Here is why you might not be receiving interview invitations
(even with your updated, ATS optimized resume)
and how to fix the problem!
Let's start with the bad news first. At this writing in 2021, only 3% of submitted resumes are ever viewed by a human reader, so if your resume isn't ATS optimized, your chances are slim to none. But what if your resume is optimized and scores really well? That means you are starting on an even playing field, competing against the 3% who made it thru ATS.
Here are five action steps you can take today in order to gain a competitive edge! In addition to these five action points, I have included a BONUS, the "Secret Connections Benefit!"
Here we go:
Not having a strategic plan in today's market is a fatal flaw. Spamming employers with a generic resume for a wide variety of jobs is not a strategic plan, it is a formula for failure. Experienced recruiters vastly prefer a candidate whose resume is highly focused for two reasons: (1) They can determine immediately if you match the employer’s objectives and how likely you are to deliver the goods; (2) hiring costs including your remuneration are much more likely to be in line with the opportunity.
If you present yourself as a Jack or Jill of all trades for a position requiring only one of those trades, and if you are believed, then you are likely overqualified and are likely to demand more pay than the job warrants. If they do not believe your skills are that broad, they will consider you are exaggerating your capabilities which will earn you a place in the delete file for misrepresentation.
Take away 1 for increasing invitations to interview: Do not shotgun jobs with a general resume. If you are interested in 4 different positions, use 4 different resumes, each one tuned for the specific position. This will result in more offers to interview.
If you present yourself as a Jack or Jill of all trades for a position requiring only one of those trades, and if you are believed, then you are likely overqualified and are likely to demand more pay than the job warrants. If they do not believe your skills are that broad, they will consider you are exaggerating your capabilities which will earn you a place in the delete file for misrepresentation.
Take away 1 for increasing invitations to interview: Do not shotgun jobs with a general resume. If you are interested in 4 different positions, use 4 different resumes, each one tuned for the specific position. This will result in more offers to interview.
Brand yourself as a specialist. You are someone who can really alleviate pain and solve problems for the company. Specialists add more value. The lowest common denominator is that the company does not exist to give you a job. The job exists to solve a problem for the company. Identify the problem your target job solves and sell yourself on being the specialist who solves that particular problem.
Take away 2 for increasing invitations to interview: By deciding what your brand should be, it becomes much easier to target the right employers and to your being recognized by their recruiters and hiring committees as a great match, resulting in more offers to interview.
Take away 2 for increasing invitations to interview: By deciding what your brand should be, it becomes much easier to target the right employers and to your being recognized by their recruiters and hiring committees as a great match, resulting in more offers to interview.
Identify at least 10 companies that would be most likely to need your particular brand. Then begin making connections at these companies. Use LinkedIn to research your target employers and have a clear idea of why you would want to work there and what job they offer that matches your brand.
We all want to work for good companies, which means lots of other people want to work there as well, and you can be certain that the competitive candidates (your competition) are utilizing their LinkedIn network to identify people (past and present employees) to introduce them to people that currently work there.
They're building out those connections so that when a job pops up, they can go to their connection and say, “Hey, can you give me some advice on how I can really stand out to that hiring manager? Can you give me some advice on what you think it's going to take to earn an interview for this role?” Since they already work at the company, these are inside connections that can really help you.
Take away 3 for increasing invitations to interview: Using LinkedIn, play detective on your target list of companies and make notes on their Mission Statement, culture, markets, products, competitors, and any other background that seems helpful. Know your target company. Knowledge is power. Then, again using LinkedIn, make some connections.
We all want to work for good companies, which means lots of other people want to work there as well, and you can be certain that the competitive candidates (your competition) are utilizing their LinkedIn network to identify people (past and present employees) to introduce them to people that currently work there.
They're building out those connections so that when a job pops up, they can go to their connection and say, “Hey, can you give me some advice on how I can really stand out to that hiring manager? Can you give me some advice on what you think it's going to take to earn an interview for this role?” Since they already work at the company, these are inside connections that can really help you.
Take away 3 for increasing invitations to interview: Using LinkedIn, play detective on your target list of companies and make notes on their Mission Statement, culture, markets, products, competitors, and any other background that seems helpful. Know your target company. Knowledge is power. Then, again using LinkedIn, make some connections.
Use LinkedIn correctly. It is widely known that virtually all recruiters use LinkedIn and its ATS system to one degree or another. This, of course, is why your resume should be ATS keyword optimized to sync with the job descriptions provided by your target employers, and you need to load your resume into LinkedIn’s Easy-Apply system. DO NOT build your resume using Easy-Apply (too limited) and DO NOT copy your resume into the About section of your profile. DO, however, upload your ATS optimized resume into the Easy-Apply system so that recruiters who use LI/ATS (all of them) will see your resume in targeted search results. (To upload, you are required to be applying for at least one job) This will also result in other job opportunities that match your brand being sent to you, even though you didn’t even know about the opportunity. That is the power of ATS matching.
Take away 4 for increasing invitations to interview: Upload your ATS optimized resume into LinkedIn’s Easy-Apply system so as to reap the benefits of LI/ATS.
Take away 4 for increasing invitations to interview: Upload your ATS optimized resume into LinkedIn’s Easy-Apply system so as to reap the benefits of LI/ATS.
Cover letter. Should be brief, one page, and should NOT be a mini-resume. Instead, it should be short, behavioral-based, and show that you have researched the company, are attracted to them, and want to work there. You can tell them you are well qualified and have provided a professional summary in your resume, but do not go further regarding resume material or qualifications. Recruiters usually read the cover until it reaches the point of sounding like every other stuffy, template cover letter, then they are done with it, so be refreshing, not stuffy.
Take away 5 for increasing invitations to interview: 75% of recruiters today say they are using behavioral interviewing. I believe the number is probably even higher and they are certainly susceptible to the technique. Remember, your cover letter has one central purpose: To sell the recipient on reading your resume so they can discover the true wonderfulness of you! A little emotion, a little excitement, and a little mystery will take you a long, long way in the right direction.
Take away 5 for increasing invitations to interview: 75% of recruiters today say they are using behavioral interviewing. I believe the number is probably even higher and they are certainly susceptible to the technique. Remember, your cover letter has one central purpose: To sell the recipient on reading your resume so they can discover the true wonderfulness of you! A little emotion, a little excitement, and a little mystery will take you a long, long way in the right direction.
BONUS – The secret “connections” benefit. When you apply for a job via LinkedIn, it will display to the recruiter your connections at that company. The recruiter will see that you're actually connected to five or six employees. When the recruiters see this, you have the potential for the “Wow Factor.” As in “Wow, OK, this person is connected to five or six people at our company. I guess I should take a look at their profile. I should really look at this applicant!”
Start today, by creating your strategic plan, decide the best 10 companies to target first by researching them on LinkedIn, and then start building connections at those companies. You can discover groups that potential connections belong to and possibly contact them thru the group. Not talking about being a stalker, so be thoughtful! Remember, it is not possible to have too many high-quality connections nor too many attractive job offers! Happy targeting!
If you are uncertain about your resume, you may want to take advantage of my free offer to evaluate your resume and run an ATS scan for you.
Start today, by creating your strategic plan, decide the best 10 companies to target first by researching them on LinkedIn, and then start building connections at those companies. You can discover groups that potential connections belong to and possibly contact them thru the group. Not talking about being a stalker, so be thoughtful! Remember, it is not possible to have too many high-quality connections nor too many attractive job offers! Happy targeting!
If you are uncertain about your resume, you may want to take advantage of my free offer to evaluate your resume and run an ATS scan for you.
Limited Time Offer: If you would like to know how likely your resume is to make it past the ATS gate, (and how to fix it) send your resume and a link to a job you are both qualified for and would be excited to have, and I will do a free, in-depth, human resume analysis and a complete automated ATS scan with score!
This offer is only good until such time my workflow overwhelms my ability to keep up!
Just send your resume to my personal email: fasthorses1964@gmail.com
Prepare to be surprised!
Command
and
Control