If you do a search on Google, you will find that there are well over 2 million pieces of advice on how to prevent the dreaded “black hole”.  Here are two of my favorite tips:

Optimize

Optimize your resume by adding the right keywords.  These days every company is using an “applicant tracking system” or ATS tool.  These tools help recruiters screen through the hundreds of resumes from candidates just like you.  Because they give a higher score to resumes that have more keywords that match those in the job description, it is important to “keyword stuff” your resume.  Here’s how:

1)      Copy and paste the job description into a word cloud tool like one of these three:

• http://wordle.net
• http://www.tagxedo.com
• http://tagcrowd.com

Each one of these will highlight the most used keywords by making them the biggest and boldest ones in the visual display.  You will want to use the largest keywords when describing the type of work you did for each company.

2)      Next, go back to the original job description and double check that you have added in your expertise relating to the “requirements” and “preferred” sections of the job description.  These areas must be present on your resume in order for you to move to the next step.  Aim to keep these in the top 1/3 of your resume if possible as Careerealism suggests in their 7-Step Resume Strategy.

Tap Your Network

Did you know that 40% of all hires come from employee referrals?  Most of us base our decisions to purchase something after hearing a friend’s review.  This is no different for hiring managers.  With over 200+ applicants per position posted, it is a huge time saver when they get an “insider review” of a potential hire.  So do yourself a favor and check to see if anyone in your network current works or knows someone who works for the company you are applying for.  LinkedIn and other social networks are the best way to figure this out.  If you don’t know someone personally, someone within your network might.  Reach out and see if there is a way to get connected with the department that is currently hiring through someone you know.

Another great option is to check out a free tool like CareerSonar, “a social job discovery website that ranks job opportunities based on the strength of your inside connections.”

What are some of your favorite tips?