It's a Trap: What Admiral Ackbar Can Teach You About Your International Job Search

It's a trap.

Not my words. Admiral Ackbar's. But also — absolutely — your international job application process.

You find the posting. You tailor your resume. You hit submit. You hear nothing. You apply again. And again. And again. And you start wondering what's wrong with you.

Nothing is wrong with you. You walked into a trap called ATS — Applicant Tracking System — the software that sits between your resume and an actual human being who could hire you. And if your resume doesn't speak its language, no human ever sees your name.

This week I'm talking about what ATS actually is, why optimizing for American ATS systems and applying those same strategies internationally is like flying your X-Wing at the wrong Death Star, and what to actually do about it.

Also: why C-3PO would have submitted a beautifully formatted cover letter and gotten absolutely nowhere. Don't be C-3PO