Here we are again. Back on the subject of finding a job with an ATS keyword search. The job search autofill feature is very helpful when you don’t know exactly where a company has jobs available. It’s especially helpful in a horrible search like keyword where anything goes.
But!
There are limits…or should I say excesses where autofill loses its function as a feature and makes looking for a job a troublesome and frustrating experience.
The idea for autofill is to provide insight to either what kind of opportunities are available with your company or where those opportunities can be found.
What it is not is a geography lesson.
Let’s look at one case where autofill is a waste of time for candidates.
Organization #2’s Keyword Search
As with our last post on keyword search, I am not going to call out the company with the crappy search. That’s not what these posts are about. Certainly you may recognize the organization if you work there or have applied before, but that’s not on me.
So, let’s take a look at the keyword search autofill for this company.
As with the other company we targeted, these guys have done a terrific job in putting the job search at the top of the page and engaging job seekers immediately.
It’s a keyword search, but what can you do? So let’s have a look-see, shall we? Maybe these guys have some IT jobs behind the scenes. I’ll choose IT and let’s look in Texas.
Wow! Ok, so you have jobs at several locations in Texas. That’s great. Texas is a big place and I’ve been there many times so I’d be willing to relocate to anywhere in the Lone Star State.
So, Let me click through to those jobs and…
Well, look at that. Not only do you not have any jobs in Texas. You’ve set my parameters to Austin when I chose a broad search for all of Texas, U.S.
Why on earth would you tease me like that? I know it’s called Job Search, but can’t you just show me where the jobs are?
Well, I did find a map of your locations on the site, so let me do that work myself. I love spending as much time finding a job as possible and YOU, my dear friends, are worth every…long…minute…of…the…process.
And there you go. You have nothing in Texas. In fact, you have nothing west of the Mississippi! Thanks for that big time suck.
Why are you wasting my time by showing me locations where you don’t do business?
Why bother having Texas or ANY location in the autofill where there are no facilities? Or JOBS?
You’ve just given me a horrible candidate experience that leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but I’ve spent hours looking for a job with several companies and now I get to you, someone I valued as an employer, and you give me this crappy experience.
I’m fed up and will be sure to tell all my friends about this B.S. Fair?
TL;DR? Here’s a video that sums it up:
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