For anyone out there looking for a job in 2020 it is harder than ever to find a job. The number one reason you are not moving forward in your job search is because technology is designed to screen you out, not screen you in. As a matter of fact, a study shows that less than three percent of people that apply online get a phone call for an interview.
However, this is not the only thing blocking you. There are seven reasons in the entire job search process these days that are essential roadblocks designed to screen you out. This is knowledge and information you have to have if don’t want to keep getting rejected.
#1: You don’t have a strategic plan of attack
For most of the people the strategic plan to finding a job is applying to absolutely everything out there. If you apply to 100 companies, somebody is going to call you back? It doesn’t work like that. Why? Because everyone is doing it and therefore there is so much competition. Strategy is whole methodology and understanding who you want to work for and why, and how you are going about connecting with them and landing that dream job. You need to have a clear, step by step strategic job search plan: who your target audience is, who you need to meet, where the right jobs are for you, and how you are going to connect yourself to them. This is absolutely vital and key.
#2: Poor ATS optimization
ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. When companies post jobs online hundreds of people are applying to them, so companies need a quick way to sift through them. In a nutshell, you have already been screened out and a human eye has never even seen your resume or your application. You may be an awesome candidate for the job, but because you are missing one little key word on your resume you will never be seen. The solution is to use tools, such as Jobalytics ATS optimization Chrome extension, to beat the system, get in front of these employers and get them to fall in love with you.
#3: You are not a specialist
You are not presenting yourself as a specialist. This is a huge mistake that many people are making. People often believe they are being discriminated. The problem is they are saying they can do absolutely everything. Why is this such a bad thing? You are making it seem you are going to be expensive and therefore you are overqualified. Companies want specialists. It is important that you be able to articulate how you are going to use your special brand in order to solve their problems and make them money.
#4: No network at your dream companies
This is a simple and straightforward tip. More than 80% of jobs today are gotten via referral. Today your network is your net worth. To stay employed over lifetime and to get access to the best opportunities you need to be a solid networker. You don’t need to be a super outgoing person. Most effective networkers are extremely reserved and quiet. They are very good listeners and they are very good at staying in contact with their network. You always need to be building your network, especially at the companies where you want to work for, so you can tap into it, when you have a need. If you do this, when the job pops up, you can go to that person and ask for advice on how to stand out with that hiring manager .That’s why both online and offline networking are vital and critical elements today.
#5: Your cover letter is redundant
Did you now that 50% of recruiters don’t read cover letters. Why, you may ask? Lot of people are using outdated cover letter formats in which they recap essentially everything they have done on their resume. You don’t want to sound like everybody else and provide completely useless information to hiring managers. You need to use the cover letter which has nothing to do with your accomplishments or what you have in your resume, but the one which tells a story how you feel connected to that employer, their culture and what they represent. When you do this you will have a unique cover letter that is more than likely to be read.
#6: Your resume is not optimized
Your resume should be made so hiring managers can skim it and check you have everything they are looking for. If you don’t do that, your resume gets tossed. Recruiters spend on average only six seconds reviewing a resume and that is how much time you have to leave an impression. You do not need a big stuffy resume, you need a clean resume, lot of white space, quantified accomplishments and very specific key words that relate to what the hiring managers are looking for. This is not a rocket science and with the right tools, such as Jobalytics keywords and ATS optimization Chrome extension, anybody can do it.
#7: Your LinkedIn profile is not optimized
LinkedIn is reaching 700 million users and is the number one source used by recruiters for identifying potential candidates for jobs. If you don’t have enough information and the right key words you will not show up in the search results and you will not get found and seen by recruiters. LinkedIn estimates that less than 50% of its users have an optimized profile, which means, if you get your key words optimized, by using keyword and ATS optimization tools, such as Jobalytics Chrome extension, LinkedIn becomes your competitive advantage to stand out and rank higher in search results.