Often, applying online feels like casting your resume out into the Great Unknown. It’s not uncommon for a job seeker to apply to dozens of positions, but get a response of any kind from only a small fraction of those employers. Large corporations frequently use applicant-tracking systems as a sort of gatekeeper, with the ATS parsing through resumes, searching for the right skills and qualifications and weeding out candidates who don’t meet the company’s requirements and preferences, such as years of experience, as well as those whose resumes don’t feature specific keywords.
Below is a depiction of the application process by the numbers. The odds of getting to the interview stage may seem discouraging, but tailoring your resume to specific jobs and doing some research on what ATS systems “like” and don’t can go a long way toward helping your resume rise to the top.
Infographic courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
Published by Conselium Executive Search, the global leader in compliance search.
