Let’s begin by discussing a somewhat horrifying black hole namely ATS. ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System and it is software that helps recruiters hire applicants. This software is used by almost all companies, big or small. They use the software to skim through applications and choose one that fits their requirements well. This is the reason why most of the job application forms are so time-consuming and lengthy.
Watch this informative video about Applicant Tracking System
People have to spend a lot of their time and energy applying for exhaustive jobs. But since, most companies use ATS, filling these forms is necessary for applicants. The downside of the ATS is that it’s not as efficient as it was supposed to be but rather misleading. Your application in an ATS is like it’s in a black hole, so the chances of getting an interview are grim. The system has been reviewed as inefficient for employers and de-motivating for job seekers.
HR experts also claim that the ATS is the worst way to recruit applicants for a particular job. She believes that in her conversations with plenty of other HR leaders, she draws the same conclusion. The ATS is not going anywhere according to these HR leaders so people will just have to work their way around it. So now the question is how to make your way through the online application system and land an interview.
If employers not responding to unsolicited job applications, what to do?
If these steps are followed, it will significantly increase your chances of getting a suitable job for yourself:
1. But where will you apply?
This is a question you must answer first and the key to answering it right is to be choosy. It is encouraged to make a list of organizations you would like to work for. It is not always wise to apply for anything and everything because that would tarnish your focus. So decide what jobs could be your potential dream jobs and start working on applying for them.
2. What is your brand?
The world of recruitment has changed and finding a job is now a job in itself. You have to invest your time and focus on the process of job hunting. The best way to do it is to make your brand and sell it to recruiters. The question is not what the company can do for you but what you can do for them. So sketch the skills that you can offer to the company. Saying that you can do everything is sort of an old trick now and it does not always work.
How to Market Yourself for a Job: Learn four tips
3. Alter your CV accordingly
The jobs you apply for and the companies you opt to have varying values and priorities. Make an effort to go through the organization’s profile and its mission and vision. Also, go through the job description thoroughly and highlight key skills and qualifications they require. After all of this has been done, incorporate that into your CV, and then send it to the company.
4. Follow the rules but add a step!
Yes, sending a CV that not only fits the job description well but is also unique, is a good step. But that might not increase your chances of being recruited as much as you had expected. To increase those chances, you should look up the details of the company’s hiring manager. Find out their names and certain other details if you can. After this, simply call them during office hours and have a conversation with them.
Read more about these suggestions on how to stay organized in your job search
A lot of the time, people are hesitant to make calls and they are afraid because it’s against the rules. What matters is if it works and it turns out that it does for most people.
Call the Hiring Manager and have a pleasant conversation and talk about the job you are applying for in the company. The reason behind this is that recruiters want to fill the job vacancy as soon as possible. It is not their wish to go through hundreds of CVs for weeks on end. So if you are second-guessing your decision to call them, please do not and just go for it!
Learn how to land your dream job in eight easy steps.
5. Send a printed copy
In this world of e-mails and online applications, letters have become obsolete. Nobody gets the time to send letters through mailboxes and so nobody receives them either. Try sending a letter through a traditional mailbox and it will grab your Hiring Manager’s attention. But you have to be careful about what you send in the letter. Your letter must be different than your cover letter; otherwise, it will be thrown in the big CV pile again.
In a cover letter, we write about ourselves and our accomplishments but it is not the case in a pain letter. In a pain letter, we write about the accomplishments of the company or the hiring manager. You begin with a hypothesis that describes a certain “pain” the manager might face that you can solve. You could add “how” you’re going to solve that problem.
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