Understanding the Applicant Tracking System

 

How to get your resume seen.

 

There are many new technologies that help both job seekers and employers connect with one another and make their search easier. Some of them are simple and some are much more complex. When you are looking for a job, it's important to understand what sort of technology most companies use to make it easier for them to find the right applicant.

 

One of the most common things that employers use is the Applicant Tracking System. Since most resumes are sent in via email, it's simple for a company to filter all of the resumes through a computer program that eliminates those who aren't a good match. It's sort of like computer dating, but for a job. The employer puts in what things they think are important in an applicant and resumes that don't measure up get weeded out before the hiring manager even takes a look.

 

In job hunting or dating, though, what you think you want and what you need are sometimes two different things. Sometimes you can pass over someone simply because you didn't ask the right questions. In order to make sure that your resume is actually seen, you have to get through the filter, so it becomes more important than ever to understand what the employer is looking for.

 

Here are 3 ways to make sure your resume gets through the filter:

 

Read and re-read the job description - You have to really understand what the employer is looking for. If you believe that you are well qualified for the position, use the exact keywords that the employer uses when you write your resume. For example, if they say that they want someone who knows Excel, don't say that you are familiar with Microsoft Office Suite. Use the word Excel.

 

Customize your resume for the job - Have a base resume and customize it for each job. This way, you'll be able to incorporate the keywords and tailor it to what the employer is looking for. This will make your resume come up higher in the match results - which makes it much more likely that it will be read.

 

Have a strong professional network - If you have a friend or colleague who works at the company you want to work, ask them to pass along your resume. This way, you bypass the tracking system completely. If you don't have a large network, use professional networking sites like Linkedin to make new connections.

 

Getting your resume read is the first step in the hiring process. Hopefully these tips will help you beat the filter system.

 

What other ways do you think help? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

 

By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for Administrativejobsblog and Nexxt. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.