Applying for a Job Online? Here’s What I’d Do to Get a Callback

In this post, I’ll show you how to boost your chances of getting noticed online when applying for jobs.

Have you ever had this feeling?:

• Have you ever seen a job description that perfectly matches your skills and thought, "I would be great at that job," only to never hear back?
• Or maybe you’ve felt frustrated after applying but never receiving a response?
• If only you had the chance to impress HR in person, right?

Unfortunately, many candidates never get past the first filter due to the way companies process applications.

When a company posts a job opening, they get many applications. Small companies might look at these manually, but most big companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage the large number of CVs they receive.

When you submit your CV, the ATS looks for specific keywords and phrases that match what the company needs. If your CV includes these keywords, it’s more likely to get through this first filter and move on to the next stage, where you might meet with an HR manager or recruiter.

The goal is to pass this initial automated check.

To improve your chances of landing that desired job, use AI to personalize your CV and cover letter.

In a previous post, we discussed how having a clean and concise CV makes it easier to read and helps with automated systems like ATS. The benefit of a clear template is that you can easily adjust it to include the right keywords, greatly boosting your chances.

Here’s how I would approach it:

Workflow:

1. Copy and Paste Job Description: Input the job description into an AI tool for job application optimization.
2. Analyze and Extract Keywords: Let the tool identify key terms and phrases relevant to the job.
3. Modify CV and Cover Letter: Use the AI’s suggestions to update your CV and cover letter, adding the extracted keywords and tailoring the content to fit the job requirements.
4. Review and Refine: Always review and refine your documents to ensure they sound natural and truly represent you.

Bonus Tip: Jobscan

Jobscan is a tool that helps with exactly this process.

It offers a free version, so you can try it out without any cost. The main feature allows you to upload your CV and the job description, then it gives you a score based on how well your CV matches the job’s keywords.

In short, Jobscan provides an ATS score—the higher the score, the better your CV fits the job description.

After adjusting your CV using AI tools, running it through Jobscan can give you a clear idea of how well you’ve optimized it.

We’ve all been there—finding a job can be challenging. I’m here to help make the process a bit easier for you.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Good luck!