Job Search Strategies that get results

But before I graduated from college, online job boards had taken over as the preferred way to find open roles and solicit applications. Unfortunately, the earliest job board sites got spammy pretty quickly. Once, I got a call to come in and interview with a company that found my resume on a popular job board, but when I arrived, I realized I wasn't attending an interview at all. Instead, it was a seminar for a multi-level marketing scheme selling water filtration devices. In recent years, that's all improved. You now have sites like Glassdoor that make it easier for people to point out the scams and LinkedIn that makes it easier for recruiters to find you even if you're not actively applying for a job.

If you're looking for work with a specific company, most organizations post open roles to the careers pages of their websites. And the new Job Search on Google—available directly in search results—aggregates job posts from multiple sources. All of these changes have made it much easier to find open roles as a job seeker.

But there's a flip side: Ultimately, something had to change on the employer's end to make sorting through applications more manageable. And in recent years, the task has fallen to technologies like algorithms and artificial intelligence.

The Evolution of Job Hunting

Many employers today—including 95 percent of Fortune companies —use an applicant tracking system ATS. Applicant tracking systems from companies like Jobvite and BambooHR help recruiters and HR teams stay organized by collecting all resumes, hiring activities, and candidate data in a central place. But applicant tracking systems also use algorithms to assign rankings to candidates, displaying the most qualified candidates at the top of the list and the least qualified at the bottom.

Few employers go through every application they receive, saving time by reviewing only those candidates either referred by existing employees or ranked highly by their ATS. But applicant tracking systems aren't really new—they've been around for nearly 20 years. And while they do help recruiters minimize the number of applications they have to sift through, they're not perfect.

Most just use basic keyword matching to rank candidates, meaning highly qualified candidates are sometimes passed over, while less-qualified candidates—but those who are more familiar with optimizing their resumes for the technology—can be elevated. So recently, companies have turned to more emerging technologies to simplify candidate recruiting and screening: Here are a few examples:. HireVue lets employers pre-screen candidates with automated video interviews. Candidates play short games and answer a series of questions.

Then, HireVue uses AI and ML to analyze language patterns, detect emotions, and measure cognitive abilities, helping employers determine which candidates are most likely to succeed in the role long-term. Engage uses AI to analyze job descriptions, review the application materials for candidates who applied for roles previously but weren't hired, and surface qualified, passive candidates people who didn't specifically apply for the role that recruiters can then reach out to. So what does all of this new technology mean for job seekers? Finding the perfect job is no longer a simple matter of searching job boards and submitting resumes.

In some cases, recruiters are using technology to do a first pass of resumes, meaning you can be removed from consideration by an algorithm without ever being considered by a human. In others, recruiters are bypassing the process of posting jobs and reviewing resumes altogether in favor of using technology to find qualified candidates who never even applied for open roles.

In good news, with the right job search techniques, you can cater to these new technologies, giving yourself a better chance at getting your resume in front of the people who make hiring decisions at the companies you want to work for. Even if you don't consider yourself part of this group, it's important to partake in the passive job search process. That way, your name is out there and you're a step ahead when you decide to make a change.

It's crucial to keep your profile on professional networking sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and AngelList up to date. Technology companies like Fetcher "aggregate candidate information across the most valuable professional and social networks"—i. So if you think you'd like to consider offers from companies—even if you're not actively looking for work—take time to update your professional profiles regularly. Some companies let you add your data to their applicant tracking systems—even if you're not applying for an open role—by having you apply for an "Any" position.

An "Any" position see the example in the image above is just a placeholder job that employers use to collect the resumes of individuals who are interested in working for the company. Applying for an "Any" position is technically applying for nothing. However, by adding your resume and contact information to the company's ATS, there's a chance that the ATS will surface your application for consideration for future roles even if you don't actively apply for newly opened positions.

Some recruiting technology companies focus on aggregating data from professional networking sites. Some focus on surfacing talent among candidates who've applied to a specific company but weren't hired. And others are focused on creating pools of vetted talent to share high-quality candidates with other prospective employers. For example, Final Stage lets employers add candidates to its talent pool who were passed on for roles at other companies.

Basically, getting invited to the talent pool is an employer's way of saying "This person wasn't perfect for our role, but they would be a great addition to any company looking for talent. Getting an email notifying you that you didn't get a job you were excited about is disappointing, but if the email includes an invitation to join a talent pool, take advantage of it.

It may get you in front of other great employers without ever having to apply, saving you time and helping you find a great job without all of the searching and cover-letter writing. If you really want to up your passive job search game, add your resume to the databases for popular recruiting technology tools. Sure, it takes time and requires a lot of effort to create profiles on each tool and add your resume, but in the end, it's probably not as time-consuming as searching for roles you're interested in and applying for each individually.

Job Search Strategies for the Age of AI

It's difficult to know when your resume will be vetted by an ATS's algorithm before landing on the desk of a hiring manager, so it's best to just assume it will and optimize accordingly. Essentially, these algorithms identify keywords in the job description and see if those words—or synonyms of those words—appear in your resume. For example, say that one of the listed job requirements is a bachelor's degree.

The algorithm will likely look for words like "bachelor's degree," "bachelor of science," or "BA" on all submitted resumes, scoring those that include some variation of "bachelor's degree" higher than those that don't. When applying for a job, it's good to review the requirements and make sure that you've included some statement on your resume that speaks to how to meet each requirement.

If you can't find a place to fit it in naturally, you can always add a "Summary of Professional Qualifications" section at the top of your resume that you customize for each job you apply for:. Keywords are important for a passive job search, too. Many recruiters search for candidates on sites like LinkedIn, and in order to show up in search results, you need to include the words and phrases these recruiters might be searching for in your profile.

Just make sure not to resort to keyword stuffing i. If you make it past the machines, a real person gets your resume at the other end. You can search the internet for these types of events in your area. Use social networking sites to network and build professional relationships with people.

As you talk to people, exchange business cards or contact information with them. New business relationships start here.

Each new relationship should be beneficial to both parties. Ideally, you want the other person to keep their eyes and ears open for ways to help you, but make sure that you do the same for them.

Effective Job Search Strategies

This could be as simple as telling them about a website that you came across in their field or a job opening that you saw during your job search. During the conversation, listen for their needs, and look for ways that you may be able to benefit them. The more that you help other people, the more your network expands. You will end up with a larger group of people who can potentially help you.

Make a habit of meeting new people at every professional event that you attend. Stay in contact with them via e-mail or social networking. Your network will continue to grow. Attend local career fairs. A career fair or job fair is an organized event that gives you the opportunity to talk face-to-face with recruiters and hiring managers about their job opportunities. The benefit is that you get to talk to multiple employers in one day and gather valuable information about their companies and job openings.

Each company is typically set up at a table or booth and you will approach each employer as you make your way around the room. Some companies attend career fairs even when there are no current openings, to brand their company as a potential employer. You can periodically check their websites for future openings. Click here to learn how to stand out at a career fair.

Recruiting with Artificial Intelligence

Some companies post job openings on their own website, instead of at the search engines. Make a list of or more companies that you would like to work. Go to their websites and click on their careers or job opportunities page to view open positions. With some companies, you can elect to be notified via e-mail whenever a job opens that meets your search criteria. Not all companies offer this option, but many do. If you have contact information, you can call or e-mail the company.

If the job you are seeking is located in a public place, you can walk in and ask the manager about career opportunities.

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If you decide to contact the employer face to face, be sure to dress professionally because this contact will be their first impression of you. This job search strategy is highly effective if you want to work in a specific industry and can identify multiple companies in that industry that you would like to work for. When you contact the agency, one of their representatives looks for jobs that matches your skills and qualifications and connects you with the company for a consultation or interview.

Search the internet for other employment agencies in your area. Many colleges and universities have career centers, which include career counseling services and leads for job openings.