What is an ATS, how does it impact hiring, and what can you do about it

What is an ATS, how does it impact hiring, and what can you do about itWhat is an ATS, how does it impact hiring, and what can you do about itIf youve applied for jobs online in the past while, theres a good chance your resume was scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) before it made it to the eyes of a recruiter.Research from Jobscan reports that 98.2% of Fortune500 companies use a schriftart of ATS during their hiring process.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard titeling Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreSo if your resume isnt ATS optimized, an automated system might toss you from consideration for your dream job before a hiring manager at the company even reviews your application.What is an ATS?Corporate job postings receive, on average, 250 applications, and hiring managers do not have time to review that many resumes, cover letters, and work samples. To streamline this process, companies use applicant tracking sys tems to scan resumes for keywords, filter out applications that dont display relevant job experience, and automatically rank candidates.Additionally, during the hiring process, an ATS can be used to send automated emails to potential hires (like that We received your application email you often get), track your interview process, and prompt your successful applicants for electronic signatures. These systems are planed with HR teams and recruiters in mind so they can quickly hire quality candidates, but that doesnt mean you, the applicant, have to be at a disadvantage.If you learn how to optimize your resume for ATS, your application doesnt have to be one of the 75% that get rejected before ever landing in front of a human.How to write an ATS-compliant resumeIf youre currently on the job hunt or youre just giving your resume an annual update, its time to use ATS best practices. Here are some easy ways you can keep both an ATS and hiring managers in mind when submitting your next appl icationUse keywords on your resume.Keywords are not the same as buzzwords. Keywords indicate the soft and hard skills you have developed through education and professional experience, while buzzwords like hard worker and go-getter wont impress an ATS or a recruiter.Here are some examples of hard and soft skills you may want to include (as relevant to the job youre applying for and your experience)Hard skillsComputer programingEditingForeign language skillsDegrees and certificates youve earnedMachine operationTyping speedSoft skillsCommunicationTime managementLeadershipPatienceFlexibilityTeamworkMake sure the keywords you include are actual skills you possess that you can back up with examples from previous jobs, rather than just words you think will sound impressive.Adjust keywords for the position youre applying for.You probably wont have to write an entirely new resume and cover letter for every job you apply for, but you do need to adjust the keywords you use based on the positio n youre going after. A good test is to open your application and the job description side by side. Go through the job description carefully and pick out specific skills the company is seeking for the position.Assuming you have those skills, use the same keywords in your resume and cover letter that you found in the job description. Those are usually the same keywords that an applicant tracking system will be looking for when scanning your resume, and probably the words a hiring manager will be looking for when they get ahold of your resume too.Submit your resume in the correct format.Many people choose to submit their resumes, cover letters, and other application materials as PDFs. This is a great option because it maintains the format of your resume that you probably spent a long time perfecting. You might also consider submitting a resume as a Word document or in a plain text file to be safe, but however you submit, just be sure you are using one of the listed formats. If you dont , your application could be chucked from the pile because the ATS cant read it.Bonus tip Dont put any key information, like your contact info, in the header or footer. Most ATS wont read this information, and those essential details could get cut.Use a standard resume design.A standard design doesnt mean you cant add a little personality, but unless you are giving your resume directly to a hiring manager, leave off the graphs and funky designs. An ATS is not designed to read those and wont be able to register the skills you are trying to display using a non-traditional chart or image. Instead, focus on creating a clean design with a hierarchical listing of your skills, including a chronological professional history and relevant skills and accomplishments. Once your application makes it past the ATS, your recruiter will be happy to be able to quickly review your resume for key information.You can make sure your resume design will be easily read by an ATS by using a resume reviewer li ke this one. It uses an automated system to review your resume for content, style, and formatting.While it might feel like a pain to optimize your job application materials for every position you apply for, youll be happy you did when you land a job you love. Even if you have all the right skills and qualifications, if you dont know how to translate that for an applicant tracking system, your application wont make it far. Take the time now to make your resume and other application materials ATS compliant, and you can focus on preparing for calls and interviews instead of wondering whether your resume made the cut.Brian Anderson is an HR copywriter, with work exploring the intersection between employee engagement, total rewards, and HR software. Hes lucky enough to write about people topics in his day job with BambooHR, a full-service, cloud-based HR management software.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Use of Technology in Criminal Justice

Use of Technology in Criminal JusticeUse of Technology in Criminal JusticeMost police departments across the country now supply their officers with some version of an in-car computer, often called a mobile data terminal. Some are even using mobile phone technology. Police dispatchers use a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) software. Evidence technicians and custodians use automated inventory management systems to keep track of their evidence property rooms. Video Recording New digital video recording technology has made it affordable and practical to provide mora officers with cameras, either in their car or carried on their uniform. These videos are then able to be used as evidence in court or a complaint investigation. Many systems allow for automatic wireless download when the car pulls into the station, reducing officer downtime and ensuring vital evidentiary data is recorded and logged as soon as possible. In-Car Computers Across the nation, patrol officers are using their c omputers to perform everyday functions. Arrest reports are increasingly required to be typed. Traffic citations, once handwritten, are produced electronically while a printer inside the patrol car supplies a copy for the violator. Even time reporting and payroll is often handled online. In many cases, not only are these reports produced electronically, but they are also transmitted electronically to reduce paper and increase efficiency. Rapid Identification Driver information and history are instantly accessible to officers on traffic stops. In several states online databases provide quick access to driver license photos, allowing officers to verify names of people they have stopped in the event the violator has forgotten his driver license or identification card. Rapid ID systems are also making their way into the hands of law enforcement personnel. These tools allow officers to obtain biometric information from a subject, usually a hashwertand have it compared to the FBIs crim inal database. If the subject has any prior arrests, the fingerprints will show a match and instantly provide the identity of the person the officer is dealing with. It also provides information regarding history and outstanding warrants. Evidence Property Reporting Some agencies have moved their entire evidence property system online. Officers collect evidence and then log it into the online system before placing it into the appropriate facility. Specialized evidence technicians use the system to track and monitor the evidence and get it where it needs to go, either to the lab for analysis, to the state or district attorneys office, or into the property room for safekeeping. Computer Aided Dispatch Years ago, dispatchers used pen and paper and punch cards to keep track of case numbers, dispatch officers and log calls for service and activity. Now, sophisticated dispatch software is used. In many departments, GPS units integrated into officers cars or computers report their position to their dispatch centers. This allows dispatchers to determine who is closer to a call for service, helping to ensure that citizens are assisted as soon as possible. Also, the dispatch centers can record every phone call and radio transmission and cross-reference them to corresponding case numbers and officer activity. Case Management Criminology professionals working within the court system can take advantage of the automated case tracking systems. These online systems allow attorneys, judges, clerks and law enforcement personnel to gain quick access to important case and docket information. Prosecutors and public defenders can access arrest affidavits and witness information almost instantly as it is input, allowing for more time to prepare for cases.

Fine Tune your Recruitment Strategy for 2011

Fine Tune your Recruitment Strategy for 2011Fine Tune your Recruitment Strategy for 2011Fine Tune your Recruitment Strategy for 2011 Training CornerAccording to the results of a recent RHI survey, 40% of seekers will be more inclined to look for new hiring opportunities once the recession is over.While some would argue that we are still not post-recession, there are strong indicators that we have turned the corner this may be enough to spur those job seekers into action.The question becomes, Are companies ready to handle the large employee turnoverthat will probably occur in 2011?Based on conversations that is having with recruitersevery day, we know that you are in fact extremely busy already. Your plates are full because your organizations have not hired enough HR resources to meet the current needs, let alone a surge in staffing activity.Given this situation, what should you do to prepare? Here are six factors you should consider now in order to punkt your organization for success and improve your hiring process.Analyze the recruitment process. Start by analyzing and evaluating your current recruitment strategyto better identify areas where you could gain efficiencies. Are you maximizing your current software systems? Are there gaps in the recruitment process? How do your current recruitment practices affect the image of your organization? Take inventory of everything you do in the recruitment process with an eye to the dependencies between recruiting tools and strategies, successful hires and overall costs to the organization.Review your solutions. Once youve reviewed your recruitment process, sit down with your recruitment manager to analyze the recruitment solutions your organization currently has in place. Do you have the right mix and quantity of products to meet likely 2011 hiring needs?Also, analyze what your competition is doing so that you can attract job seekers to your organization. Using creative products such as videois one solution that could b e considered to achieve that goal.Incorporate best practices. Once youve analyzed your core recruitment process and solutions, you may recognize some pivotal processes that need improvement. Think about how your organization is currently using the products it has today and how it could incorporate job posting best practices, social media, company branding, job searching and career site.Within each of behauptung products are numerous best practices that you should be following. For job postings best practices,using specific, functional titles will yield better results, as will making clear delineations within the job posting including the physical location of your job.Take time to educate recruiters. In this climate of trying to do more with less, education as a whole has taken a backseat in most organizations. But if you foresee a surge of hiring activity on the horizon, now is the time to abflug thinking about the gaps and how to address those gaps. Consider certifications, or brin ging in experts to speak to your team. Involve your team members in the process ask what they would like to pursue from an educational standpoint.Build relationships and learn. Before you even know what job positions youll be recruiting for, take some time to build relationships with hiring managers and business leaders. Learn more about the positions they currently have in their organization and about the business. If youve forged those relationships beforehand, it will be much easier to dive right into the recruiting process once a position opens.Review metrics and understand benchmarks. Does your organization have systems in place to measure recruiting success? If so, are you actively looking at those numbers and trying to understand the results? If youre still not making this a hiring best practice, start reviewing your metrics, understanding your benchmarks, and most importantly, make revisions based on the data.If analyzed properly, these numbers can give you valuable insight on how to refine your recruitment process, and ultimately, fill positions with qualified candidates more quickly.Regardless of whether or not the 40% of job seekers who intend to find other employment actually do it, start now to build a fresh perspective that ultimately refines your recruiting and hiringprocess.