Ever Wondered Why It Seems Like Your Online Job Application Isn’t Read?
According to a longtime career expert, unless you’re the “perfect match,” your application is likely being tossed out by an algorithm.
Depending on who you ask, the slowing job market is a sure sign that a recession is looming. U.S. businesses have been warning that tariffs would eventually ripple into the labor market. However, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the economy and job market may actually be getting stronger based on the number of people who voluntarily left their jobs this summer.
But whichever way you cut it, one thing that’s not really open to interpretation is the fact that nearly all job applications are happening online, and sometimes it can feel like your application is going out into the online ether and never being read by a human.
And you know what? You’re probably right.
Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson talks with longtime career expert and Founder of Work It Daily J.T. O’Donnell, who says, “you need to apply to 100 jobs to hear from three.”
With algorithms built into most online job applications, if you don’t have every text in every field and certain keywords, there’s a big chance your application is discarded before anyone can even see it. “Applicant tracking systems are only ideal for the person who is the perfect match,” says O’Donnell. Henderson and O’Donnell also discuss the issue of ageism and the changing social norms around going into a business and asking if they’re hiring.
Click on the audio player above to hear the entire conversation.
