Applying through company websites shortsighted
DEAR J.T. & DALE: I left my first job out of college more than a year ago. During the time since, I have done training and also worked a few months in a startup. I am applying through company websites but not getting any responses. What am I doing wrong? — Tyler
J.T.: The problem is that you are applying through company websites. I saw one study that said just 3 percent of such applicants are subsequently contacted by someone from the company. The reality is that your résumé is being tossed by the applicant tracking system because you don’t match its keywords. (They use these systems to screen out the hundreds of applications they get so they only have to contact the top 10 or 15.)
Dale: Most people hate the notion of being tossed from consideration by a computer. However, if you have ever watched an HR person go through a stack of paper applications, you’ll find that “applicant tracking systems” aren’t really anything new — they’re just an automated version of human speed readers looking for key minimum requirements that the hiring manager has specified, including those “keywords” J.T. mentioned. Only if the screener spots those minimums does he or she bother with the application. So, yes, many companies are now using an automated system to make the initial screening even more impersonal than it already was. But stop and consider this: Who chooses to let it be impersonal? That’s on you, Tyler. You choose to submit an electronic application instead of getting off the couch and making human connections.
J.T.: Unless you’re an ideal candidate in a highdemand job, you need to network. Make a list of the companies you admire, and start finding ways to connect with people who work there. Ask them how they got their jobs and what it takes to be successful there. If possible, see if they will introduce you to hiring managers. That way, when a job does open up at their company, you’ll already have established a relationship, making it easier for you to land the interview.
Dear J.T. & Dale: My boss just announced that he is retiring at the end of the year. He also announced that one of
my co-workers is going to be taking his place. I hate this guy. He is a useless suck-up. My boss has no idea. I hate to think my boss’s legacy will be ruined by this idiot. Should I tell my boss? — Brooks
J.T.: It seems a little late for that; going to your boss now would look like sour grapes. And while you may think this co-worker is useless, your boss surely doesn’t agree. Or, perhaps the legacy he wants to leave is to remind you how good you all had it when he was in charge. Either way, if you don’t think you can report to this guy, then start looking for a new job now. You don’t want to find yourself at odds with him when he does take over.
Dale: Here’s an IBP (Important Business Principle): They Always Know. If you assume that there are no secrets, your life and your job suddenly will become much more navigable. In your case, this means you have to assume that your soon-tobe-promoted co-worker understands that you think he’s a useless idiot. And that useless idiot will be in charge of the company and your job in half a year. (Picture a visual here of calendar pages flipping over frantically.) So I see two options: The one J.T. has mentioned, getting out; then, once you’ve landed
some swell new position, you might decide to warn your boss. If you’re right about the co-worker, the company might even bring you back. The second option is to go to your boss informally, and make inquiries about why he chose the person he did, and perhaps also why he didn’t pick you. This is vital information, and I suspect you’ll learn important lessons about being a better colleague. You might learn so much that you can rethink the new boss and figure out how you can contribute more to the new team. Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a professional development specialist and the founder of the consulting firm jtodonnell. Dale Dauten resolves employment and other business disputes as a mediator with AgreementHouse.com. Please visit them at jtanddale. com, where you can send questions via email, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019.