The job search can be exhausting, especially when you send out countless applications daily and never get so much as a phone call in return. Instead of tossing your resume into the abyss again and again, what if recruiters and employers contacted you directly? The truth is, many employers may prefer to look online and in their networks for the best candidates, rather than sort through a sea of online applications.

By tweaking your resume and LinkedIn page for search-optimized keywords and meeting people at events, you gain more exposure and get noticed by recruiters and employers. If you want recruiters and employers contacting you, follow these tips below.

1.Enhance your resume for ATS

Many construction companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to find the best candidates, usually by picking out a few relevant words and searching for resumes that match the job description. Unfortunately, this approach weeds out some pretty great candidates. Some ATS programs use optical character recognition (OCR) that converts the resume into text and extracts the relevant information from it.

To make it past your target company’s ATS, make sure your resume is scannable and readable:

• Do replace your resume’s current font with a standard font like Arial or Times New Roman for scan ability with ATS and OCR. No need to add fancy fonts or graphics to your resume.
• Do use standard headings like “Work Experience” or “Skills” to not have ATS misread your information or put them in the wrong categories
• Do find keywords from your target job’s description and company mission and put them in your resume. For example, for a construction position, use a keyword like “Commercial Construction” under your skills section. Choose carefully, or recruiters and employers may be turned off from constant overstuffing of keywords.
• Do spell out abbreviations and relevant industry terms. Instead of “CAD”, spell out “3D (Computer Aided Design) CAD”.

2. Optimize your online presence

Recruiters and employers are turning to online networking and job search websites to recruit talented job seekers. In fact, according to a CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers look first at the potential candidates’ social media presence before considering them for a position. Stand out as a professional by first making sure your social media pages are clean and free of controversy.

To increase your online presence, get the attention of recruiters and employers by updating and connecting on LinkedIn and other job search websites:

• Do build a powerful LinkedIn Profile. Use relevant job titles and technical skills and connect with others you know personally from school, work, and other walks of life. Using the tips from enhancing your resume can help improve your LinkedIn presence.
• Do take a look at your college’s online career services. Many colleges have alumni career databases designed for job searching, so you can upload your resume there and take a look into any networking events or seminars.
• Do upload your resume to other job search websites. Upload your updated resume with keywords into websites such as CareerBuilder or Indeed, so employers can find your information easily. Take care to also upload your resume into LinkedIn for recruiters to download and review for their job positions.

3. Meet people in real life

While it is great to connect online, recruiters and employers are also active in networking events. You may find your next opportunity at one of these events.

To make the best out of networking events and construction hiring events, start small. As you get more comfortable at networking events, you can try some of these strategies:

• Do make event goals for yourself. This might be hard if you are particularly shy; however, you can start by introducing yourself to one person at an event. Be polite and amiable when approaching them. As the old adage goes, there is no harm in trying.
• Do focus on the person. It is easy to talk about your target industry and past career achievements, and it is also good to talk about their careers as well. Having worthwhile conversations with that person can help you achieve your professional goals.
• Do build a meaningful relationship with them. If the conversation turns out well, get their contact information, connect with them on LinkedIn, and ask to meet with them for a chat over coffee. A relationship is give-and-take, so offer to do something for them like volunteering at a local meetup if they ask for help.

Searching for your dream job can be tough. Fortunately, learning how to use your resume, online presence, and networking skills to your advantage can keep you ahead of the competition. Diamond Peak Recruiting can give you more job application help and assist you with your career change.