Last week, I mentioned the great questions that arouse from a LinkedIn Live Event I participated in and the activities taking place in corporate recruiting departments after a candidate applies (you can find that post HERE). It’s good to understand what is happening behind the scenes but the big questions is, “Is there anything I can do to get my resume noticed?” Of course the answer is “Yes!” and putting in some extra effort implementing the tips below will help you on your way to the job you’re seeking.

Tips to Get Applications Noticed

I’m optimistic that, as AI tools are further developed, we will move past the current model, where, because of recruiter tendencies or the sheer volume of applicants, many candidates may not be considered for the role to which they apply.  In the meantime, candidates need to understand and operate under the rules set by corporate recruiting departments.  That means following their process but with more effort in specific areas. Consider these activities that can be done to increase your chances of being noticed.

• Find Your “Networking Advocates” – Find people through your personal networks, LinkedIn, associations, etc. who have a connection with the company.  Leverage them to get introduced to the recruiter or hiring manager so you can find information about the role and your status. Most people understand that this is a good thing to do but are not relentless in the pursuit of networking advocates. Success in this area means the mystery has been solved. Networking advocates remove the lack-of-information frustration. They confirm your application has been reviewed. They let you know the reasons why others are being considered before you. They remove your resume from the bottom of the pile and make sure the hiring manager sees your application. Get networking advocates!

• Customize Your Resume – There are still a lot of humans who review resumes and make determinations on who to move forward.  Understand the qualifications of each role and move resume bullets that are directly related to the top of your job experiences.  Remove bullets or other items that are irrelevant and distract recruiters from the information you want them to see.
• Be Creative with Your Cover Letters – There are often things you would like to tell the company that your resume doesn’t describe, like why you have an interest in the company/job, what skills you possess that make you a great fit, why there are gaps in employment, etc.  While I know of many who are not fans of cover letters, my view is they can’t really hurt your situation so why not take advantage of another chance to sell yourself.

The average resume only lists about half of the keywords used in the job description

forbes

All of these actions take effort from the job seeker but in a world where candidates are looking to separate themselves, there is no better way than to outwork the competition and get your resume viewed. Gone are the days of clicking “Apply” and waiting for the phone to ring to schedule an interview. In today’s labor market, there are lots of applications and the job seekers putting in the extra legwork are those that get noticed.

I feel the pain of job seekers. It can be demoralizing to apply for positions for which your skills look like a great match only to hear nothing back from the company.  But by being diligent about taking the steps above and keeping a great attitude, the job you’re looking for will arrive.  Remember that job search is a sales activity.  Keeping the volume of networking activities up and doing the little things to take advantage of conversations will “keep the funnel full” and get you one step closer to the job you’re seeking.

For a related read, check out Gillian O’Brien’s “How to optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems (ATS)”.

ES Talent Solutions provides consulting services to corporations and candidates alike. Email the team at contact@estalentsolutions.com for a free conversational diagnostic to learn how we can help.