The One Reason You Shouldn’t Worry About Applicant Tracking Systems:

Before I start, notice I mentioned “one reason” you shouldn’t worry about Applicant Tracking Systems, not that you shouldn’t worry about them at all. On the contrary, I absolutely believe any active job seeker should understand how they work in order to be properly utilized by them (learn more about how Applicant Tracking Systems work here).

So without further ado, the reason is: you should be spending over 80% of your time networking. In fact, if you actually utilize your time in such a manner that you are devoting the bulk of your time to networking, the need to apply online, and thus combat Applicant Tracking Systems, diminishes significantly. Some of the best networking methods include:

-        Getting away from the computer screen, and meet a colleague or associate for lunch or coffee

-        Joining a professional association and attending meetings

-        Conducting informational interviews with professionals in your industry

-        Connecting with fellow alumni

-        Volunteering

-        Networking online on social media sites such as LinkedIn and Twitter

It doesn’t matter what type of networking you do as long as you are doing something. Just make sure the purpose of what you are doing is working toward that next position, and have some fun in the process. Save the more mundane tasks, like worrying about what key words to use in your resume in order to get past Applicant Tracking Systems, for the times specifically designated to searching for jobs online. If you play your cards right, and network yourself inside a target company, you won’t have to worry about Applicant Tracking Systems at all.