ATS Scam - Part 2

ATS Scam #2

This is an example of how a scam works.  A client of mine, a senior - level technologist was approached on several occasions.  We worked together to figure it out.  Below is summary of what can occur during one particular scam.

How an ATS Scam Can Work

The Unsolicited Hook: A scammer posing as an executive recruiter or headhunter reaches out via LinkedIn or email with an attractive, generic job opportunity.

The Fake Rejection: After you send your resume, they reply that you are a great fit, but their system's AI or ATS automatically flagged your resume as "non-compliant" or "unreadable".

The Paid Referral: They direct you to a specific website or a "trusted partner" to get your resume optimized, usually charging anywhere from $15 to over $200.

The Disappearance: Once you pay for the service, you either receive a poorly reformatted document or nothing at all. The recruiter cuts off communication because the job never existed.

Source: LinkedIn / Reddit

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)

ATS Scam - Part 1

 ATS Scam - Part 1

An ATS scam (Applicant Tracking System scam) is a fraudulent scheme where fake recruiters manipulate your fear of being rejected by hiring software to trick you into paying for useless resume reformatting services. 

The job listing is entirely fake, and the sole goal of the scammer is to steal your money and personal data. 

Source: LinkedIn

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)

Thank You Notes - Don't Use AI

Thank You Notes - Don't Use AI

To begin, please do not use AI to write your thank you note.  It will produce a negative image of you, not to mention your inability to write a thoughtful summary of the meeting.  

When you write a thank you note, mention the job title and 2-3 functions of the role that intrigue you.  Then mention two (2) topics that were discussed during the meeting.  This will customize the letter and paint you in better light than a copy / paste letter from an online search or AI-generated content.

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)

Salary Negotiation - We should all be so lucky...

  Salary Negotiation - We should all be so lucky...

https://www.instagram.com/p/DICA15TsbZm/

Instagram - Networking and the Hidden Job Market

Instagram - Networking and the Hidden Job Market

https://www.instagram.com/p/C9RAZ7axEuE/

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)

College Grads - Projects and Classes

College Grads - Projects and Classes

I see an abundance of college resumes.  Why most of these documents do not include classes, class - related projects (internships, research papers, group presentations) as related to the major field of study is mindblowing.

To all students - your resume is a marketing document about YOU!  Showcase why you are qualified.  Don't make the hiring manager have to guess.  And yes, be certain that the document is ATS compliant and customized for each role.  The customization should take 2-3 minutes TOPs.

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)

Software Technologies That ID Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Generated Content

Software Technologies That ID Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Generated Content

For those of you writing resumes, cover letter and other business documents (text file / blocks, .docx, .pdfs) using artificial intelligence, you need to be aware that there are software tools that companies use to scan documents for the level of AI-generated content that is used to "write" the document.  Generally speaking, these tools, provide a score based on the scan.  

Now, if you are a hiring manager and you need to review resumes, regardless of ATS, do you want to bring someone in whose resume / cover letter (or both) has high instances of AI content?  I think we all know the answer.

A representative list of these technologies are:

Winston AI

GPT Zero

Originality.ai

Copyleaks

ZeroGPT

TextGuard AI

Grammarly

Phrasly AI

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)

AI Interviewing - Off Hours - This is Just Stupid

AI Interviewing - Off Hours - This is Just Stupid

AI's latest contribution to the world of work? Middle-of-the-night job interviews. As more hirers embrace automated video interviews, jobseekers are finding that the best — or only — time they can spare is after 10 p.m. Arsham Ghahramani, whose firm Ribbon makes voice-AI recruitment software, says nearly a quarter of Ribbon's AI interviews happen between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. 

That doesn't mean job hunters are happy with the development, though: In one survey, 38% said they'd backed out of the hiring process rather than have an AI interview.

Source: LinkedIn News

My thoughts - This is just stupid.  Mr. Hiring Manager- want to do an interview at 10am using AI?  Well, expect the job seeker to have an AI Assistant readily available to answer your questions on behalf of the applicant.  Is that really going to give you the best data points for making a decision?

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)

Resume Format and Fonts

Resume Format and Fonts

In order to be accepted by ATS systems, when you format your resume, avoid multi-column layouts, charts, tables, pictures, logos, graphs, and text boxes.  Keep it simple - single column layout, margins between .4 and 1 inch on top, bottom and sides and stick with easy to read fonts (i.e. Calibri, Arial) sized from 9pt to 12pt (I like to go 10.5).  Stay away from Book Antiqua and Times New Roman - while easy to read, you may be a victim of ageism because these fonts are older. 

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)

Resume Format

Resume Format

Many of you have been told that you need to submit a visually enticing resume for the jobs that you are interested in.  Helps you stand up.  Shows more personality.

Well - that is nice to present in the interview but honestly, your resume that you submit online into web interfaces must be easy to read and easy for the software (ATS) to parse.  The document needs to be clean, in reverse-chronological order (most recent job first), with your city, state and zip (yes ZIP CODE), a headline, professional summary, key word / core competency breakout and achievements, preferably in bulleted format for each job.  Only need to go back 10-15 years (age discrimination issues) and always include any education / certifications / training.

If you want a graphically designed resume, bring it to the meeting but do not submit into a web interface.

And just as important - hiring managers can spot AI-driven resumes from a mile away.  They don't like it.  There is also software programs that scan all types of documents, including resumes to determine if it was written with AI software technologies.  

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)

Labor Market Statistic - July 2026

Labor Market Statistic - July 2026

Labor Force Participation Rate - the % of working -age population that is either working or actively looking for work.  The rate measures the active portion of an economy's potential workforce, helping economists understand overall job market health beyond just the standard unemployment rate. 

The drop to 4.1% unemployment happened because 264,000 people left the labor force, dropping participation to 61.4%. Historically, the rate has averaged roughly 62.8% from 1948 to 2026, peaking at 67.3% in January 2000.

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Does this post add value to your business day? I post about job search best practices and issues related to the job market 2x per day M-F. Click "Follow" on my profile - Allan

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abrownresumewriter/ (posting job search advice 1 – 2x daily)