When you’re starting out in your career, you might think lack of experience is the biggest hurdle standing in your way.
But it turns out, applicant tracking systems (ATS) could be preventing you from getting the internship or entry-level position you want. Data shows that 75% of recruiters or hiring managers are now using some form of ATS to filter applicants and automatically discard resumes that don’t match up with the job description.
Beat the bots
With so many companies now relying on ATS to speed up and streamline the hiring process, applicants need to ensure they’ve done enough work on their resumes to beat the bots. Simply put, keywords matter.
Each resume you create should be specifically tailored to the job you’re applying for. Your skills and experience should be framed within the context of the job description provided. This is because ATS software is trained to hone in on skills or keywords present in the job description, so listing them is essential.
The other non-negotiable? Keep your resume to two pages and avoid graphs or tables that could confuse some systems. Headings, bullet points, and succinct language are all you need to get your point across.
Connect the dots
Forget selfies or pictures of sunsets. What hiring managers really want to know is if applicants are a good fit –– and they’re increasingly turning to AI technology to do so. That’s according to Mercer, which found that 44% of companies are using AI tools to screen candidates based on publicly available information.
Amazon has taken candidate screening one step further with its in-house recruitment technology known as Automated Applicant Evaluation (AAE). Not only does AAE determine eligibility for a job based on the presence of keywords, it also determines how successful a potential candidate might be once they’re in the job.
While there’s no way to know exactly what Amazon’s AAE is looking for, one way to add weight to your resume is through power words, aka durable skills. Recent data shows that seven out of 10 of the most requested skills in job descriptions were durable skills that demonstrate ownership and authority like “initiated,” “developed,” “coordinated,” and “orchestrated.”
So, you’ve taken all of this advice on board and have given your social media profiles a thorough spring clean… Now what? The next step is to put your new and improved application techniques to the test via the Gradcafe Job Board. It has hundreds of opportunities for undergraduates and postgrads, like the three below.
Product Analyst Intern, Reynolds and Reynolds, Dayton
Reynolds and Reynolds is an industry leader in developing software and business forms for the automotive industry.
As a Product Analyst Intern, you will play an active role in assisting the product management department in the development of new products and computer system features.
In this role, you will be responsible for researching and contributing to the design of new user interfaces, technical design documents, software documentation, and professional correspondence. You will also troubleshoot problems with software application programs reported by clients or other departments.
To apply, you must be pursuing a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in computer science.
View more details about this role here.
Corporate Development, Strategy & Business Operations, MBA Intern, Duolingo, Pittsburgh
Duolingo is on a mission to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It is currently recruiting a Corporate Development, Strategy & Business Operations, MBA Intern to perform industry research to identify opportunities, and collaborate with cross-functional leaders to combine market understanding, customer insight, and product vision into strategies that drive value for Duolingo’s mission.
You’ll take on operational leadership of a project, including managing a complex cross-functional effort to deliver a key business outcome.
To apply, you’ll need to be currently pursuing an MBA and have three years of professional experience in related functions.
2023 Research Intern – Systems Design and Architecture, Samsung Research America Internship, Plano
The Standards & Mobility Innovation (SMI) lab at Samsung is committed to developing technologies that enable access to information and provide immersive multimedia experiences for mobility users.
As a 2023 Research Intern you’ll participate in the design of next-generation wireless communication prototypes, develop algorithms for wireless modem, and advanced digital, analog and RF signal processing systems and implement and verify the algorithms on state-of-the-art FPGA and/or DSP platforms.
A PhD student is preferable.
You can get more information on this position here.
For more internship opportunities, visit the GradCafe Job Board today.
Aoibhinn is a content writer for Jobbio. A lifestyle journalist and editor for over 10 years, Aoibhinn has written for titles in Dublin,
London, New York and Dubai.
