3 Ways To Beat Applicant Tracking Systems
By Mona Adbel-Halim
Campus career centers were designed to aid both their students and their alumni during their job search needs. While resume advice and mock interviews are fine and dandy, you also need to work toward teaching your students how to navigate new technologies to obtain jobs.
With the increase of new technology on the job hunt, it is essential your students understand how to use it to their advantage. There are many different places where technology can play in a student's job search - but by far, one of the hardest to get a handle on is the employer applicant tracking system.
Although you can't really teach a student how to use it, per se, you can teach students how to "beat" the system. Here are three helpful ways:
1. Understand the job description.
When applying for a job, students need to be sure to read and reread the job description to fully understand what the employer needs and wants, and to insure that they meet the requirements. After reading the job description thoroughly, they can also pick up on the keywords to include in their resume.
2. Customize each resume.
Students need to use the keywords in the job description and incorporate them into their tailored resume. Making their resume as customized as possible for every job will help it get noticed by applicant tracking systems, and hopefully land them an interview with their dream company.
3. Build and maintain their network.
If students have the right connections, they might be able to completely bypass applicant tracking systems altogether. Knowing someone on the inside can get their resume passed along to HR instead of having to go through an applicant tracking system. While still in school, students should keep track of professional and personal connections by joining sites like LinkedIn.
How is your career center helping your students?
Mona Abdel-Halim is the co-founder of Resunate.com, the world's only search engine optimizing resume builder. You can find Mona and Resunate on Facebook and Twitter.
Next: 4 Reasons You Still Don't Have A Job Offer
Don't Miss: Companies Hiring Now
Come Recommended
Come Recommended is a content agency specializing in careers, recruiting, and human resources. We're led by Heather R. Huhman, a widely-recognized thought leader and expert in the careers space with a decade of experience as a hiring manager. Our mission is to connect job seekers and employers, which we do through advice-driven, non-advertorial content of all kinds. We believe there’s no greater feeling than helping others fulfill their dreams — whether it's landing their dream job/internship or expanding the team of their dream company.
more...
2 Comments