You got rejected by the ATS? Don't stop.
Below a quick reminder this week, as the insight is simple, and I want you to actually act on it.
First: Here's what happened to a member of Job Search OS who is hiring for a role and got an email from a candidate:
Similarly, I wanted to remind y'all of the importance of doing this kind of outreach.
Companies run your resume through an ATS before a human ever reads it.
So when you get a rejection immediately after applying, that's very likely a bot, not a hiring manager who looked at your work and said no.
That distinction matters because it changes what you do next.
A bot rejection means the fix isn't necessarily a sharper resume.
It's getting in front of an actual person, because a person can override what the algorithm has already decided.
That's the entire logic behind the hiring manager email sequence I teach inside the community. It's not extra credit. It's what can make a difference between getting an interview or not.
Many of my clients have applied for a job online, received an auto-rejection, but then still emailed the hiring manager or reached out to them on LinkedIn and subsequently received an interview.
This happens more often than you may realize.
So don't skip the outreach, folks. It helps you stand out.
Job Search Tip of the Week:
Be mindful of your reputation because the real reference check is called backchanneling, and it happens constantly.
Someone at the company you're interviewing with reaches out to a past manager or colleague and asks what you're really like to work with.
More on this practice below
P.S. 200+ members have landed roles at places like Meta, Amazon, and Etsy using this system. If you want in, Job Search OS is here.
