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Navigating and Successfully Applying for Jobs via ATS in British Columbia

Targeted for Job Seekers in the Merritt Area

Introduction: In-Demand Entry-Level Jobs in the Merritt Area

If you’re looking for work around Merritt, B.C., there are a number of entry-level roles currently in demand — roles that often offer a foot-in-the-door, stable employment, and a chance to build your career.
Some of these include:

  • Health Care Aide / Care Aide roles with Interior Health Authority (IHA). Because of staffing needs in health care and an aging population, there are frequent openings.

  • Support Services roles at IHA or health-care facilities: janitorial/cleaning, cooking/kitchen staff, food services, environmental services. These roles often require less formal training, but still lead into stable employment.

  • Education Assistant / Educational Support Worker positions in school districts (for example in classrooms, special-education, support staff) — these roles often require strong interpersonal skills and a desire to help.

  • Municipal / Local Government roles such as bookkeeping, financial administration, accounting clerk, payroll support, or other office-administration positions for municipal governments (for example City of Merritt) or regional districts.

If you’re unemployed or under-employed and these types of jobs are of interest, you may also want to connect with us at WorkBC. The WorkBC Centre in Merritt provides free services and — in some cases — paid career-training for eligible job-seekers who cannot afford the cost themselves. 

Now that you know what kinds of jobs are available locally, let’s walk through how to apply for them when you’re dealing with large-employer online systems (ATS) like IHA’s eRecruit portal or the BC Government’s MyHR portal.

What is an ATS and Why It Matters

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software used by large employers to manage job applications. Examples in BC include portals used by the Interior Health Authority, the BC Public Service, school districts, and municipalities.
The key things it does:

  • Lets you create a profile, upload your resume, answer screening questions

  • Scans for keywords and minimum qualifications

  • Filters applications so only some go to the human reviewer

  • Tracks where you are in the hiring process

Because of this, your application needs to be ATS-friendly — otherwise you may never reach the recruiter’s desk.

Creating an ATS-Friendly Resume

Use a Simple Format

Avoid complex layouts: no columns, no unusual fonts, no heavy graphics. Use standard headings like Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications, etc.

Use the Employer’s Language

If a job posting says: “Experience working with electronic medical record (EMR) systems such as Meditech” then your resume should explicitly state something like:
“Worked with Meditech EMR system to update patient records.”
This helps the ATS see the match.

Highlight Relevant Entry-Level Skills

For support services or entry-level roles, some useful keywords might include:

  • “Food service assistant”, “kitchen staff”, “janitorial”, “environmental services”

  • “Health Care Aide”, “care aide”, “resident support”, “activities assistant”

  • “Education assistant”, “classroom support”, “student aide”, “special-education support”

  • “Bookkeeping”, “accounts payable”, “financial admin”, “municipal accounting clerk”

Tailor your resume for each job posting: pick out the key phrases and include them if applicable.

Add Certifications & Licences

Even for entry-level roles, sometimes you’ll need a certificate (e.g., FoodSafe, WHMIS, Basic Care Aide certification, valid BC driver’s licence). Make sure those appear clearly in your application.

Navigating the Application Process (for IHA, BC Government, etc.)

For the Interior Health Authority

  • Visit their IHCareers portal here: Home | IH Careers and create/upload your profile.

  • Fill in your work history in the fields provided, even if your resume already lists them — the system might pull from them for screening.

  • Attach your resume and any required documents (certificates, licences).

  • Keep an eye on emails (check spam/junk) for next steps.

For BC Government / Municipalities / Education Assistant postings

  • Use systems like the “MyHR” portal (for BC Public Service) or specific school district and local municipal websites.

  • Often there are pre-screening questions: answer accurately and with relevant examples.

  • Consider adding a brief cover letter even if optional — it helps you stand out.

  • For school district roles or entry education roles, highlight your interpersonal skills, reliability, support experience.

What Happens After You Hit Submit

  1. Automated screening — keywords, minimum qualifications.

  2. Human review / shortlisting — if your application passes step 1.

  3. Testing or additional assessment — sometimes for public sector or health roles.

  4. Interview — often competency-based: you’ll be asked to give examples of how you demonstrated teamwork, communication, results orientation etc.

  5. Reference & background checks — especially for health care and government roles.

  6. Offer and onboarding

Be patient: for large employers the process can take several weeks.

Bonus Tips to Stand Out (Even as Entry-Level Candidate)

  • Apply early — roles may get filled quickly.

  • Follow instructions exactly — if they ask to upload certain documents or answer all questions, do it.

  • Keep your profile up-to-date — many employers reuse applicant profiles for future postings.

  • Tailor each application — one generic resume is less effective.

  • Use the WorkBC Centre in Merritt if you need help: resume review, training guidance, interview preparation. They can also help eligible individuals access paid training if finances are a barrier. workbccentre-merritt.ca+1

Conclusion

In the Merritt area and across B.C., there are meaningful entry-level job opportunities in sectors like health care support, education assistants, support services (janitorial, cooking), and administration/bookkeeping in municipalities. With the right approach to online applications — making your resume ATS-friendly, using keywords from the job posting, tailoring for each role, and leveraging the support of WorkBC if needed — you’ll be in a much stronger position to get noticed and secure work.