Trying to trick the recruitment search engines will never work Simon Conroy, CEO, Madgex

Advances in technology have meant that some sneaky job hunters were managing to fool the online systems that recruiters use to identify potential candidates.

In a highly competitive marketplace, savvy applicants have sought to fool computer programs that look for skills, job experience and other attributes an employer wants and then rank candidates based on the findings. Some feel this tactic means their CV will at least get in front of the right people, giving them a higher chance of interview offer.

To trick the program to rank their resumes higher, some job hunters insert keywords that cannot be seen by the naked eye, either concealing keywords using white type on a white background or to use type so small that the text looks like a solid horizontal line. In the case of online resumes, keywords can be inserted in Web coding that is hidden from plain view.

Advances in technology have enabled job seekers to get ahead of other candidates by placing hidden key words on their CVs to trick text-searching programmes, much in the same way that fraudsters have attempted to dupe search engines over the years.

However because of recent technology developments, some of the underhand tactics developed no longer work. Indeed the new technology can reveal the use of these methods by candidates, thus potentially sabotaging a candidateís chances of securing interviews.

The development of technology is so fast that once it starts to be abused it will soon be upgraded and those abusing it will be quickly revealed. And so the process starts again.

However it would appear to me that technology in the recruitment sector has come full circle. Alongside the tried and tested methods such as mimicking an advertís language in a CV or developing an application letter specifically tailored to each post, there are other more traditional methods of job seeking that live on, albeit in a more modern arena.

In the same way that old boys networks used to offer an entry to sought-after jobs, online social networking can also provide the contacts to get people ahead in careers.

By using social networking tools at business conferences and events, such as Madgexís Backnetwork, candidates can develop a strong field of contacts and get ahead in the job race. Exchanging business cards is now done on and offline. Through linking with contacts made at industry events, candidates then get a secondary introduction to new fields of contacts and the job world will open up quickly and easily.

Something that hiding keywords can never do, however cleverly done.