Avoiding the Resume Black Hole

Astoundingly, 75% Resumes are Overlooked

If you are like most people you have applied to and uploaded resumes for dozens of jobs and heard nothing back.  This is generally referred to as the "Resume Black Hole".  But don't lose hope, there is a solution.

The root of the "Resume Black Hole" problem is a piece of technology called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).  The ATS was designed to streamline the flow of applicants for companies.  This is accomplished by having a central place where all applications and resumes are warehoused.  If you are applying to jobs online and uploading your resume it is surely landing in an ATS.



Further compounding the "Black Hole Issue" is the ATS's inaccuracy. ATS's are only 65% to 80% accurate in reading the information in your resume.

       Consider these ATS Statistics:
       * 1/5 to 1/3 of All Resumes are Imported Improperly into the ATS
       * The ATS Screens and Ranks your Resume Only Against Open Positions
       * If you are Missing Keywords or have a Low "Skill to Keyword Ratio" you Will Not be Considered

Now, suppose you make the cut.  Resumes that pass the ATS screen are generally sent to a gatekeeper who spends about 30 seconds reading the resume before they decide to move it along to the Recruiter or Hiring Manager or pass it along to the trash can.  About 1 in 10 resumes are passed along to the decision maker who decides if you will be interviewed, congrats.

Here are a few tips:

   1) Job Fit: Make sure the job fits.  Especially in today's tough job environment, it is even more important to make sure that you have the skills and background required for the job.

   2) Join other networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter:  Each offer tools to interact with recruiters and hiring managers.  These are great ways to start open dialogs and ask for a recruiters assistance in routing your resume.

  3) Load up on Keywords: ATS's rank on keyword density. Keywords should match closely to the required skills that appear in the job posting.  The better you score against a jobs skill requirements the higher your resume will rank.

Cheers and good luck in your career,
Mike