Taken from a recent e-mail from Mike O’Brien at Climber.com.

Did you know 75% résumés are overlooked? If you are like most people, you have applied to and uploaded résumés for dozens of jobs and heard nothing back. This is generally referred to as the “résumé black hole.”

If you do not know how to beat the résumé black hole, chances are your résumé will be overlooked. The root of the  problem is a piece of technology called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). The ATS was designed to streamline the flow of applicants for companies. This is accomplished by having a central place where all applications and résumés are warehoused.

To further compound the issue, ATSs are only 65% to 80% accurate in reading the information in your résumé. This means that one-fifth to one-third of the time the ATS is just plain wrong in importing data wholly and properly into the ATS. If your résumé makes this cut, the ATS then screens and ranks your résumé against open positions.

Next, résumés that pass the ATS screen are generally sent to a gatekeeper who spends about 30 seconds reading the résumé before deciding to move it along to the recruiter or hiring manager or pass it along to the trash can. About 1 in 10 résumés are passed along to the decision maker who decides if you will be interviewed.

Combat the résumé black hole by:
Loading up on keywords: ATSs rank on keyword density. Keywords should match closely to the required skills that appear in the job posting. The better you score against a jobs skill requirements the higher your résumé will rank.

Bypassing the ATS: Leverage your connections in person and the social media spectrum. Attend networking events and be sure you have a complete profile on LinkedIn. Also, connect with a recruiter (or two!) who specializes in your industry.

Making sure the job fits. Especially in today’s tough job environment, it is even more important to make sure that you have the skills and background required for the job.

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According to a recent e-mail I received from Climber.com, only 40% to 60% of jobs appear on the major job boards and only 25% of new hires come from job board postings. If you are relying exclusively on sites such as Jobing, Monster, and The Ladders, you are doing your job search a disservice. You may be missing the job you want or not even be seen because you’re up against so much competition.

So what’s the better way to find a job in today’s technologically charged world? Although there’s certainly not one “right” answer, you can really increase your chances of finding a position by having a multifaceted approach.

Networking
Most major cities have job seeker support groups. No matter where you are, you’re likely to find a group of people who are looking for jobs. Check with community colleges, churches, and temples. These groups offer not only support but often training. I have spoken at a few resource events about résumés, and they invite sales coaches, networking experts, and career counselors to provide free or low-cost training. Even if you don’t get to a group, start telling people that you’re looking – and for what. Post a status on your Facebook or Twitter. You never know who’ll be reading.

LinkedIn
Recruiters are scouring LinkedIn for quality employees. Susan Healthfield, in her article “Use LinkedIn for Recruiting Employees,” gives employers hints on how to use the networking site, and many of her hints can be reversed and used by employees. Make sure your profile is complete; your résumé serves as its basis and the site is pretty simple to use. When you connect with people, share your value proposition. Do research on the companies or positions you’re targeting. Ask for informational interviews to learn more about people and companies. Post and answer questions. If you’re active on the site, people will notice.

Recruiters
Are you working with a recruiter in your job search? They don’t charge you anything, and by putting yourself on their radars, you will know about those unadvertised positions that might be a great fit. There are many national recruiting companies, as well as a number of local specialists in a variety of arenas. (I work with a few, so if you need some names, let me know.) Although recruiters may not have the multitude of positions on their dockets they did a few years ago, they can still provide another resource – especially if you’re exactly what one of their clients needs.

The old saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” certainly applies to job seeking as well. Explore options and stay positive. That next great job is out there.

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I’m currently reading Dan Kennedy’s book “No B.S. Sales Success.” I don’t read a lot, but it’s a great way to spend my time on the treadmill, elliptical machine, or other available cardio machine at the gym five days a week. Somehow reading keeps my mind off the not-so-exciting exercise – and engages it in other things while my body is working away. But I digress….

The section I read today was about really using testimonials in your business. I’ve been saying I should incorporate my LinkedIn testimonials into my Web site since they started accruing there, but saying and doing are two distinctly different things. However, after reading Kennedy’s advice, I got my act together. He suggests that, no matter what a business owner says about her business, a client’s word is worth significantly more. In effect, clients with great things to say act as walking advertisements, a true marketing and sales team that listens for people who need your service and consistently feeds referrals.

Of course, as a former BNI member and advocate of Givers’ Gain, I fully understand this principle, but it’s sometimes hard to do the things we know we need to do. In fact, Kennedy addresses that point in the book as well, saying that “trade secrets” of selling can be openly shared because 95% of people won’t bother to use them anyway. I guess what it comes down to is that I don’t now – nor did I ever – want to be a part of the majority. So, after I got off the treadmill and finished my work for the day, I sprinkled testimonials all over my Web site.

I’m thankful for my clients for allowing me the opportunity to continue to improve as a writer and a business owner, so it’s almost rude to not showcase their appreciation for me on my site and in my marketing collateral. Besides, as an entrepreneur on the verge of expansion, it’s always great to have a wonderful sales staff in place.

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