Why Am I NOT Getting Interviewed?!

What your file may look like in a
human resources management database.

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

I know I’ve said this a million times when I’ve been on the desperate job hunt, and I probably will a million more times throughout my working lifetime. The job search is frustrating, it’s tiresome, and it is intensely hard to keep a positive outlook. The advice out there all seems to be the same, and unfortunately, you start just tuning out what other people are saying about what you should be doing.

What are you doing wrong, and how can you fix it?

It may not have anything to do with you. See, everyone has different strengths and weaknesses, so everyone has a different career path. Not everyone graduates from high school and goes straight to college – not everyone who goes to college from high school knows what they want to major in and takes four years to do it – not everyone has been able to start working in their field of choice right away.

I’ve mentioned screening software in earlier blog posts, but not gone into any sort of depth. Well, here’s why: I don’t agree with the use of it because, like this author, I think it is a limiting device for human resources to say “Well, we didn’t find anyone who matched our exact requirements, so we’re just not going to fill that open position this time around.” The software takes the terms that a human hasplugged into it and scans each application and resume for those specific terms. It doesn’t know that “communications specialist” as a job title has the same weight and similar responsibilities as “media specialist,” as I pull examples from my own resume, unless the human plugging terms in has specified them as valid terms for the software.

And the questionnaires! You have to answer the questions SPECIFICALLY according to the human who selected those questions wanted them answered or, again, your resume gets tossed into the virtual trash bin before anyone human can lay eyes on it. You have to be aware of the keywords that they’re searching for – combing the job description for clues to the specific ones they want to see.

All of this ends up being the bulk of your effort when filling out job applications, and is probably why networking is still your best chance of getting an offer of an interview. If you don’t use the precise keywords for your resume and/or cover letter and the questionnaire, you don’t get the call. A human with the knowlege of what you can do and the quiet endorsement of just making sure your resume gets into the appropriate hands makes the difference.

We can help with the keyword identification in the job description, but as one of my coworkers put it, “In other words, when the job description says ‘communications,’ you put communications down. When they say ‘media,’ you put media down.” Make sure you use the same words that they use, and you’ll be much better off.

Disability Friendly Employers are Looking for You to Fill Their Openings!



Employers are searching for you,
are you ready for them?

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

Slowly but surely, we’re starting to see national chains pick up on the fact that there are plenty of people out there who are willing and want to work, and have a skill set that makes them perfect for their businesses. These people are our clients, our Ticket Holders, the people with disabilities (PWD), and the value is showing every time one of you gets employed!

Walgreens was one of the earliest businesses who recognized the value of hiring PWD, and has launched an educational initiative to help other businesses recognize opportunities to hire PWD. Walgreens launched a pilot program in Anderson, S.C., which just so happens to be in the same state that ERS operates in, that hired PWD to sort bulk shipments from their suppliers into the stock shipment orders from their stores.

Now, Lowe’s home improvement stores are jumping on board and learning from Walgreens on how to launch their own program for hiring PWD, and they’re not the only ones. OfficeMax, an office supply retail store chain, has won awards for their inclusion efforts from a national association of state vocational rehabilitation agencies. And more can be found here, on DisabilityInc’s list of top 50 companies for diversity.

So what does this mean for Ticket Holders, people who want to work and want to find the jobs out there? Well, make sure that you add your resume to the databases of www.jobaccess.org or www.gettinghired.com. We can help you with that if you are uncomfortable doing it yourself. Bookmark the career pages of the companies you want to work for, and check those postings regularly for positions you think you are qualified to apply for, and then submit your resume!

Alternatively, you can send a prospecting letter to the human resources department head. Here’s a great guide for writing a prospecting letter that will get you noticed. Don’t know the name of the human resources head? Well, here’s how to find that name! Your letter will get noticed more readily if you use a name, rather than a generic “Dear Sir or Madam,” in your cover letter anyway. Just make sure to keep it professional and on-point as to how you’re the perfect person for a job that they don’t have open right now, but may in the future.

Don’t you feel better knowing that companies are searching for you to fill that position that they know only you can fill? Now it’s up to you to let them know that you’re ready to go to work! Make sure to call or e-mail us and let us know if there’s any way we can help you prepare your cover letter, resume, or fill out an application. That’s what we’re here for!