In his weekly article for the U.S. News & World Report blog, On Careers, Michael Wade calls the traditional system currently used by many organizations in their effort to source candidates a perfect storm for frustrating job seekers (who may also be potential customers) and current employees alike. He even goes so far as to call that system an anti-public relations effort which can lead organizations to miss out on highly qualified applicants!

So what’s an organization to do? There has to be a better way—and lucky for all of us, there is.

OneWire's powerful sorting and matching technology allows employers to quickly target only those candidates who precisely match their search criteria for open opportunities. OneWire allows employers to source top candidates at every level and to manage the entire recruitment process, from candidate discovery to on-boarding. Using OneWire's precise matching technology allows companies to avoid the frustrations and pitfalls associated with the traditional recruiting process, enabling them to easily and efficiently source the best talent at the lowest cost.

Employers, find out how a OneWire seat can start connecting you with top talent today!

One of the biggest struggles in today's job search is the communication - or lack thereof - between the job seeker and the Human Resources department. Job seekers are left feeling ignored and frustrated when they send out a perfectly crafted resume to the HR department and never hear back, not even a simple, "No, but thanks for your interest." And we all know HR departments are busy and are inundated with resumes - most likely receiving hundreds or thousands on a daily basis. But that doesn't make the feeling of rejection any easier to take. So here are a few points to consider before feeling frustrated with HR and becoming overwhelmed by your job search.

Why, exactly, are HR departments so busy?

When companies make cuts, they generally do so across the board. This includes the HR department. Now, less people are trying to do more work, which inevitably means that some corners will be cut. And those cut-corners just may include sending applicants a polite response upon receipt of their resume. But they are certainly not ignoring your applications and messages out of spite.

Do HR professionals even understand what it's like to be a job seeker?

In fact, they do! A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management indicates that almost 50% of HR professionals who found themselves out of work in 2009 did not land a new position until at least six months later. So they do know what it's like to be in your position, at least on some level. And if they had more time, they probably would be sure to reach out to every applicant that contacted their offices.

Ok, so HR departments are busy. Who else can I contact about employment?

Start with the hiring manager. Most job seekers may not realize that the hiring managers are not and do not carry out the same functions as HR professionals. While it may be easier to find the HR professional, the hiring manager will have a better idea of what qualifications are necessary for a particular role. Chances are, if you can get your resume in front of the hiring manager, you stand a better chance of being contacted than if you send your resume to HR, given that you actually are a highly qualified candidate.

Readers, do you have any insights into HR departments that may lighten the load of today's job seekers?

I came across a blog entry today that suggests 3 tips for creating a resume. The tips are helpful, but what I found most interesting is that the author explained that hiring managers do not read resumes in the same way - they do not all look for the same information, the same key words, the same organization, and the list goes on. What I took from this blog is that job seekers need to put a lot of time and effort into re-crafting their resumes before sending it out to ensure that it contains all of the information that the hiring manager is looking for and is presented in the order in which the hiring manager hopes to find it.

Is this a realistic approach to a job search, though? Job seekers can ultimately waste valuable time trying to alter their resumes to each and every hiring manager's preferences - but how do they know what the hiring manager's preferences are in the first place?

Like I said, the tips in the blog are helpful, so they are listed below. However, creating a OneWire profile can help you give hiring managers the information suggested below, without having to update your resume every time you find a job for which you would like to apply.

1. Your resume includes all necessary information because you read the job description completely.

This is certainly a good idea when writing your resume. You should tailor parts of your resume to highlight relevant skills and experiences that are listed as requirements in the job description. However, reading the job description - no matter how closely you read it - will not give you much insight into the hiring manager's preferences. So, if you do not present your information in the way in which they expect it, can you really be sure they are going to consider you as a candidate? 

On OneWire, hiring managers do read through your profile in the same way because every candidate's profile is formatted in the same way. We designed the candidate profile with the help of hiring managers at top firms, so you can rest assured that your profile contains the information they want and is aligned with their preferences.

2. Your resume is clean and concise.

Organization is key when it comes to writing a resume. Because you have such limited space, you need to find a way to present all of your information - that is not in a size 6 font. Again, the hiring manager's preferences come into play. Just as they may be looking for certain keywords or abbreviations, you can bet that they are looking for your information to be presented in a certain order, an order that you might feel does not make sense or does not best represent your experiences.

Because candidates' OneWire profiles have the same formatting, their information is always in the same order. Hiring mangers know how to navigate your profile to find exactly what they need, so you do not need to worry that they will miss any important details.

3. Your resume includes requirements and qualifications exactly as they are phrased in the job description.

Again, good idea. You want the hiring manager to know that you are well qualified. But what if you are missing one or two of the requirements? Should you even bother applying?

OneWire eliminates the confusion. Hiring managers and candidates fill out similarly structured profiles to ensure that all relevant information is captured when candidates are matched to opportunities. This way, if you are matched to an opportunity, you know that you are qualified and will be considered for the role.

OneWire can save you time in your job search. Create your profile at www.OneWire.com to find out how.

There is always talk of whether job seekers should include a Career Objective section in their resume. On the one hand, it lets hiring managers clearly know for which position they are applying. On the other hand, it takes up valuable space and can sound awkward or out of place.

However, there are many hiring managers that prefer you to include an objective line, because no matter how awkward it reads, it takes some of the guess work out of their job.

On OneWire, your resume is not the first document to reach the hiring mangers desk - or computer screen, in this case. But you can still give hiring managers a clear understanding of your career objectives by updating your Career Preferences.

You can now express interest in firms, positions, industries, and much more. When you are a match to a firm's opportunity, the hiring manager will be able to see your career preferences (depending on your privacy settings, of course) and can infer your overall employment objective.

The best part of Career Preferences on OneWire? You can express interest in as many firms and opportunities as are relevant for your job search - and you don't have to worry about taking up space or sounding desperate.

Sign in to OneWire now to set your Career Preferences.

In an earlier blog post, I highlighted the issue that some firms are facing that despite high unemployment, making successful hires is a difficult task. Why? Because the quality of candidates often is not there.

Adding to the issue is the ratio of job seekers to open positions. Even if the right candidate for an open opportunity is out there, hiring managers have a hard time finding that candidate due to the massive amount of resumes they receive on a daily basis.

Now, many firms are beginning to show signs of growth and are beginning to hire. However, these are the firms that are having trouble filling positions: "We commonly get questions about, 'How can you have a hard time finding people when there are so many people out of work?'" said Jennifer Courtney-Trice, Steritech's vice president of human resources. "In reality, it's still pretty tight when you're looking for good, quality candidates."

How can hiring managers work through the issue of quantity of candidates to make quality hires? OneWire offers a solution. In aiming to "take the search out of the job search," OneWire eliminates candidates that may not be qualified and presents hiring managers with a manageable list of precisely the right candidates for their opportunities.

If you are a recruiter or HR professional, email support@onewire.com to learn how you can bring OneWire to your firm.

If you are a job seeker, sign up here to find out why it pays to be a candidate on OneWire.

Be Found for Jobs in 2010

In today’s competitive job market, you should never rely solely on your resume, no matter how outstanding it may be. Your resume can be a great snapshot of your career and a useful tool while interviewing, but hiring managers want and need more detailed information when considering you for their opportunities.

OneWire helps you give hiring managers the information they want. In your profile, your education, interests, and hobbies are always important – they help you stand out as a candidate. However, the most detailed information in your profile should be your work experience.

Help Hiring Managers Find You:
Define your positions in your work experience

Updating your profile with precise information about your past work experience is the best way to be matched to opportunities on OneWire. You can define each position by adding roles and specializations to each work experience in your profile.

Log into OneWire and:
1.    Click the “Profile” tab
2.    Select the “Experience” tab
3.    Scroll down to one of your experiences, and click “Define Position”

Defining your positions is an important step to completing your profile that you should not overlook. Be sure to define every position in your profile, whether you held the position one year ago or 15 years ago.

Log in to OneWire now to Define your Positions.

Set Yourself Apart from Other Candidates:
Add licenses and certifications

In addition to work specializations, hiring managers often want to know if you hold any licenses and certifications. In fact, hiring managers typically include certain licenses and certifications in their search criteria, so you want to make sure you include yours in your profile.

Log in to OneWire and:
1.    Click the “Profile” tab
2.    Select the “Skills & Interests” tab
3.    In the “Skills” section, click "Edit"

Log in to OneWire now to add Licenses and Certifications.

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