Mastering Modern Hiring: From ATS to Timed Assignments
On August 5, 2025, Jeremy Schifeling returned to the Pivot with Purpose community to offer insider strategies to master the modern hiring process, from understanding Application Tracking System (ATS) algorithms to crafting powerful application materials. Laura Sheehan (Georgetown SFS) moderated the event.
For international development professionals pivoting to new roles from niche development titles—M&E Specialist or WASH Program Lead—a stark reality looms: the average recruiter juggles 30-40 open roles at a time and the average role attracts 250 resumes.
As a result, recruiters rely heavily on the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter out the vast majority of applicants, ignoring the context that many development professionals work in and overlooking highly qualified professionals. Fortunately, former Teach for America recruiter and LinkedIn Education Lead, Schifeling relayed how to best keep us filtered in by giving us access to the following tools and tricks:
- A deep understanding of how recruiters really review resumes and how ATS algorithms work
- The simple formula to make every resume bullet and cover letter sentence powerful – just by engineering them to satisfy your two critical audiences (the recruiter + ATS)
- A resume and cover letter makeover that takes these ideas from the realm of theory into the land of action! ️
No matter the stage or status of their career pivot journey, Shifeling offered attendees priceless advice and tips to master the art of modern hiring.
Other Previous Sessions
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