Getting recruiters on your side
In some countries, recruiters play an important part in the recruitment process.
Identify some recruiters in your niche (whether it be via LinkedIn, your contacts, or networking events), explain that you’re looking for opportunities, and clearly articulate what value you can bring to the table.
A quick way to find recruiters is to do a search on job sites using the job title you are looking for. They can be identified easily as they will say that they are representing their clients.
Contact the person listed. Take them out for a coffee.
While recruiters may not reply to strangers, they’re more likely to get back to you if they have vacancies to fill (and you’re presenting yourself as the best possible candidate).
Be persistent and try to meet up in person.
Ask what skills you should include in your resume but aren’t, or which skills you don’t currently have but are necessary for you to move to the next step. If you do run into the latter, figure out how you can get that training.
Find out more about the hiring company, the job in question, what the hiring manager is actually looking for.
Be conversational and do not sound desperate, even if you are.
A word of warning!
Sometime recruiters may misread the signs. They may incorrectly interpret what the hiring manager was looking for in the candidate.
Automated selection systems are biased and should be avoided
Because of the large volume of job applicants targeting fewer job vacancies, organisations are turning to artificial intelligence and automated selection systems to filter through larger amounts of resumes, online job profiles, and inbound inquiries just to manage their hiring processes.
Artificial intelligence systems are capable of sorting and analysing almost limitless numbers of resumes and responding automatically to those who are clearly not a fit for the organisation.
Machine learning algorithms are trained to look for skills, education, and work experience that match predefined criteria. These systems are only as good as the data used and their training because biased criteria and data can skew the results that could also reject your resume.
Here’s the problem for job seekers.
If your resume and cover letter do not contain exact word matches in terms of what the algorithms are looking for, then you will not be selected for the next step in the hiring process.
Predicting what algorithms are used will always be a hit and miss.
The best guide is to look at the job advertisement and use the exact phrases and terms – word for word
The top half of your resume matters most
If you need to prepare a resume, then recruiters and hiring managers will only spend a few seconds scanning the top of your resume when they open it on their computer screen.
They then decide whether or not they want to invest any more time to read the rest of your resume by scrolling down at the screen.
This is why it pays for you to focus on the content “above the fold” of your resume (the part visible of your document without having to scroll down) to ensure that it immediately hooks peoples’ attention in those first vital seconds.
Start by stripping out any cliché or generic skills like “teamwork” or “communication” from your profile.
These are in fact must know prerequisites for most jobs now and they won’t amaze anybody.
Keep your resume short and to-the-point. Include only skills and information that truly make an impact, not the ones that are basic requirements or pre-requisites – i.e., ability to use Microsoft Word.
Instead, pack the top of your resume or the “above the fold” with in-demand industry-specific skills and knowledge that reflect the needs of your target employers including your key quantifiable achievements. Ensure that your most valuable attributes and achievements jump off the page and don’t go unnoticed.