In the modern world of job hunting, the competition is fierce, and the process can be overwhelming. With the rise of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used by employers to sift through countless resumes, getting your application noticed has become a daunting task. However, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel: Jobscan, an innovative job-hunting service that aims to help job seekers optimize their resumes and cover letters for ATS success. In this Jobscan review, we’ll delve into what the company is all about, how it works, and whether it lives up to its promise of being the ultimate tool for job seekers.
About Jobscan
Jobscan was founded in Seattle, Washington, by CEO James Hu – who has been through the same struggles that many job seekers encounter – getting their resume noticed by potential employers. He realized that many qualified candidates were being overlooked simply because their resumes lacked the right keywords that these systems sought. That’s when he decided to design a tool for himself to optimize his resume and cover letter for job applications – and Jobscan was born.
Jobscan’s mission is to empower job seekers with insights into ATS and help them improve their chances of getting noticed by employers. Over the years, Jobscan has grown exponentially, helping hundreds of thousands of job seekers worldwide. It has become a trusted ally for individuals seeking to secure meaningful employment in various industries and professions.
Jobscan Review
Let’s dig deeper with our Jobscan review and see what users can benefit from this service.
How Does Jobscan Help Jobseekers?
At its core, Jobscan is a job-hunting service that specializes in assisting job seekers in getting past ATS – the software that many companies use to sift through the overwhelming number of applications they receive. By ensuring that your resume and cover letter are optimized to meet the specific requirements of a job posting, Jobscan helps increase the likelihood of your application making it to the hands of a hiring manager.
Jobscan offers a range of tools to support job seekers in optimizing their resumes and cover letters for specific job applications. Let’s take a closer look at what Jobscan can do for job seekers with their key features:
Resume & Cover Letter Templates
Jobscan provides 18 resume templates that cater to different formats (chronological, hybrid, and functional) and career levels. These templates come with essential resume headers, standard sections, skimmable headers, bullet points, and easy-to-read fonts. Moreover, they offer helpful guidance on how to write an effective resume.
Resume Optimization
The Resume Optimization tool is one of Jobscan’s standout features. They use this tool to scan your resume and compare it to a target job description, giving it a rating based on how well it matches the requirements. The scan provides advice on various categories, including searchability, hard skills, soft skills, other keywords, and recruiter tips. This helps users identify the gaps in their resumes and tailor them for specific job applications.
Resume Builder
Jobscan Resume Builder streamlines the resume writing process by autofilling resumes into any job application and formatting them for ATS compatibility. The Jobscan resume builder utilizes keywords, industry-specific jargon, and job descriptions to create accurate and targeted resume templates based on employers’ preferences. This saves users time and effort, ensuring they submit well-optimized resumes for each application.
Career Change Tool
The Career Change Tool allows users to upload their resumes and receive a list of potential careers they could switch to. Clicking on each career idea generates a new resume scan, evaluating how well the user’s resume matches an example job description from that career path. This tool serves as a valuable resource for job seekers exploring different opportunities.
Job Tracker
Jobscan’s Job Tracker helps organize your resume and job application by creating cards for each job and moving them through the application process stages. This tool allows for keeping track of the applications, ensuring job seekers submit tailored resumes for each position.
Jobscan Review: Premium Subscription
The free version of Jobscan offers a valuable service and features like the above, but its premium subscription unlocks additional features that can significantly aid job seekers in their quest for employment.
LinkedIn Optimization
Jobscan offers a LinkedIn optimization feature that claims to help job seekers improve their profiles to be more easily discoverable by recruiters.
To utilize this feature, users must connect their LinkedIn profile to Jobscan. Additionally, they are required to download their profile as a PDF and upload it to the platform. Once the connection is established, Jobscan provides valuable advice to enhance the profile’s visibility.
The suggested tips include putting the job title in the headline, quantifying work experience, avoiding clichés, and growing their network by sharing relevant content. By following these recommendations, job seekers can increase their chances of appearing in recruiters’ search results, ultimately improving their chances of getting noticed and receiving interview opportunities.
Jobscan Coach
Also, another useful feature that is included in the premium Jobscan subscription. For professionals seeking resume writing services, Jobscan Coach offers personalized assistance to create an impressive and ATS-friendly resume. Jobscan Coach evaluates resumes against specific job descriptions, scanning for keywords and phrases commonly used by applicant tracking systems. The tool then offers personalized advice on how to improve the resume’s content and format to align with the requirements of the desired job. By leveraging Jobscan Coach, job seekers can tailor their resumes for each application, increasing the likelihood of their documents catching the attention of recruiters and potential employers.
Unlimited Scans
The free version of Jobscan allows users to scan their resume for up to 5 different job applications per month. While this might be sufficient for some, others may find themselves applying to multiple positions regularly. The premium subscription provides unlimited scans, saving time and effort for those actively searching for a job.
Additional Findings
The premium version offers access to extra findings that are not available in the free tool. These additional findings include a check on your web presence, ensuring that you’ve included your LinkedIn URL in your resume and suggesting adding a link to your portfolio or personal website. Moreover, the formatting review feature checks your resume’s font and layout, ensuring a professional and well-organized presentation.
Cover Letter Scan
In the competitive job market, a well-crafted cover letter can make a significant difference. Jobscan’s premium subscribers have the advantage of scanning their cover letters along with their resumes. The scan analyzes the cover letter’s content, ensuring it includes essential contact information, a clear job title, relevant skills mentioned in the job ad, measurable achievements, and an overall positive tone without clichés. Moreover, the scan ensures that the cover letter adheres to the standard length of 250–400 words, making it concise and impactful.
Power Edit
The Power Edit feature is a time-saving tool that allows users to make changes to their resumes directly within the Jobscan platform. As you implement Jobscan’s suggested changes, you can watch your job match rate increase in real time. This feature eliminates the need to upload your resume again after making improvements, streamlining the application process and making it more efficient.
Jobscan Review: Pricing
Jobscan is one of the trusted companies that offer free resume review tools to job seekers. With the free forever plan, users can perform two free match rate calculations and two keyword comparisons per month. Additionally, the free version includes access to the Resume Manager and Jobscan learning center, which are beneficial for individuals on a tight budget.
For users looking to access more features and perform unlimited scans, Jobscan offers premium plans with varying durations:
- One Month Free – $89/ 3 months:
This plan comes with a one-month free trial, allowing users to explore the platform’s premium features before committing to a subscription. After the trial period, the plan costs $89.95 for every three-month period. Users can choose to pay on a monthly basis, but they won’t receive the free month in that case. It is essential to remember that the three-month package is automatically billed every three months, so canceling on time is crucial if the service is no longer needed.
- Monthly – $49.95/month:
This plan is ideal for job seekers who anticipate needing the service for a short period. For $49.95, users can access the premium features for one month. Similar to the three-month plan, users need to remember to cancel if they no longer require the service after the initial month.
What We Love About Jobscan
Let’s continue this Jobscan review by taking a look at the aspects that make it stand out as the ultimate tool for job seekers:
Enormous Amount of Data
Jobscan doesn’t just focus on making your resume visually appealing; it provides you with valuable insights that can significantly increase your chances of landing an interview. By taking into account both ATS systems and recruiter preferences, Jobscan ensures that your resume has the best chance of making it through the initial screening process.
Company-Specific ATS Tips
One of the most impressive features of Jobscan is its ability to incorporate company-specific information into its Scan Report. It not only identifies the ATS used by the company but also offers tailored tips on how to optimize your resume for that particular software. This level of customization gives job seekers a competitive edge, as they can now tailor their application to specific ATS requirements, thus increasing their chances of getting noticed.
Recruiter Tips
Understanding what hiring managers and recruiters are looking for in a resume is crucial. Jobscan’s “Recruiter Tips” section provides valuable insights into the elements that matter most to human readers. This includes focusing on measurable results, job level match, and avoiding overused buzzwords or negative keywords that may hinder your chances of getting shortlisted.
Resume Manager
Keeping track of multiple applications and tailoring resumes for each opportunity can be time-consuming. Jobscan’s Resume Manager is a game-changer in this regard. It organizes and saves your scanned resumes along with their Scan Reports, making it easier to manage and tailor your resume efficiently. The Resume Manager also provides a snapshot of the hard and soft skills identified in your master resume, simplifying the customization process for similar roles.
Free Trials
Jobscan offers two free options for users, making it accessible to job seekers on a budget. These risk-free trials provide ample time to explore and evaluate the platform’s value before committing to a full-service account.
Limitations of Jobscan
Despite its many advantages, our Jobscan review also uncovered some limitations that job seekers should be aware of:
Resume Overstuffing
One potential drawback of relying solely on keyword matching is that it may lead job seekers to overstuff their resumes with keywords from the job posting. While this can increase the match rate, it can also make the resume appear unnatural and unreadable to human recruiters. Jobscan users should exercise caution and ensure that the resume remains well-structured, clear, and concise, even when incorporating relevant keywords.
Confusing Interface
Jobscan’s interface is a bit confusing and overwhelming, especially for first-time users. While the platform offers a wealth of information and guidance, navigating through the various features might require some time and effort to grasp fully.
Cost
Jobscan pricing may be a significant factor for some job seekers. The cheapest plan, costing $89.95 every three months, might be a bit steep for those on a tight budget. While the platform offers valuable services, the price could be a deterrent for some users, especially if they are not applying for jobs regularly.
Bottom Line: Is Jobscan Legit?
If you’re wondering: “Is jobscan legit?”, based on this thorough Jobscan review, it’s safe to say that the company is a legitimate and valuable resource in the fiercely competitive job market. Despite certain limitations, Jobscan remains a useful tool in terms of streamlining the job application process, giving applicants a competitive advantage in an ATS-driven job market. Whether you’re a recent graduate looking for your first job or an experienced professional seeking a career change, Jobscan can significantly improve your chances of landing that dream job. So, if you’re ready to take your job search to the next level, give Jobscan a try and see the difference it can make in your job-hunting journey.
