|
Job Search - Understand Employers
Think like an employer To be successful in your job search campaign you must think like an employer or a recruiter. If you are going to do this right, you need to appreciate the ways that employers sift through the flood of resumes. We call the most common process the screening. Faced with a pile of hundreds of job applications that recruiters typically receive, a screener would be more then human to give such in-depth attention to every one. In the real world, skim reading of resumes is very much a reality and it is easy to miss crucial information. Do you know what their objective is? We can tell you what it is not. Screeners are nor there to find the best candidate for the job! What they are looking for is a way to weed out every resume possible. The goal is to present whoever is making the hiring decision with a manageable shortlist of potential candidates - maybe 5 or 10 out of all applications they received. It's a matter of numbers! What screeners look for? Well, it depends on how stringent they are. Many will chuck your resume right away if they find any of the following errors: - An anonymous address such as "Dear Sir/Madam", "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Recruiter" etc.,
- Incorrect title, name or company of the person to whom you are writing,
- Forgetting to include a real person's name,
- A single, visible spelling or typographical mistake,
- Any stain or dirt on the document.
How these folks can do this? You might be wondering how these folks can do this, after you spent so much time putting your job application package together. The answer is plain and simple - they can afford to because it is a buyer's market. Employers ask themselves if your skills and work achievements match exactly what they are looking for. They check if your cover letter is concise and targeted to the reader. If you have sent a form letter, you can probably kiss the job good bye. The list of reasons to disqualify you goes on and on. The new screening technology If you think the process is bad now, just wait. It is going to get better we think (or worse, depending on your point of view). This new technology could be very helpful to you. It could help you find your next job. We call it an "electronic applicant screening & tracking technology". Most human resources in small, medium and large businesses and organizations are using it. By using the latest in document imaging technology, they scan your resume into a computer system and keep it "active" for years. The computer can search for just about anything in your resume. You could be qualified and considered for jobs of which you never thought. The computer can make it easier for you to be considered for more jobs and keeps your resume on file, so updating your information is quicker. Here is how it works They scan your resume into the computer as an image. Then OCR (optical character recognition) software looks at the image to distinguish every letter and number (characters) and creates a text file (in ASCII format). Then artificial intelligence "reads" the text and extracts important information about you, such as your name, an address, phone number, work history, skills, degrees, achievements, years of experience, education, etc. in the form of key words. Key words refer to those words and phrases that are used to search of resumes for hits. A hit is when one of your skills matches a computer search key word. Why is it important for you to know this? You have to, because if you want to find a job you need to prepare a resume for the computer to read. You want it to be a "scannable resume". So, the computer system can scan resumes into database and rank them according to the number of resulting hits. A scannable resume should be clean so the scanner can get a clean image. The scannable resume has standard fonts and crisp, black type (such as a laser printer or typewriter with a new ribbon would produce), so the OCR can recognize every character. In addition, a scannable resume has plenty of key words for the artificial intelligence to extract. More skills and facts (key words) you provide, the more opportunities (hits) you will match or generate. We are recommending preparing a Key Word Resume especially developed for the above requirements. Stefan is a writer, webmaster and project engineer at JobEra.com. This site contains helpful information on job search and resumes distribution to job recruiters. For more information on international jobs, resumes and cover letters, please visit JobEra.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Jobs City of Rochester (.gov)
Careers Washington State University
Careers Gwinnett County Public Schools
JobFeed NSW Department of Education
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Reach Outside Yourself to Advance Your Career
When flipping the channels of your TV, you are bound to come across a Public Service Announcement (PSA) endorsed by a celebrity asking children to approach their parents, teachers, or someone they trust when they are at a crossroads. Through these PSAs, children are told that asking for guidance, encouragement, and support is a sign of strength.
Seeking Knowledge Will Give You Power
What are you interested in? We all have a passion for something. So, what is your passion?Are you actively seeking information about your passion? Knowledge, providing it is correct knowledge, will increase your power.
Hiring Managers: Preventing "Fall-Off's" and Counter Offers
"Bill, thanks so much for your assistance with this search. We're very happy that Robert has accepted the position.
The Chicken or the Egg?
Even before I checked my calendar on Monday morning, I knew the appointment would be there. Passed over for promotion again, Ralph wanted specifics on why I hadn't chosen him for the position.
Build New Habits -- Payday Will Come --
Feeling that it never works is not a good excuse. You may even remember last year not getting past February.
How ToTalk Your Boss Into Giving You A Salary Increase
* If you believe you deserve a salary increase, ask for it as soon as possible; don't procrastinate or wait for your employer to offer it.* Determine what you are worth in the marketplace by carrying out a survey of people in comparable jobs.
Practice Speaking
For many people, interviewing is not a natural act any more than going on a blind date is. You are asked a bunch of questions about your work.
Rejection Got You Down in the Job Search?
REJECTION IN THE JOB SEARCHGOT YOU DOWN?It's true, no one wants to be ignoredor rejected in any situation. Thejob search/interview rejection ispainful.
How To Get A Job Fast
In today's unpredictable economy, the idea of job security with any company would seem to be a thing of the past. Large company layoffs, golden handshakes, mergers, leveraged buyouts, company acquisitions and similar business moves have left people of all ages out of a job they need to live.
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? Something That Hasnt Been Invented Yet!
Most of us were brought up to study hard, get good grades, choose a "practical" college major, and strive for a "good job."Talk to a stranded midlife career-changer and you realize the game has changed.
Three Tips for Successful Networking
I generally shy away from using the word "networking" when it comes to our business. As professional "headhunters", we are constantly practicing and performing the art of networking in our daily operations.
Do You Need A Mentor? And How Do You Find One?
Whether you're self-employed or you work for someone else, you're new to business or a seasoned expert, one of the best ways to get ahead in business is to find a mentor. And some highly successful people even have more than one.
Writing Resumes
Use a resume as a foot in the doorWhen you go to college, they don't really teach you how to advance your career. In order to get the jobs you want, you need to know how to write an effective resume that will win you interviews.
Doing What You Love
What do you want to be when you grow up? I'm sure you were asked this question at least once when you were a youngster. When asked the question, did you have an answer at the ready, or did you need a few minutes to think about it? We all had dreams of becoming something great, like a fireman, a teacher, or a rock star, just to name a few.
Ten Resume Writing Tips You Can't Live Without
For some job opening, employers receivehundreds and even thousands of resumes.When you are looking for a job, howcan you best promote yourself? Howcan you convince a prospective employerto pick-up the phone and call you foran interview?Sought-after career coach and authorof the critically-acclaimed book,The Dark Before the Dawn: 70 Secretsto Self-discovery, Theresa Castrostates that you should take into consideration that your resume is the first exposure a potential employer willhave of you.
Resumes and First impressions
Hunting for a position in a new career field? Trying to take your new education or skills and transform them into a job with a future?I've spent the last few weeks working in a placement service trying to help people find that first "career" job; trying to help them make the transition from student to employee. I see the same mistakes over and over again.
Your Cover Letter MUST Ask This Question
Imagine receiving a letter from a salesman who wants to sell you an exciting new widget. The letter focuses on all the reasons why this is such a great item.
The Best Business And Economy Solutions
In todays Business and economy, starting any business service requires a good business plan. A little money wouldn't hurt either.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Try, Try, Again
This article relates to the Career Opportunities competency and explores issues such as internal growth opportunities, potential for advancement, career development importance, and the relationship between job performance and career advancement. Evaluating the Career Opportunities competency in your organization will determine whether your employees believe they have a chance to grow within the organization.
How to Insure Job Security
The attorneys I coach have one common problem. They don't have enough hours in the day to do everything they need to do.
|