Job Hunting When Recruiters Use AI

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9/8/2023

Updated:

9/8/2023

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Recruiters receive hundreds of applicants for one position. And it’s laborious to go through all the resumes. Fifty-two percent of hiring managers say finding the right candidate is difficult. The result is that artificial intelligence (AI) is used to screen applicants.

Writing a resume is hard enough for a human, but now you must keep AI in mind. Does AI look at a resume in a different light than a human? How do you present yourself well to both AI and a human?

How AI Helps Hiring Managers

Forty percent of employers use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to screen job applicants. The result is that humans never read 75 percent of resumes.

Using AI in the hiring process is varied. Some human resources (HR) recruiters use it for resumes and other document reviews, while others use it to hire and source candidates. Overall, AI streamlines and improves the recruitment process.

It eliminates repetitive and time-consuming tasks such as reviewing multiple resumes and scheduling interviews.

Downsides to HR Using AI to Hire

There are, however, some problems with AI screening applicants. It tends to ignore those resumes that are not search-engine optimized (SEO). This means a recruiter could miss out on a great candidate because the applicant didn’t use or emphasize the correct words.

AI can’t assess an applicant’s tone, personality, or soft skills. These could be vital in performing the job. An experienced recruiter’s “gut instinct” can’t be used. AI also can’t evaluate judgment and decision-making skills.

Upsides to AI in Recruiting

Since 75 percent of applicants are not qualified, recruiters can save time looking at the best candidates. It also speeds up the recruitment process. Without AI, the process can take from 12–14 days. Since most qualified candidates are on the market for only 10 days.

Writing Resumes for AI

Just because AI is screening your resume, it doesn’t mean doom and gloom. But you'll be unable to tell when you submit that resume whether a human will be seeing it.

That’s why writing your resume for AI and humans is crucial. After all, once you pass through AI, a human will read and evaluate it.

Use Correct Format When Submitting Resume

Use a text-based application like a Word document instead of a PDF. This allows buzzwords to be scanned accurately by AI.

Although it’s customary to place a name and contact information in the header and education credentials in the footer, these should be avoided. The ATS can’t read data in the header or footer.

Besides avoiding the header and footer, avoid fancy formatting. The best course of action is to keep it simple. Use a business font like Times Roman. AI can’t read complicated fonts.

Your resume shouldn’t have graphics or charts. Don’t underline, bold, or use colors. And definitely don’t use pictures. The best resume is simple. It may look boring to you, but the AI will be able to read it and hopefully pass it to the hiring manager.

Optimize Resume With Keywords

You should be tailoring each resume sent out according to the job description. This way you can use the keywords that AI will be looking for. So read the job description carefully. If the description asks for someone who’s been a “manager” and you use the word “supervisor,” you could be eliminated.

Although some ATSs can recognize synonyms, most employers have exact match systems. Only use descriptions that apply to you with the exact words the job description asked for.

But don’t overuse keywords. By trying to over-optimize the resume, you could hurt yourself. AI is trained to spot this. And even if your resume does make it to a human. It could be a turn-off to a hiring manager.

Have a balance between optimizing your resume with keywords and writing for a human.

Spell Out Acronyms

Spell out all the job descriptions you’ve had. Use the full name of the relevant software you know. This goes for acronyms used in your past jobs. Just because your last job had a unique name for a procedure or program doesn’t mean others use the same.

The employer’s ATS doesn’t understand acronyms. So don’t kick yourself out of the running by using them.

Only Submit One Resume

Don’t try to scam the AI bots by sending multiple resumes. It’s trained to spot that.

Some candidates will apply to several jobs in one company. They’ll change their email address or slightly change their name.

But the ATS is designed to match similar profiles. It will catch it, and the hiring manager will see that. You’ve just eliminated yourself as a potential candidate.

Avoid General Phrases

Be specific when outlining your accomplishments and qualifications. Avoid using vague or generic language. The AI and the recruiter don’t care if you’re a “people person.” They don’t even know what that means in relation to the job at hand.

Also, avoid words like “hard worker,” “passionate,” and “enthusiastic.” Stick with the facts.

AI Can Help Applicants

The ATS is relatively new, and it’s not perfect, but it does speed up the process. So if your resume is optimized correctly, it could move you through the recruitment process.

When a human recruiter screens a resume, they only look at it for six to eight seconds. So, crafting the perfect resume for a human doesn’t always work.

With AI, the hiring manager will have the opportunity to dive deeper into a resume that AI screened.

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