ATS? SEO? BTW, are you confused yet?! Let’s talk about ATS, how it relates to SEO, and how it can help you land the job of your dreams.
What is SEO?
Did you ever wonder how the Google gods decide which sites, articles, or posts to list on that initial page of your search results? Well, SEO is how. For our non-copywriters out there, SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. SEO is the process of improving online visibility and increasing traffic to a web page or website from search engines. Businesses use keywords in their online content, search engines take notice and bing! They are your top results. As a job seeker, your career development is your business. You can use this same strategy to gain the attention of a future employer and land on that coveted initial page using SEO’s sister, ATS.
ATS and How to Make it Work For You
ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System, a software that was originally created to streamline the hiring process of large corporations but is now used by everyone from Fortune 500 companies to your local cafe. ATS takes a company’s job description and compares it to resumes that have been submitted in their applications. ATS basically acts as a database for job applicants. It matches your target positions with keywords that these companies are looking for in the ideal candidate to see if it’s up to par and passes the test to be viewed by an actual human. Sounds a bit scary, but don’t worry, it isn’t as bad as you think. It is all
about wordsmithing and incorporating keywords into your resume and cover letter to increase your chances to match your targeted opportunities. Figuring out those keywords and incorporating them organically into your resume is where the pros come in!
A skilled resume writer will research several job postings of the positions you are targeting and collect the keywords that are used the most. Then, those keywords are applied throughout your resume and cover letter to fully optimize when you apply to similar positions. Think of job applications as clues and a resume writer as a detective piecing those clues together to complete the puzzle.
LinkedIn Optimization
But it doesn’t end there! A well-crafted resume is just a piece of your career development puzzle. LinkedIn optimization is another key component to landing that dream job. A completed profile should include a strong, professional profile photo. Your face shows recruiters who you are, so use this opportunity to instill a sense of trust and confidence with a strong photo. And don’t forget about the background pic; get creative and relate it to your field of expertise. Most importantly, optimize that profile with a catchy headline and a summary statement incorporating, you guessed it, keywords! By following these steps you increase your chances of ranking higher on the LinkedIn search engine and again, landing on that first page.
How to Put it All Together
Now navigating ATS, researching keywords, and optimizing your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile isn’t impossible to do on your own. However, hiring a professional writer who excels at the process from beginning to end is well worth the investment. Save yourself time and gain confidence knowing that you have done everything you can to get past that first hurdle of your job search– getting in the front door! Visit Em and a Pen to learn more about our services and how we can help.