It happened again – my phone rang at 7:00 p.m. and one of my clients is on the other end of the line expressing her frustrations with trying to complete an online job application. I deal with these frustrations quite frequently. Many times the caller is what one might refer to as an “older worker” (a.k.a. 50+) who has some basic computer literacy, but is unfamiliar with this “new way” of applying for a job.

After consoling my client by acknowledging that these online applications “can be tricky,” I logged into the same employer’s website with the intention of “talking her through the steps.” After registering for the site and trying to jump past the lengthy questionnaire (#1 What is the total dollar value of merchandise you took from a store without paying?); it was not long before I too was frustrated. I could not access a page I previously clicked through where I was to “copy and paste an ASCII résumé.”  After a half hour, we both gave up!

Have you heard of the Luddites? They were a group of British textile workers who, between 1811 and 1816, protested – often by destroying machinery­—against the changes produced by the Industrial Revolution, which they felt were leaving them without work and changing their entire way of life.

I have the pleasure of working with many talented and highly-motivated job seekers who, like the Luddites, are feeling like technology is “leaving them without work and changing their entire way of life.” It is not so much technology, but the realization that they may never land a job unless they know how to Tweet; have a dynamic LinkedIn Profile; posted a Visual CV; learned how to Skype an interview – or merely copy and paste an ASCII résumé in the box.

When I look at the current unemployment statistics and read about the number of people who have “given up” after months of job searching, I can’t help but wonder if the numbers would be lower if more job seekers could master the “technology of getting a job.” It’s not just “older workers” who are struggling, but anyone (bus driver, warehouse worker, or even a registered nurse) who does not need an email account to do their job, but can’t apply without one to even get an interview!

If given the choice between hiring a candidate who can email, blog, tweet, and Skype or hiring a person who has the skills to do the job, a solid work ethic and the right personality, I am sure most employers would choose the later. The challenge for us all – employers, job seekers, and career service professionals – is to help bridge this disconnect and put more people back to work.

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