How does a job hunter prevent getting into “an online black hole?”   Most of the jobs that I have been seeking require me to go online to apply for the job.  When I get e-mail confirmations, I’m told not to e-mail back.  When I follow up with a telephone call, I am told not to leave a message because they are overwhelmed with applications.  When I do talk to someone live, they tell me the hiring manager will call if interested.  Through all of this, I feel totally powerless.  In one situation when I asked for suggestions on how to get my foot in the door, she suggested I volunteer.  What are these people thinking when they say things like that to an unemployed person?  I have volunteered in the past, but I have been looking for over a year and need to make critical decisions about how to spend my time effectively.  I am attempting to change careers now, and I have even approached some small firms where I have been told they are begging for qualified people, I know I am not the only one in this same boat.  How can I get “me” across to the other side of the Internet, so I can get an interview and a job?

Deb's Answer: 

The utter exasperation that you express at the tough market, barricaded employers and “online black hole” is understandable, and it’s shared by many. 

Let’s explore, in the short space of this column, underlying issues and potential actions for you to consider.

While the online application system may seem like a harebrained scheme that evil forces dreamed up just to make an already elusive process even more elusive, employers describe their intentions differently.  They say that the use of technology in applicant tracking systems is intended to streamline the process, efficiently document applications (particularly important for companies with federal contracts), and more effectively screen qualified candidates.

Dawn Schnell, manager of Staffing Operations, Corporate Human Resources at Bausch and Lomb, emphasizes that, “It’s important to meet the requirements of the positions as specified and not to apply for every job listed.  Make sure to state in the cover e-mail the requirements as you meet them.”  While processes and protocol for online applications and follow-up vary, Schnell suggests that an employee referral can boost your chances of an audience or at least prompt a closer look at you résumé.

Online application systems, designed to identify candidates with the closest match, pose a particular challenge for career changers who often do not have the precise qualifications or the direct experience sought.  If you don’t match as well as others, the online process will screen you out, and you will not have the opportunity as you stated in your question, “to get ‘me’ across to the other side of the Internet.”

Individual job seekers trying to break into a new field or slant previous skills and experiences in a different direction are most susceptible to online black hole syndrome (thank you for the use of that term).  Relationship building, instead, provides the greatest opportunity for success in making a transition.  The more you take your search live, the more likely your chances are of making a compelling case for yourself.  As you are probably well aware, relationship building also can be challenging and time consuming.  Without it, however, you are lost in a competitive market.  If the signs indicate that you need to gain related experience and develop contacts, then one way to regain some control over your search is to parcel time accordingly to efforts in these areas.

While the urgency of the search may seem to prohibit spending time on anything other than applying for positions, if the applications after an extended period of time have not generated interviews, then it’s time to try another strategy. 

As roundabout as it might appear, securing either a temporary assignment or a contract job or volunteer work does offer the potential to make connections, prove yourself, develop additional marketable skills, and gain entry into a new area.  In addition to the practical benefits, maintaining your morale, difficult as that may be through this rejection process, is critical to your job search effort.

After an extended period, devoting time only to applications becomes demoralizing at a time when you need the energy and the perspective to present yourself favorably.  Even a half-day a week, working on something other than applications and with people who appreciate your contributions, could help to reframe the outlook while you are gaining experience. 

As one candidate put it, “When I hear myself sounding bitter and it starts to turn people away, then I’m sabotaging myself.  I know when I have to take a break and refocus.”