How to write a resume to go through machine screening

The heroes of Keanu Reeves, Arnold Schwarzenegger and job seekers have a common enemy: cars. Luckily, if you're looking for a job, you won't have to defeat robots like those in The Matrix or Terminator. The machines you'll have to compete with are robotic recruitment systems, writes Grow. Understanding how these programs work can be the key to getting through them and getting your next job interview.

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How employers use robots and artificial intelligence when hiring

Finding and hiring a new employee is not cheap: the average cost of filling one vacancy is more than $ 4000, according to the Human Resources Management Society. This has prompted many companies to invest in computer systems to make the process more efficient.

“With an applicant tracking system, a hiring manager will take a list of qualifications, experience or skills for a specific position, plug that data into the system, and let the algorithm sort candidates,” says John Christiansen, business unit manager at Sparks Research, a business intelligence systems company. .

“The system will look for tags, keywords and key strengths—very similar to how online search engine optimization works,” Christiansen says. “We’re going to put those pieces together and evaluate the resume.”

The resulting result, he said, is used to determine how well a particular candidate for the position is suitable.

Christiansen says there are also more complex systems that “learn over time.” For example, programs may identify key skills or strengths that carry more weight when considering candidates for a given position. But they are not widely used—at least not yet.

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How To Make Sure Your CV Will Win The Car

It may seem unfavorable for the applicant to submit a resume to a company where the employer uses artificial intelligence to test potential candidates. But just as Schwarzenegger's robotic character defeated the T-1000 in Terminator 2, candidates can handle hired vehicles by making some changes to the resume and predicting what the program is looking for.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all trick,” says Hannah Morgan, job search strategist at Career Sherpa. “There are over 200 different applicant tracking systems out there, and none of them work the same as another.”

To increase the chances, Morgan recommends 4 tips:

1. Make your resume easy to read. If your resume is easy to read and even just skim, the software won't "red flag", so avoid weird formatting or images. Morgan recommends using a simple Word document rather than downloading and redoing fancy templates. Use simple subheadings and bullets to organize information.

2. Add keywords. Include important terms from the job description in your resume to make sure the candidate tracking system pays attention to them. Try using an online tool or keyword analyzer to evaluate the most relevant ones. Include not only words, but also phrases related to your workflow or procedures.

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3. Make sure that the person can also read your resume. Particular attention is paid to ensuring that the resume can be scanned by the software, but ultimately, according to Morgan, "a person will also need to look at it." Make sure your resume is well-read by both the robot and human.

4. Avoid the robots if you can. Morgan says your best chance of getting an interview is to leverage your network and find an opportunity to get your resume directly into the hands of a decision-maker.

Experts say the hiring process has changed, and job seekers will need to keep up with the times.

“You can't just send a generic resume and expect a call back,” says Christiansen.

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