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  • 3 Best Applicant Tracking Systems

    3 Best Applicant Tracking Systems

    An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a software application that enables the electronic handling of recruitment needs. An ATS can be implemented or accessed online on an enterprise or small business level, depending on the needs of the company and there is also free and open source ATS software available. 

    When you apply for a job online, your resume isn’t typically going directly to a recruiter or hiring manager. It’s first being processed by an ATS. Whether that human recruiter ever sees your resume could depend on how well your resume is optimized for ATS algorithms.

    Why employers use applicant tracking systems

    Top employers hire for several jobs at a time and receive hundreds of resumes for any given opening. Because applying for a job online is easier than ever, many of these applicants are unqualified and figured “it was worth a try.”

    Applicant tracking systems keep all these resumes in one place, helping recruiters and hiring managers stay organized as well as EEOC compliant. In theory, these systems also save time by automatically surfacing and highlighting top candidates. In reality, ATS do help hiring professionals narrow their applicant pool, but top candidates slip through the cracks.

    Most large corporations utilize applicant tracking systems. Jobscan research found that 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS while a Kelly OCG survey estimated 66% of large companies and 35% of small organizations rely on recruitment software. If you’re applying to a large organization, chances are you’ll face an ATS. If you’re applying through any online form, you’re applying through an ATS. Even job sites like Indeed and LinkedIn have their own built in ATS.

    Viewing Applications

    Some recruiters still choose to glance at every job application that comes through their applicant tracking system. In this case, most take a quick glance at the applicant’s past highlights, job titles, and companies. They can make a determination about whether they want to learn more in about 6 seconds. It’s important to make sure your top skills and qualifications are easily identifiable.

    Automatic Rankings

    Some applicant tracking systems can automatically compare your resume to the job description. For example, Taleo calls this feature “Req Rank,” which ranks each applicant based on how well their resume scores based on the job description. A common way recruiters filter resumes in an applicant tracking system is by searching for key skills and titles. For example, if a recruiter is hiring for an Administrative Assistant position out of 400 resumes, their first step will probably be a search for “Administrative Assistant.” This will isolate candidates that have done the exact job before. Anyone that doesn’t have that exact term in their resume is out of luck. A search can contain multiple terms. For example, they might perform a complex search that contains a combination of titles and skills important for the job:

    Administrative Assistant AND data entry AND payroll …

    Candidates who can predict the correct resume keywords will have the greatest chance of being included in recruiter search results. The best way figure out which skills and keywords to include is by analyzing the job description. Jobs can automates this process by analyzing your resume against the job description to show the top skills and keywords missing from your resume.

    Our Top 3
    #3. Homebase

    Homebase makes hourly work easier for the whole team. With free online tools and mobile apps for managers and employees, Homebase eliminates the paperwork and headaches of scheduling, payroll, hiring and team communication. Start saving 4+ hours every week by visiting joinhomebase.com. Used by over 100,000 businesses of all sizes across the US.

    #2. BambooHR

    BambooHR offers easy, integrated applicant tracking (ATS) as part of our award-winning cloud-based HR platform. Onboarding tools, e-signatures, time-off tracking, performance management, plus easy reporting and a convenient mobile app set you free to do great work. Released from the data management spiral, HR professionals become more effective, more efficient, and more human. Visit bamboohr.com or give us a call to see a demo and start a free trial.

    #1. Breezy HR

    The most highly rated ATS on Capterra, Breezy streamlines your entire hiring process; giving you more time to connect with candidates by automating tasks like advertising on 40+ job boards, screening, interview scheduling & follow-ups. We include all the tools your team needs to hire more efficiently, from referrals & sourcing tools for LinkedIn and dozens of others to custom scorecards & interview guides. With Breezy, you’ll be making better, hiring decisions in less time. It’s GDPR compliant.

    If you own a business and found this article helpful, you might like our article about the top cloud services of 2018.


  • Coolest Trailers from Comic-Con 2018

    Coolest Trailers from Comic-Con 2018

    Marvel’s Cinematic Universe sat out this year’s Comic-Con. Many fans were disappointed to hear it, given all the excitement around Captain Marvel and the next Avengers film. However, DC and a few other big names were ready to fill the MCU-shaped hole in the proceedings. Comic-Con 2018 was replete with awesome trailers and has us pumped for the next year of movies and TV shows. Let’s talk about which were the best!

    Godzilla: King of the Monsters

    A sequel to 2014’s Godzilla, this new entry stars Millie Bobbie Brown of Stranger Things fame. The trailer teases some pretty big names from past Godzilla films. Among the monsters revealed are Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidora. Godzilla faithful recognized these iconic monsters right away, and fans are freaking out online. After the excellent reception of the 2014 film, many are confident this will be another exceptional entry in the franchise. Judging from the trailer and the promise of a giant monster battle royale, we’re inclined to believe the hype. Get ready to throw down when Godzilla comes out in 2019!

    Aquaman

    While Justice League was a disappointing film, Aquaman’s trailer seems to indicate the character is moving in a good direction. While many of the DCEU films have been overly heavy and gloomy, and Justice League had hammy jokes crammed in, Aquaman seems poised to run down the middle. In the trailer, we see Arthur’s background as a child of two worlds: the surface and the sea. In the film, he’ll do battle with King Orm, his half-brother, and Black Manta, his comics nemesis. While fans remain cautiously optimistic, the trailer seems promising. We’ll reserve our judgment until we see the film in action. After Justice League and Batman v Superman, we’re still wary on DC films.

    Glass

    After the surprise hit Split in 2016, this film acts as a bridge between Split and Unbreakable. Bruce Willis reprises his role as David Dunn, and Samuel L. Jackson returns as Elijah Price, now going by Mr. Glass. Additionally, James McAvoy reprises his role as Kevin Wendell Crumb, AKA the Horde. As a ground-level, gritty superhero film, Glass looks like something unique in comparison to the MCU and DCEU. Fans are understandably excited for the crossover, as Unbreakable is a cult classic. We’re looking forward to this one!

    Coolest Comic-Con 2018 Trailer: Shazam

    The surprise hit trailer from Comic-Con 2018 was easily Shazam. The film will follow Billy Batson, a teenage foster kid who is granted powers by the wizard Shazam. His powers let him become a fully-grown, super-powered man in a red suit with a lightning bolt on his chest. DC wisely leaned into the goofiness of this premise, and the trailer shows a light-hearted, fun take on the superhero genre. In fact, a common criticism of the DCEU’s Superman is heard in the trailer: “Heroes fly.” This references the little screen-time Superman’s most well-known power got in the previous DCEU films. Hopefully it’s also a statement of purpose, that this will be the opposite of Man of Steel in tone.

  • Three More Cities Getting 5G: AT&T

    Three More Cities Getting 5G: AT&T

    5G network connectivity is seen as foundational technology for the future of high-tech solutions. Self-driving cars, streaming virtual reality and more hinges upon 5G networks. In much the way that 4G LTE was a huge step up from 3G, 5G is slated to revolutionize network speeds. As such, each city slated for the early rollout of the technology is excited to see what it brings. T-Mobile recently remarked that it felt as though New York was more important than Waco in the rollout of the new network. AT&T begs to differ, though.

    AT&T and 5G

    A recent statement by AT&T, regarding the T-Mobile comments, had this to say. “We politely disagree — all Americans should have access to next-gen connectivity to avoid a new digital divide.” Putting their money where their mouths are, AT&T also promised three more cities receiving the 5G rollout. Charlotte and Raleigh, NC, as well as Oklahoma City will be receiving the trials of the new tech. That’s a big deal: those are interesting markets to target. North Carolina is hardly “backwoods” area and focusing on it will allow AT&T to gather important network data.

    Timetable

    Major cell service providers are rushing to have 5G live by early 2019. That’s about the time we expect to see the first 5G-compatible handsets. Handsets made before then won’t be able to make use of the new network standard, sadly. However, the earliest we’ll see nationwide 5G coverage is likely early 2020. That’s even assuming that the networks work that quickly. LTE took a number of years to go from small-scale tests to nationwide-rollout.

    Even then, each network is different. Sprint users are all-too-familiar with being in LTE deadzones and relying on 3G, or worse, 1x services. The more stable providers like AT&T and Verizon will likely have wider network coverage faster, if history repeats itself. That said, this technology is foundational, and will likely change the nature of wireless technology in the years to come.

  • Say So-Long, Smudge: New Matte Glass Fixes Issue with Glass Phones

    Say So-Long, Smudge: New Matte Glass Fixes Issue with Glass Phones

    If you own a phone with a Gorilla Glass back, then you know just how much they love to collect smudges. It’s hard to use your phone for anything without it getting dirty. Well, there’s a new development in the world of smart phones that might make things easier. Glass backs are great for both 5G service and wireless charging. Not to mention, they’re water-resistant since glass isn’t porous. As such, phone makers want to continue using glass for phone backs. As for the smudges? Say hello to the new matte glass from Corning. Yes, matte glass.

    Matte Glass

    Corning, the company behind the Gorilla Glass found on high-end smartphones, has developed a new inkjet process. This process will allow them to print designs directly onto the glass back of a phone. While these designs don’t eliminate fingerprints, they do render them much less noticeable. They also give the back of the phone a distinctly matte texture. That gives the phone more grip, making it feel less slippery. The matte finish also helps phones stay in place on charging pads instead of sliding off.

    This technology is referred to as Vibrant Satin Corning Gorilla Glass, and it’s been seen on laptops. Lenovo and Acer, to name a few, have incorporated the technology into some of their higher-end laptop designs. As of yet, however, there are no plans for any phones that use the technology. As it stands, glass-backed phones are still somewhat new. Many phone makers are seeking to have glass-backing become the norm before they shake things up with Satin Glass.

    Customization

    Thanks to the nature of the inkjet process, the design on the glass could appear different based on the customer. A customer could, for instance, have a screenshot from their favorite movie or TV show be their phone back. This would largely step on the toes of personalized cases, though. As such, expect early forays with this matte glass to feature solid colors or simple patterns. However, as stated earlier, there are currently no smartphones with plans to implement this Satin Glass technology from Corning.

    Feature Image Credit: CNET

  • EU: Google to Pay $5 Billion in Anti-Trust Fines

    EU: Google to Pay $5 Billion in Anti-Trust Fines

    Google takes a hit today as the European Commission hands down a ruling stating that the company is to pay 4.34 billion euros. That equates to $5 billion in fines, all related to anti-trust laws in the EU. The fines are in relation to the Android operating system. According to the Commission, the way that Android comes pre-installed with things like the Google Play store gives the company an unfair advantage in searches. As such, they have positioned their own search engine in such a way that meaningful competition can’t occur.

    The European Commission’s Anti-Trust Fine

    “Google has used Android as a vehicle to cement the dominance of its search engine,” said EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager. “These practices have denied rivals the chance to innovate and compete on the merits. They have denied European consumers the benefits of effective competition in the important mobile sphere. This is illegal under EU antitrust rules.”

    As such, the aforementioned fines will be laid at Google’s doorstep, and the company must change its operating system to be compliant with EU rules. This could include no longer shipping devices with Google apps like YouTube, Google Maps and the Google Play Store preinstalled in Europe.

    Google’s Response

    In response, Google has appealed the decision. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has defended his company against the claims of monopoly. Pichai reminded the EU that Google faces competition in the smartphone field from Apple and their popular iPhone brand. Additionally, Pichai reiterated that users are allowed to install non-Google competitors’ apps on their phones.

    Further, Pichai reminded the EU that Android has led to a diversification of the number of smartphones in the world. Since Google offers Android to any manufacturer free of charge, the number of different handsets has exploded. As such, Google argues, it’s only helped competition, not hindered it.

    Following Google’s appeal, the EU will take a second look at the charges and fines. This fight’s hardly over, but it seems the EU has taken it upon itself to act as international trust-buster.

  • James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 Might Have Been Discovered

    James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 Might Have Been Discovered

    The Aston Martin DB5 used during the filming of the 1964 film Goldfinger may have been found. The car was stolen from a collector in 1997 and has been missing ever since. The car in question is one of two that was used during the filming of the Bond movie. The stolen Aston Martin was the “effects” car, the one outfitted with all the gadgets and other fun technology. The “road car,” the one used for all the driving scenes, is still accounted for and in a museum.

    The Aston Martin DB5 Effects Car

    The effects car was originally purchased directly from Aston Martin by collector Richard D. Losee in the 1960’s. It was purchased for $12,000, a number that sounds quaint now. After Losee, it changed hands several times before ending up in the collection of Anthony Pugliese III in the late 1980’s. Then, about a decade later, the car was stolen from the hangar Pugliese stored it in in the Florida Keys.

    The theft was noteworthy as none of the guards noticed anything suspicious, few signs of breaking and entering were found. What’s more, the only nearby vehicle to the scene turned out to belong to a local who was innocent. The high-profile, unsolved crime was almost poetically fitting for a major Bond prop, but tragic for art collectors.

    Potential Resurfacing

    The organization Art Recover International has recently received a tip that the effects car may be in the Middle East. Christopher A. Marinello, the organizations chief executive, stated the following. “I have been given a specific tip, but we are working on it. We want to reach out to the collector car community and a vast array of mechanics to let them know we are very serious about recovering it.”

    Pugliese has also helped the potential investigation by telling the recovery team what to look for. Specifically, the real effects car will have a very particular serial number on the chassis. That number, DP/216/1, is unique to that specific vehicle and would set it apart from a fake. If this tip is true, a piece of film history could be returning from obscurity.

  • Nest CEO Steps Down After Google Rearranges

    Nest CEO Steps Down After Google Rearranges

    Google acquired smart thermometer maker Nest in 2014. Nest, founded by ex-Apple engineer Tony Fadell, has experienced a ton of shakeups lately. New reports from C-NET indicate that Alphabet, Google’s parent company, even shopped the company around to Amazon at one point. Given Google and Amazon’s current relationship, that’s honestly quite surprising.

    Nest CEO Marwan Fawaz

    Fawaz was installed in 2016 after Fadell left the company. According to anonymous sources from within Nest, he wasn’t exactly an office favorite. Many felt that Fadell was a visionary, and his brand of leadership inspired the team. His Apple-inspired product design led to clean, effective products. Fawaz, on the other hand, proved to be a bit more of a “logistics guy.” It’s not so much that he was disliked, according to sources, as he was un-charismatic.

    Many sources stated that they felt as though Fawaz was more of a “numbers guy,” someone who was more suited to logistics than leadership. In fact, Fawaz is moving to an advisory position within Alphabet, which indicates that his bosses felt the same.

    Google’s Fight to Dominate Smart Homes

    In February, Alphabet rolled Nest back into the fold after leaving them as a semi-independent entity since 2015. In the interim since Google acquired Nest, the smart home market has heated up significantly. Amazon holds nearly half of the market, its Alexa virtual assistant being a household name. Google, by contrast, only holds about a quarter of the market. This is something they wish to change, of course.

    Amazon doesn’t sell Google’s smart home products, generally. Nest thermostats and some other Nest devices appear on the site, but Google’s proprietary Google Home is nowhere to be seen. That has certainly limited Google Home’s reach, and the company has been playing catch-up in that regard. However, Google has also pursued upgrades for its assistant through its incorporation in their smartphones. Google Pixel phones and Android OS both support Google Assistant, just like Google Home. This gives them a unique edge over Amazon, one that they plan to leverage.

    However, the relatively unstable Nest situation has certainly not helped them achieve smart home domination. In that light, Fawaz’s redeployment as an advisor makes sense, as Google reworks the hierarchy of their smart home division. The heat is on, and they want to win the race with Amazon.

  • Russian BTC-e Suspect Ordered to France, not America

    Russian BTC-e Suspect Ordered to France, not America

    Russian national Alexander Vinnik has been ruled to be sent to France in connections to crimes related to Bitcoin. Vinnik is suspected to be the mastermind behind the BTC-e bitcoin exchange, a high-profile exchange that was preferred by criminals. The court that ruled him to go to France was a lower Greek court in Thessaloniki, which contradicted an earlier ruling. Previously, the Greek Supreme Court had ruled that Vinnik should be sent to America, where an indictment of him is ongoing.

    Russia’s Response

    Russia, a country known for its diplomatic tact, was rather candid when assessing the situation. Regarding Vinnick’s potential extradition, the Russian Foreign Ministry had this to say. According to them, sending Vinnick to France would “continue to complicate [Greece’s] relations with Russia” and that Russia wouldn’t “leave these actions unanswered.” Well, that sounds ominous and threatening.

    Mt Gox, BTC-e and Vinnik

    American prosecutors have connected Vinnik to the criminal bitcoin exchange BTC-e. In their indictment of him, they stated this. “BTC-e was an international money-laundering scheme that, by virtue of its business model, catered to criminals and to cybercriminals in particular.” They elaborated, “Through VINNIK’s efforts, BTC-e emerged as one of the principal means by which cybercriminals around the world laundered the proceeds of their illicit activity. BTC-e facilitated crimes, including computer hacking and ransomware, fraud, identity theft, tax-refund fraud schemes, public corruption, and drug trafficking.”

    Vinnik has also been connected by prosecutors in the theft of bitcoin from the exchange Mt Gox. Mt Gox, a Japan-based bitcoin exchange, was one of the most popular exchanges early in the currency’s history. However, following the theft, the exchange went into a downward spiral and eventually went under. If Vinnik is connected to that case, his involvement would solve a long-standing injustice in the bitcoin community.

    Vinnik’s Fate

    Where Vinnik will ultimately be sent is up to the Greek minister of justice. Vinnik will either be sent to America, France, or back to Russia, depending on what the minister thinks is the best course of action. The country he is sent to will likely have huge repercussions in the ongoing case against him.

    Feature Image Credit: CBS News

  • Valve Puts Temporary Hold on Adult Games on Steam

    Valve Puts Temporary Hold on Adult Games on Steam

    Valve’s guidelines for what games will be allowed on the service have changed quite a bit recently. While they were initially a bit more direct, cautioning developers to reduce offensive content in said games, they’ve recently backed off of this a bit. Instead, the massive publishing company has stated that they’re reworking the Steam Marketplace to allow users finer control over what they see.

    For instance, if a parent wishes to restrict their child’s marketplace from being able to view adult games. Or, even if certain customers simply don’t want to see adult games or have them recommended to them. As far as Valve’s concerned, under the new policy, you can have whatever you want in your game, as long as it isn’t illegal, such as depictions of certain acts involving minors.

    Adult Games Held Back from Steam

    According to some developers, though, their games have been put on hold from being released for the time being. Apparently, according to developer Love in Space, their game Shining Song Starnova was being put on hold by Steam until it met new requirements. According to Valve, they’ll have more information on why titles like this are being held back soon. The company maintains that this is all part of the new initiative that customers can be selective with what they see on the marketplace.

    Unseen Benchmarks

    For developers like Love in Space, however, this is a rather unsettling prospect. They’ve been given no official timeline on when they can expect their game to be released. Further, they’ve received no statement as to what changes they need to make so that it can be released. While such measures might seem trivial to some, to many developers, this is unsettling.

    While content restrictions on mature games make sense, the developers need to be informed. Informed as to what guidelines they’re operating under, for one, and what won’t fly. Steam is the single largest platform for PC games in the world. And, as such, not having one’s game be available through the service is a poor business decision. As such, the developers’ distaste for this opaque policy is understandable.

  • Facebook Protecting Far-Right Extremist Groups

    Facebook Protecting Far-Right Extremist Groups

    Facebook has been at the center of many controversies recently. The Cambridge Analytica leak was a huge breach of user data that set the company on the back foot. Then, news broke that the site had been used as a platform by Russian nationals seeking to influence the outcome of the 2016 election. After some purported changes in the site’s algorithm and some nominal moves to oppose “fake news,” Facebook is back in the hot seat. This time, they’re reported to be defending Far-Right extremist Tommy Robinson and his group Britain First, among others.

    “Shielded Review”

    The policy in question was referred to at the time as “Shielded Review.” The way Facebook deals with groups that violate its terms of service is pretty clear. After the fifth post in the group that is evidence of hate speech, the group is shut down. However, in many instances, including the Britain First case, the group fell under “Shielded Review” (which has since been renamed “cross-check”). Shielded Review meant that, even though the offending posts were taken down, the group was allowed to continue existing. According to Facebook, this was because of the high-profile nature of the group and the large number of members. It would seem these groups are so large that their traffic makes Facebook too much money to ban outright.

    Facebook’s Statement

    A spokesperson for Facebook, Richard Allen, stated the following in a Tuesday blog post. “It’s clear that some of what is shown in the program does not reflect Facebook’s policies or values, and falls short of the high standards we expect,” referring to Shielded Review. “We take these mistakes in some of our training processes and enforcement incredibly seriously and are grateful to the journalists who brought them to our attention. Where we know we have made mistakes, we have taken action immediately. We are providing additional training and are working to understand exactly what happened so we can rectify it.”

    Emboldening the Far-Right

    This comes at a particularly sensitive time. Last year, Far-Right terrorists in Charlottesville killed a peaceful protestor, sparking national outrage. Facebook’s apparently light hand with these hate groups is especially troubling in light of this fact. It begs the question: which move is too much? Facebook has had numerous second chances to recover from costly mistakes. At some point, the company will be too deep in their own mistakes to wade back.