The job search process has changed drastically with technology as job seekers can send out their resumes to companies around the country through online job applications. But with that ease comes a major barrier to reaching your dream job.

"Companies have responded with crude filtering devices to cut through their overcrowded in-boxes," wrote Chris Farrell, economics editor of Marketplace Money, in BusinessWeek. "Taken altogether, it's a frustrating, toxic mix for both sides of the online employment equation."

Farrell said that face-to-face contact and connections are still your best bet:

What does matter is a recommendation and personal assessment. A large body of academic research shows that half or more of all jobs come through informal channels--connections to friends, families, and colleagues--according to Limited Network Connections and the Distribution of Wages by Kenneth J. Arrow of Stanford University and Ron Borzekowski of the Federal Reserve Board. "Character is a big deal," says Art Rolnick, co-director for the Human Capital Research Collaborative at the University of Minnesota. "Character references are always big, and the Internet doesn't change that."

Farrell will join The Daily Circuit Thursday Feb. 28 to discuss improving technology so job seekers and employers can find their match. Lindsey Pollak, a career expert and author of "Getting from College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World," will also join the discussion.

LEARN MORE ABOUT APPLICATION SOFTWARE:

5 insider secrets for beating applicant tracking systems (CIO)

How to beat resume filtering software (Salary.com)

Top 5 reasons you never hear back after applying for a job (Glassdoor)

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