I probably shouldn’t tell you this but there is a strong chance nobody even saw your resume when you applied for that job online. We know. That’s more than a little frustrating. Let me break it down and then help you try to breakthrough.

In our experience, online job boards get hundreds of applicants in days. The easy-apply features are indeed easy, but they aren’t doing you any favours. You are jumping into a bucket of applicants, where you are mixed in with a significant percentage of folks who are not remotely qualified for the role; I call these the spray-and-pray applicants. This volume of applications is prohibitive – a hiring manager or talent acquisition specialist just can’t possibly keep up with that volume.

Enter the ATS – applicant tracking software. These programs scan applications for keywords, and sort resumes into what I like to call the red pile and the green pile. You could be the perfect and best candidate, yet the ATS missed you because it’s not perfect and is only going to focus on very specific keywords, and then you need to be in a bucket with the highest percentage of matches.

Even after all of that, resumes that make it through are reviewed one by one, and if someone hits the mark, they will begin the screening process. Once an employer has a satisfactory number of folks in the process, they aren’t going to keep digging through that pile of resumes. You get ghosted. Again.

So now what are you to do?

1. Format your resume properly. Use a simple word format utilizing the whole width of the page without columns, rails or formatting like boxes or grids.
2. Have a skills section with up to 12 bullet points of your hard skills. These keywords will be part of the job description. Make sure your skills that match up are reflected here.
3. Find the job on the job board, but apply directly on the employer’s website if that is available to you. You will be that much closer to the talent team and hiring manager.
4. Many jobs are not posted on job boards because of the volume and inefficiency. Follow hiring managers on LinkedIn because they often post openings on their personal feeds to help narrow the field.
5. Network. Referrals and introductions are almost always given a bump in the queue.
6. Timing is everything. Apply as soon as possible, you want to be as close to the top of the pile as you can. First matches start the process first. Waiting 2-3 days can put you at the end of a line longer than rush hour at Service Canada.
7. Get in the news cycle. Talk to people you know. Reconnect with old colleagues and clients. Comment and share thought leadership posts, and get out to some events to be seen more often by more people and have your name come up in more conversations.

The past 9 months have been unbearably challenging for candidates. You are not alone. You are valuable. Applying the tips above will improve your chances of getting your resume seen and being invited for interviews.

We specialize in Media, Marketing, Tech and SAAS. Join our talent roster here: Submit Resume – Media Staffing Inc.

Take note, take charge and take care. We are optimistic that the market is picking up and that things are starting to improve.

For more resume tips, check out this article: Resume-dos-and-donts.