WSJ and NPR Miss the Mark on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

WSJ and NPR Miss the Mark on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) Resume Oblivion has been a hot topic in the news. The Wall Street Journal published an article, Your Resume vs. Oblivion, reporting that the percentage of large companies using computerized Applicant Tracking Systems to screen candidates is in the high 90%; almost all Fortune 500 companies rely on these programs. The article points out that the systems, which can cost from $5,000 to millions of dollars, are efficient, but not foolproof.   Specifically, Tracking software    may miss the most-qualified applicant if that person doesnt game the system by larding [sic I think they mean loading] his or her rà ©sumà © with keywords from the job description. The article offers advice, which I recommend reading, on How to Beat the Black Hole.' However, the advice is not comprehensive.   The first item, for instance, instructs job seekers to mimic the keywords in the job description as closely as possible. If youre applying to be a sales manager, make sure your rà ©sumà © includes the words sales and manage (assuming youve done both!). Pardon me for saying so, but the above advice is 1) rudimentary, 2) a no-brainer and 3) limited in its value. The problem is that 99% of the people applying for a sales manager job are going to have the words sales and manage   in their resumes! Therefore, you will not get higher on any list by including these keywords. The same goes for most of the keywords in the job description, since many job seekers are getting savvy about matching their resumes to the posting. The Wall Street Journal is not the only major news provider who delivered misleading or incomplete information on this topic. Take NPRs 16-minute segment entitled Keeping Your Resume Out of Online Oblivion, where callers related stories of how they got interviews despite the reign of Applicant Tracking Systems.   View it here: You will hear some creative solutions in this spot on how to make it past the computers. You will also hear something misleading:   that hiring managers (i.e., human beings) program the ATS software to screen for certain terms. Do you really think that a company like Google or Starbucks is going to have a human being sit there and punch keywords into a computer for each of the thousands of jobs they post every day? Think again. No, human beings do not program these systems the systems program themselves! The keywords the computers are looking for are determined by the computers. And this is why qualified candidates are so often overlooked.

10 Power Packed Sports Quotes Inspires You to Test Your Limits

10 Power Packed Sports Quotes Inspires You to Test Your Limits Many sporting legends have climbed the ladder of success after going through a lifetime of hardships. Lack of facilities, lack of money, and physical deformities are just a few of the obstacles. By sheer grit and hard work, they ploughed through difficult times. Sometimes they went without food. At other times, they had no roof above their heads. Here are my top 4 favorite sports icons that made a difference to the world. They continue to be the source of inspiration, not just for excellence in sports, but also for their tenacity that helped them overcome their hardships. Read these motivational sports quotes from the best players in the world. 1. PeleIconic Brazilian soccer star Pele, one of the greatest soccer legends, grew up in poverty in Sao Paulo. To augment family income, Pele performed odd jobs such as polishing shoes or working as a servant in tea stalls. A sock stuffed with rags would serve as his soccer ball. Pele went on to become one of the greatest soccer players. Success was sweet, but it was not without struggle. Some of my favorite Pele quotes are: Enthusiasm is everything. It must be taut and vibrating like a guitar string.A penalty is a cowardly way to score.Everything on earth is a game. A passing thing. We all end up dead. We all end up the same, don’t we?Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. 2. Usain BoltLightning fast sprinter Usain Bolt is from Jamaica a country that is among the poorest in the world. Growing up, Bolt had to face hardships like most children in his village. Resources were scarce. Though many athletes came from the tiny village of Trelawny Parish, the tracks were grassy patches, and shoes non-descript. Street lights were few and far between. Running water ran dry frequently. Arguably the fastest man in the world, Usain Bolt is the king of the running track, the first man in Olympic history to win both the 100-meter and 200-meter races in record timing. Usain Bolts meteoric rise to fame came from small beginnings.   Here are some brilliant gems of inspiration from a man of humble origins. A lot of legends, a lot of people, have come before me. But this is my time.I dont think limits.It was not perfect but Im very happy. It could have been better, but Im now looking forward to my second race of the season.Worrying gets you nowhere. If you turn up worrying about how youre going to perform, youve already lost. Train hard, turn up, run your best and the rest will take care of itself.I told you all I was going to be No. 1, and I did just that. 3. Michael PhelpsSwimming superstar Michael Phelps was not a fish born in water. At 7 years of age, Phelps was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD results in impulsive behavior, constant fidgeting, and a lack of focus on anything for a prolonged period. Phelps needed a release for his hyperactive energy, and swimming was his liberation. 15 year old Michael Phelps went on to become the youngest American male swimmer in 68 years to compete at the Olympic Games. With 22 Olympic gold medals, Michael Phelps is one of the highest grossers of Olympics gold.   Some of my favorite Michael Phelps quotes: You cant put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people arent willing to do.And, you know, being able to wear the stars and stripes, when you step up on one of the blocks or, you know, when you step off of an airplane or when you hear the national anthem play, you know, its one of the greatest feelings in the world because you know that there are people at home who are supporting you and watching you.I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.I want to be able to look back and say, ‘I’ve done everything I can, and I was successful.’ I don’t want to look back and say I should have done this or that.So many people along the way, whatever it is you aspire to do, will tell you it can’t be done. But all it takes is imagination. You dream. You plan. You reach. 4. Michael JordanWas Michael Jordan blessed with the physical attributes that make a basketball legend? On the contrary, Jordan had trouble making it to the school varsity team. Imagine what would happen if Michael Jordan had just given up and walked away? Today, we regard Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time. But every oak tree started out as an acorn. Michael Jordan did too. The following quotes by Michael Jordan will inspire you: I can accept failure; everyone fails at something. But I cant accept not trying.Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.If you quit once it becomes a habit. Never quit!Ive failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.What is love? Love is playing every game as if its your last!If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.