HR’s Secrets To Applying For Jobs Online

This software, known as Applicant Tracking Software (ATS), is what you run into when you apply for jobs online and groan because you know it means it’ll cost you at least an hour of your life just to apply for a job.

I spent the last two days of my life in detailed training on how to use Taleo ATS to handle job applications and manage resume data. I thought I’d share some secrets of applying online – secrets to help your application stand out. 

Apply Twice. In order to be considered for a job opening, you have to apply for a specific job. Gone are the days when you send your resumé in and ask HR to keep you in mind in case a job opens up. They can’t and they won’t due to legal implications. Your application must be tied to one or more openings or you probably won’t be considered.

So apply online but in addition, use LinkedIn and other networks to identify a current employee and ask her to drop off or email your resumé to the hiring manager. This extra step will increase the chance that your resumé will get noticed because employee referrals are highly welcomed and often given preferential treatment in the recruitment process.

Answer Knock Out Questions. HR often inserts what they call Knock Out Questions into the application process. You might be tempted to skip these to save time but this is a mistake.

The questions can be basic questions like, “Do you have at least three years of experience in XYZ?” or detailed like, “Describe your experience analyzing ABC.” The way you respond to these questions matters a lot because the ATS will evaluate some types of responses and prioritize your resumé based on this response. If your background is a good fit, Taleo ATS will literally put a gold star next to your name to catch the attention of HR.

If the Knock Out Question requires a long response, type it out in your word processing software first and then use spell check. Spelling errors are way too easy to make when typing in small ATS field boxes.

Upload Key Documents. You can attach files to your ATS record (e.g., your cover letter, resumé, references and transcripts) and the ATS will be able to analyze the words on these documents and compare them with words the HR manager might use to search for best-fit candidates. Take the time to modify your documents to utilize the exact same words the posting uses. This increases the chance that your name will show up in searches.

Don’t skip the cover letter because you can use it to your advantage when you add the keywords the employer used. 

Make it Pretty. When you upload your resumé, for example, you’ll notice that often it doesn’t look quite right in the ATS. You might see extra lines, spaces or lose the bullet points. While HR is accustomed to seeing this and won’t hold it against you, take the time to convert your resumé into a plain text file, save it and use it with all ATS applications. Plain text has no formatting at all (e.g., bold or italic). It is software-independent and can be imported, read and exported by virtually every software application, including Microsoft Word.

Do Double Entry. I know it’s really frustrating when the company not only requires you to upload your resumé but then complete fields of information with the exact same information. Some ATS systems help you by pulling data from your resumé and filling some of the fields (called parsing), others don’t. In any case, if you want to be considered you have to go through this work. 

Even if the field isn’t required, fill it in anyway. This data might just be the field the HR manager uses to search for best-fit applications. 

Follow-Up. Once you submit your application, your real work begins. Use your network to identify the name of the hiring manager and begin a series of email or phone call communications to request an interview. There’s no sense in calling to ask if they received your resumé – they did. Instead, develop a persuasive 60-second script to inform the manager of your qualifications and how they fit the specific job opening, and ask for a brief meeting.

Call again in 10 days to express your continued interest. Be professional and be cheerfully persistent. Remember that even if they don’t return your calls, they will probably remember your name and make the connection when they review applications.

If you get discouraged, remember that they want to fill the job just as much as you want the job!

Christy Suerth

Your Neighbor and Career Coach