An Inside Look at Company HiringApplicant Tracking Systems

7/26/2016JobCompass Outreach Team

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www.senior-care-central.com

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• Opening Prayer 5 min.

• Search Challenge Round 10 min.

• Update on Campaigns 20 min.

• An Inside Look at Company Hiring 30 min.

• Networking & Coaching Time 20 min.

• Closing Prayer 5 min.

Agenda

Job Search Process

All Contents Copyright ©2007 Hanlon Consulting Group, Inc., All Rights Reserved

JobCompassA People for Others Navigating Change

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How To Think Like An Employer During Your Job Search

Find a company that fits your needs• During the hiring process, employers are looking for candidates who are the best fit for their company. When

you’re doing your search, it’s very important to have this similar mindset.

Investigate the company• One of the first things an employer will do before the interview is Google their candidates. As a job seeker,

doing company research is a must. When offered an interview by a company, it’s important to do as much research as possible prior to the interview. Learn about the company’s mission as well its values, clients, and accomplishments to help you gain an idea of the company’s purpose.

Choose your questions wisely• In the initial interview for the position, there are certain questions you should ask to show you researched the

company. During the first interview, ask questions related to the position and company culture. When you enter the second round of interviews, it’s important to ask questions that show how knowledgeable you are about the company’s success.

Remember, quality over quantity• As you are applying for jobs, make sure you are applying for positions at companies where you can see yourself

develop your skills and gain valuable experience. While it’s tempting to apply to every open position during your search, make sure you are thoughtful about the companies to which you apply. Employers are looking for quality candidates, so you must look for quality employers. Make sure you apply to positions where you can see your career moving forward.

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Understand the Role of the Modern Recruiter

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Preparing to Apply Online

Today, many employers expect job seekers to apply for jobs online.• You may need to apply on the employer's website or on an online job board. To apply

online, you will need access to the Internet and an e-mail account.If you don't have a computer:• Free Internet access is available at public libraries and state workforce

commissions. Make sure you have a USB drive (sometimes called a flash drive or thumbnail drive). This will allow you to bring or save your resume information when working on a public computer. T

• If you need an e-mail address, many sites offer free accounts. Visit EmailAddresses.comfor a list of free web-based e-mail.

• Use a simple e-mail address with your name or initials. Do not use e-mails like SuperGuy@awesome.com. This type of e-mail address is not considered professional.

• If you want easy access to your resume, Google Docs has an online word processor. You can save your files there online

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How to Create an Account or Register

• To apply online: You first need to register with the job website by creating a login name and a password. Many websites will use your e-mail address as your login.

• Keep a record of your username, password and website address• Attach, complete or upload your information. Below are the three most common ways

to do this:• Attach a file of your resume. • Copy and paste your entire resume into the online application. • Enter your information manually one field at a time.

• Note: The online application may ask for information not contained on your resume. Information may include supervisor name, company address, phone numbers or salary. Have a separate spreadsheet with this information to reference quickly.

Applying Online and the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

What is an applicant tracking system?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a type of software application that handles the recruitment process,

Why do employers use applicant tracking systems?

• Applicant tracking systems help employers streamline the recruitment process• Applicant tracking systems were first used by large corporations that receive

thousands of applications, but smaller businesses are now also using them. • Just as companies use software applications to keep track of relevant information on

their customers, using similar software to organize information on prospective employees makes sense for employers.

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Applicant Tracking Systems(ATS)How do applicant tracking systems work?

• Applicant tracking systems process resumes submitted by applicants • Stores your resume in a database. • Recruiters review resumes submitted for specific positions as well as search

for keywords for particular job openings. • The keyword searches may include education, skills , certifications or

experiences • If you submitted your resume previously and never got a response, the company

may retain it on file in its database, and the ATS might identify you as a good candidate for a different position long after you originally submitted your resume.

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Applicant Tracking Systems(ATS)

What happens to my resume when I apply?• Your resume may run through a resume parser which sorts the

content of your resume into relevant categories on the online application (e.g. education, employment history, skills, contact information, etc).

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Resume Parsing

Key points:• In addition to attaching your

resume to a particular job posting, the system my match the employer’s desired skills against your online application

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Keyword Search

When recruiters search for keywords in applicant tracking systems, they are looking for certain specific skills in your resume. If you are applying for a job as the manager of a hotel restaurant, for example, a recruiter may search for phrases such as “restaurant manager” and “hotel restaurant” or for the word “hospitality.”

Recruiters will probably not look for words and phrases such as “outgoing” and “team player.” One of the main purposes of the ATS is to ease recruiters’ search process for candidates whose resumes are most closely in line with a particular job.

Keywords can be nouns adjectives or short phrases — and describe unique skills abilities knowledge/education/training and/or experience.

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Research is key – Get through the Funnel

You may have heard the advice that you should tailor your resume specifically for each job application you submit. Your resume should clearly show why you are a good candidate for that specific job.

Every employer is looking for certain qualifications, whether resumes will first be scanned by a recruiter or by keyword-seeking ATS.

Research! Find out as much as possible about the organization to which you are applying. If current employees of the company have social media profiles, especially on LinkedIn, see if you have similar qualifications or keywords.

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• Your resume needs to be relevant, using appropriate keywords based on the job description’s requirements as well as other related industry terms.

• Use bullet points, avoid long paragraphs, to describe your work and skills.

• Avoid using photos as this can make your resume unreadable.

• Answer filter questions completely and properly

• Review job postings for the type of position you’re seeking

• Analyze your current job descriptions (and job descriptions of positions similar to the one you have and the one you want)

• Avoid spelling errors, since an ATS doesn't know what you 'meant' to write.

• Save your resume as a basic word doc (.doc) or .txt file

• When writing your employment history, present the information for each employer in the same order, i.e., company name, title, city, state, and date, and in reverse chronological order.

Online Application Tips

• Beef up your skills section• Include any certifications you’ve received and mention any industry-specific

terminology (i.e.. Salesforce for sales professionals or Oncology for healthcare professionals). Include both the spelled-out version and abbreviations of the same word.

• Optimize your professional summary with bulleted achievements and skills that relate to the job description. Then, find a natural way to include those keywords and phrases in your summary and throughout your resume.

• Optimize your headers and titles based on the job description. For example, the term “communication skills” is sprinkled throughout the job description. In your resume, make sure you mention your “communication skills” as an exact phrase.

Online Application Tips

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