Applying for Jobs and Not Getting Any Responses: Who’s to Blame?

At Jaka Lounge, we often hear that candidates with a strong background have been trying to find a new job for a long time. What seems like an almost insurmountable obstacle to them is that employers do not call them for interviews. The question that arises is how it is possible that someone with all the required qualifications and experience from the job ad does not meet the application criteria. And not just for one job, but for many. They often come to us for career counseling consultations, sometimes completely discouraged, hoping that we are the last option that can help them find a new job.

When we start diagnosing the situation and analyzing the causes of the problem, we often find a simple answer. Check if you fall into this category and find out why you’re not getting called for interviews despite applying for jobs.

First of all, check with people in your environment if your CV is clear and free of typographical errors. Look at our blog for advice on writing a good CV: A good CV is a ticket to get a job. If you’ve done that first step well, and there are still no results, then the culprit might be a technical obstacle.

You have probably heard of ATS, or Applicant Tracking Systems, which track candidates’ applications for open positions. Most companies have some form of this system, or they use the ATS option within a larger HR system. What does that actually mean?

ATS helps recruiters review incoming applications faster. It is programmed to load and analyze a CV when a candidate sends it. Typically, ATS uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to convert PDF or scanned documents into text that can be analyzed.

Then, ATS extracts key data from the CV such as name, contact information, education, work experience, skills, and other relevant data. The system then focuses on finding keywords relevant to the position the candidate is applying for. These keywords are usually listed in the job description and may include specific skills, qualifications, or experience. Based on the alignment of the CV with the job’s keywords and criteria, ATS assigns a score or rank to each candidate. Candidates whose CV has more relevant keywords and better match the job requirements are ranked higher and forwarded to recruiters for review. On the other hand, candidates who do not meet the requirements are usually rejected or classified as lower priority. This might be the cause of your problem.

How does ATS filter data?

ATS allows recruiters to search the candidate database using various filters and criteria, as well as generate reports on the status of applications and the hiring process. ATS systems can be set to search for specific words or phrases for a given position. Here’s how it is usually done:

1. Defining Keywords: During the job posting process, recruiters can enter specific keywords relevant to the position. These keywords may include technical skills, software tools, qualifications, or specific terms important for the job. These words are usually also found in the job listing itself.
2. Using Boolean Operations: ATS allows the use of Boolean operations (such as AND, OR, NOT) for more precise searches. For example, a recruiter can set ATS to search for a candidate with “Java AND SQL” skills or to avoid candidates with “Entry-level NOT Manager” in their CV.
3. Weighting Keywords: Some ATS systems allow recruiters to assign different weights or priorities to specific keywords. For example, the keyword “project manager” may have more weight than “MS Office,” meaning candidates with project management experience will be ranked higher.
4. Using Synonyms: ATS systems can be configured to recognize synonyms or related terms. For example, for a position requiring “Customer Service,” ATS can also recognize “Customer Support” or “Client Service” as relevant keywords.
5. Contextual Analysis: Some advanced ATS systems use natural language processing and machine learning to understand the context in which keywords appear. This allows for better accuracy in identifying relevant skills and experiences.
6. Setting Filters: Recruiters can set filters for specific positions to automatically reject CVs that do not contain the necessary keywords or phrases. This helps reduce the number of irrelevant applications.

Tips for Optimizing Your CV for ATS

All of the above indicates that for every job application, it is necessary to additionally tailor your CV to increase the chances of getting an interview opportunity. Yes, it sounds like you need to do extra work to find a job. Unfortunately, the automation of the selection process and the shift from human evaluation to machines have brought this about. Recruiters used to review every CV (although not all recruiters were so diligent and responsible, so you might not be invited for an interview simply because the recruiter accidentally skipped your application in a sea of others), and they used to read between the lines. We at Jaka Lounge have experienced situations where for some positions we would call people whose CV didn’t even have the basic elements, but their skills and length of experience in a certain company suggested they were suitable for the position. And often, we were right, even though hiring managers were not thrilled when they saw just the CV and had additional prejudices about the person based only on reading that paper. In any case, it is definitely worth having a nice and clear CV because why reduce your chances of getting a job interview.

Besides that, optimizing your CV for ATS can significantly increase the chances of your CV being noticed by recruiters. Here’s how you can achieve this:

• Use a simple and clean format without too many graphic elements.
• Include relevant keywords that appear in the job description.
• Avoid images and special fonts.
• Use standard section headings (e.g., “Work Experience,” “Education,” “Skills”).
• Concisely and clearly state your achievements and responsibilities.

It doesn’t sound complicated, does it? If you still don’t have success, call us to consult and assess what can be further improved.

Good luck!