Use Technology in Your Job Search
By Jerry Green
Paper applications are becoming a thing of the past. As technology advances, companies are turning toward online hiring processes, digital credentials and social media to refine their potential candidates.
Fortunately, you can use technology to your advantage and change the traditional way new careers are obtained.
Before you begin applying for new positions, it’s crucial to analyze your digital persona and clean up any questionable posts. Take good photos, gear your content toward interests in the industry and update your professional profiles with achievements or certification you have obtained.
The Society for Human Resource Management conducted a survey that revealed these statistics regarding hiring managers and social media:
- Eighty-four percent of organizations use social media for recruiting.
- Forty-three percent use it to screen applicants.
- Sixty-six percent use social media to leverage mobile recruiting to attract smartphone users.
With your social media profiles polished, consider these tips when using technology to enhance your job search.
Go Mobile
With the demanding increase for applicants to upload their cover letter (CV) or resumes, it’s essential to have well-formatted documents. In addition to physical copies and those stored on a computer, create a mobile PDF so you can submit your qualifications if you notice an opening while browsing on your phone.
If you don’t consider yourself technically savvy, consider hiring an expert who can draft your resume and format it accordingly. It may require a small investment, but it can prove to be worth the cost once it helps land a job.
Understand Applicant Tracking Systems
To lessen the number of interviews a company performs, many use an applicant tracking system, or ATS, to filter through applicants who don’t fit their vision. The software typically weeds out candidates before their resumes are even analyzed by hiring managers.
An ATS works by using a job description written by the company and pulling keywords from submitted applications. Since this is becoming a normal practice in job recruiting, it’s essential to pack your resume with content that the software detects.
You can get a good grasp of what is expected by ATS by analyzing different posts for similar position openings throughout your industry. Try to find common qualifications that are regularly mentioned so you can tweak your resume before applying.
Network Online
Social media makes it simple to connect with leaders and peers throughout different industries. If you are scheduled for an interview, research a company to discover its mission statement and the tone of its leaders.
On the contrary, if you are finding it difficult to land an interview, you can subtly advertise yourself by liking posts left on a company’s profile. Another idea is, to connect with those who are already established in business and introduce your interest in joining the field.
If they are willing, you may even be able to ask them how they got their start in the industry through online messages or, in some cases, an in-person meeting.
Hot Job Profile
SOCIAL WORKERS
2018 median pay: $49,470 per year ($23.79 per hour)
Number of jobs in 2018: 707,400
Job outlook, 2018-28: 11% (faster than average)
Employment change, 2018-28: 81,200
The role: Social workers work in a variety of settings, including mental health clinics, schools, child welfare and human service agencies, hospitals, settlement houses, community development corporations and private practices.
Education required: Although some social workers only need a bachelor’s degree in social work, clinical social workers must have a Master’s degree and two years of post-master’s experience in a supervised clinical setting. Clinical social workers must also be licensed in the state in which they practice.
The need: Employment growth will be driven by increased demand for health care and social services, but will vary by specialization.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
