3 Tips For Landing an Interview From a Job Board

How many resumes have you submitted and not heard anything back?

Ten, 100, 1000? And tell me if this feels familiar: you see a posting and you’re like, “yes, that is me! I want to do this.” So, you modify your resume, create your cover letter, and spend way too long making sure it’s absolutely perfect. You finally submit them with ambition and optimism. Then… crickets. Frustrating, isn’t it? 

Fixing the problem

What if I were to say that I know exactly why this is happening to you? Here’s a hint- it has absolutely nothing to do with your keywords. I know we all get wrapped up around keywords, bots, and ATS systems. If you stick with me, I will share with you three important things that you need to know right now to stop this insanity!

Let’s talk about why we submit our resumes into the resume black hole. Here are some of the traps that you might be falling into:

Three ways to boost your luck on job boards

1. The first thing that you need to know, without any shadow of a doubt, is that 30% of every single posting is total crap. Have you ever searched the description of your current job just for fun? And, upon reading it, realized that it’s nothing like what you’ve done before.

Job requisitions are exactly the same way. They’re typically put together by HR because everybody who’s in the role is too busy to do it themselves. In turn, HR adds on all kinds of junk that they may need on a full moon. And before you know it, you’ve got a job description that looks like you’re running the gauntlet. Like, who knows all these things? Well, it turns out, nobody. So, if you’re looking at job requisitions and trying to match your skills inch for inch, remember that 30% of it isn’t important to the company’s final decisions. 

2. The second thing that holds us back is believing that companies always go for a perfect fit. What I want you to realize is that if you’re 70% there in the core job requirements, go for it! We tend to hold ourselves back when we see something that we’re not a perfect fit for. When you take out all of the industry jargon and look at the base function of the role, if you’re 70% there, do it! Because you’re going to have an opportunity to compete for the job. 

3.The last thing I want to tell you is that if your resume is all about you, it’s probably wrong. Sounds weird, right? Like, how can your resume not be about you? However, that’s the whole point.

Think about it: the person who’s hiring you cares less about what you can do and more about what you can do for them. Are you going to be the person to help them get what they want? Can you help them get that promotion, have a better work-life balance, or maybe build their credibility as a leader? Whatever the hiring manager wants, you need to show how you are the person to get them there. However, many people spend more time on their resume talking about themselves and what they’ve done, not on how what they’ve done can deliver for their new client/ employer. If your resume doesn’t scream out what you do and how you can help, you’re doing it wrong, and that’s why it’s not showing up. 

Putting strategy to work

When you realize that 30% of job requisitions is total BS, stop holding yourself to perfection, and ensure that your resume is not all about you, you will have a much better chance at beating the job-board bots. 

Did you like those tips? Well, now I want to give you a gift. When you click this link, you’ll have access to a free download,  a beat-the-BOT checklist that will show you everything you need to know to build a resume that gives those ATS screeners exactly what they’re looking for. It will also help you create a LinkedIn profile that will have recruiters lining up outside your door. So, go ahead and click this link to get our free download and start being proactive on job boards. 

About The Author

Tammy Alvarez is the CEO and Founder of the Career Winners Circle.  A coaching firm that helps ambitious leaders in financial services and STEM industries rebuild vibrant careers without compromise, land new roles in 4-5 months, earn 20% more on average, and never hate Mondays again.  Tammy has started the #RemoteCareerRevolution so every knowledge worker can have a voice and benefit from gaining access to the tools and resources they need so they can have a vibrant career and lifestyle. Click here to learn more about the Remote Career Revolution.

Section Heading

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.

Internal Link CTA Section

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.