By DISCOVER STAFFING
In today's digital age, finding a job often involves navigating the world of online applications and multiple job searching sites. With the click of a button, you can apply to dozens of positions within a matter of minutes. However, the ease of applying online comes with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to the feeling of being ghosted by a company as resumes appear to be disappearing into the digital abyss.
Picture this: You spend time crafting your resume, tailoring it to each job description, and meticulously filling out online application forms. You hit submit, and then... silence. Days turn into weeks, and still, you hear nothing back from the companies you applied to. It's a frustrating and demoralizing experience that many job seekers are all too familiar with 40% of job seekers said an employer had ghosted them after a second- or third-round interview according to an article by CNBC.
One of the most perplexing aspects of the online job application process is the use of filters to screen resumes. These filters are often programmed to scan for specific keywords or qualifications, weeding out applicants who don't meet certain criteria. While these filters are intended to streamline the hiring process for employers, they can inadvertently exclude qualified candidates who might not have the exact keywords or qualifications listed on their resumes.
For job seekers, the customization of resumes often leads to frustration and exhaustion with no promise of their application being seen. But what happens after your resume passes through the filters? Unfortunately, that's where the uncertainty often begins.
So, why do so many resumes seem to disappear into the void? There’s no one reason for black hole online applications, but there are some possible reasons. In some cases, hiring managers may be inundated with applications and simply don't have the time or resources to respond to each one individually. In other instances, organizational bureaucracy or internal processes may delay communication with applicants. And then there's the possibility that a resume simply got lost in the shuffle, buried beneath a mountain of other applications vying for attention.
Job seekers aren’t the only ones experiencing resume screening issues. Resume screening programs aren’t perfect and can incorrectly pull information. In an article by The Enterprise Project they suggest creating a “plain resume” to minimize the risk of computer codes pulling incorrect information.
“‘Plain’ is a good guiding principle: As in plain, readable text – and little else. That could be counterintuitive to someone in a design-oriented role, such as a UI/UX (technical designer) position. But save the creative flair for a later phase of the process.”
The incorrect information pulling is an issue that can affect both the applicant and the employer. One way to ensure the correct applicants get through the filters, is for companies to make sure job descriptions are accurate and realistic. Employers should think like an applicant when creating a job posting and create a job listing accordingly. Vague and unclear verbiage can lead to a miss match in applicants to the job.
Forbes recent published an article on Why Quality Job Description Still Matter and states:
High-quality job descriptions help attract candidates aligned with a company's mission, values and culture. High-quality job descriptions also help teams stay rooted in skills-based hiring decisions by focusing on the skills that predict success in the role, not on arbitrary standards and proxy qualifications (e.g., education, experience) that have low predictive value.
When companies have lengthy drawn out hiring processes, candidates begin to feel “ghosted” when there is a lack of communication and drawn out timeline. When it comes to best practices in hiring, it's important to communicate clearly in a timely manner with applicants.
In an ideal world, every job applicant would receive a timely response from every company they apply to. But in reality, the online job application process can be fraught with uncertainty and frustration on both sides. By understanding the challenges and taking proactive steps to overcome them, job seekers and hiring companies can increase their chances of success in the competitive world of online job hunting. Avoiding being ghosted is a two way street and both employers and job seekers should be mindful of clear communication, using accurate job descriptions and simple resumes for online applications.
In today's digital age, finding a job often involves navigating the world of online applications and multiple job searching sites. With the click of a button, you can apply to dozens of positions within a matter of minutes. However, the ease of applying online comes with its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to the feeling of being ghosted by a company as resumes appear to be disappearing into the digital abyss.
Picture this: You spend time crafting your resume, tailoring it to each job description, and meticulously filling out online application forms. You hit submit, and then... silence. Days turn into weeks, and still, you hear nothing back from the companies you applied to. It's a frustrating and demoralizing experience that many job seekers are all too familiar with 40% of job seekers said an employer had ghosted them after a second- or third-round interview according to an article by CNBC.
One of the most perplexing aspects of the online job application process is the use of filters to screen resumes. These filters are often programmed to scan for specific keywords or qualifications, weeding out applicants who don't meet certain criteria. While these filters are intended to streamline the hiring process for employers, they can inadvertently exclude qualified candidates who might not have the exact keywords or qualifications listed on their resumes.
For job seekers, the customization of resumes often leads to frustration and exhaustion with no promise of their application being seen. But what happens after your resume passes through the filters? Unfortunately, that's where the uncertainty often begins.
So, why do so many resumes seem to disappear into the void? There’s no one reason for black hole online applications, but there are some possible reasons. In some cases, hiring managers may be inundated with applications and simply don't have the time or resources to respond to each one individually. In other instances, organizational bureaucracy or internal processes may delay communication with applicants. And then there's the possibility that a resume simply got lost in the shuffle, buried beneath a mountain of other applications vying for attention.
Job seekers aren’t the only ones experiencing resume screening issues. Resume screening programs aren’t perfect and can incorrectly pull information. In an article by The Enterprise Project they suggest creating a “plain resume” to minimize the risk of computer codes pulling incorrect information.
“‘Plain’ is a good guiding principle: As in plain, readable text – and little else. That could be counterintuitive to someone in a design-oriented role, such as a UI/UX (technical designer) position. But save the creative flair for a later phase of the process.”
The incorrect information pulling is an issue that can affect both the applicant and the employer. One way to ensure the correct applicants get through the filters, is for companies to make sure job descriptions are accurate and realistic. Employers should think like an applicant when creating a job posting and create a job listing accordingly. Vague and unclear verbiage can lead to a miss match in applicants to the job.
Forbes recent published an article on Why Quality Job Description Still Matter and states:
High-quality job descriptions help attract candidates aligned with a company's mission, values and culture. High-quality job descriptions also help teams stay rooted in skills-based hiring decisions by focusing on the skills that predict success in the role, not on arbitrary standards and proxy qualifications (e.g., education, experience) that have low predictive value.
When companies have lengthy drawn out hiring processes, candidates begin to feel “ghosted” when there is a lack of communication and drawn out timeline. When it comes to best practices in hiring, it's important to communicate clearly in a timely manner with applicants.
In an ideal world, every job applicant would receive a timely response from every company they apply to. But in reality, the online job application process can be fraught with uncertainty and frustration on both sides. By understanding the challenges and taking proactive steps to overcome them, job seekers and hiring companies can increase their chances of success in the competitive world of online job hunting. Avoiding being ghosted is a two way street and both employers and job seekers should be mindful of clear communication, using accurate job descriptions and simple resumes for online applications.