An article in Amtrak's Arrive Magazine "into the Abyss?" talks about how on-line job applications disappear with some tips on getting past the mechanized Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that process them.

"The technology does not replace recruiters," says Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer of iCIMS, which produces "talent acquisition software," including an ATS called Recruit.

Tips:

Keywords:
"Keyword searching is huge within applicant tracking technology," Vitale says. "If there are ways to match your keywords to the job description, it helps tremendously."

Experts advise using keywords liberally in resumes and cover letters, and using full terms alongside common acronyms--"customer relationship management (CRM)"--so software and people can find what they're searching for.

Leaving Fields Blank:
And what to do about those fields you'd rather not answer? Filling in your required salary or the name of your current boss can potentially hurt you, Robert Hellmann (Hellmann Career Consulting in NYC) says, and that information isn't yet the business of the prospective employer.

He recommends leaving the fields blank or typing "to be discussed." If you are required to enter a number for the salary field, put something obviously false, like $1, Hellmann says. Yes, it might get you tossed, but it also might give you the chance to negotiate later, in person, without having shown your hand.

Cover Letter
New York career coach Laura Hill, founder of Careers in Motion LLC, tells her clients to keep it short and sweet; spending hours on a specialized cover letter is likely to be a waste of time.

"If you have a good cover letter, you should only customize one or two lines at the beginning. A good cover letter does not have a lot of narrative," she says. She recommends listing your accomplishments in bullet points, borrowed straight from the resume.

Individual employers differ on whether cover letters are necessary at all. Jenny Harding, VP HR of a 780 person firm, appreciates them when two competing resumes are similar. He received 1333 resumes for 21 jobs last summer.

Follow Up:
Career coaches and hiring managers feel differently about what is effective. Hellmann recommends sending an email first, briefly explaining what makes you valuable as a candidate.

If you don't hear back within three business days, you can call. But if they answer, Hellmann says, you should be prepared with a 20-second pitch that explains who you are ("I'm a tax expert") and what differentiates you from the competition

Emails are less invasive than the phone, Harding says, but best of all is a message on LinkedIn.

last updated 15 Jan 2016