company. Let them know you applied online and ask them if they would forward your resume and cover letter to the hiring manager, recommends Lynne Sarikas, Executive Director of the MBA Career Center at Northeastern University.Sarikas also urges job seekers to apply online when dealing with big job application systems even if theyve passed their resume to a trusted networking contact. Many companies dont allow managers to talk to candidates who are not in the system. Keep your contact posted on your progress through the system and be sure to say thank you.6) Understand the odds. Even if your submission to a job application system is perfect, youre still probably one of hundreds of candidates 300 to 600, according to Mauri Schwartz of Career Insiders. Because of the odds, its important to diversify your job search efforts. Here are some ideas on how you can maximize your job search efforts overall when dealing with big job application systemsFor online job searching, use both large and smaller, niche job boards to find leads.Go directly to company websites to see their openings.Join networking groups and use websites like LinkedIn to stay in touch with your network and find out about job leads through them.Consider freelancing or consulting in your field to both find work AND network for full-time job possibilities.Use social media to connect with people and learn about job opportunities at differently sized companiesWhat are your experiences with big job application systems? Have you had success applying through them? Or would you rather use other job search tactics to land a position? Leave your thoughts below