How AI Is Transforming Resume Matching Software

Shaun Ricci

January 8, 2018

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Resume matching software as it’s traditionally been used has hurt candidate engagement.

resume matching software

So how can you become more effective in your hiring – and use the right resume matching software – while not alienating candidates and harming your brand?

The problem with traditional resume matching

Resume matching software in its origin stages (i.e., older versions without artificial intelligence baked in) is essentially the same as old-school search engine optimization. The “matching” part is almost entirely based on keywords.

If a candidate got good at stuffing their resume with the right keywords, they would get past the technology and into human hands.

The problem is that keyword-stuffers aren’t necessarily the best candidates. Career sites have been writing articles about how to hack the system for years.

This speaks to a bigger problem with the ATS in general. They can alienate candidates by asking them to fill out screens of data that already resides on their resume.

Candidates don’t understand why they have to do all this and then don’t even get an email or a call back from the organization.

The main reason is because they got filtered out via resume matching software. In all likelihood, no human ever saw their resume.

Technology 1, Candidates 0.

But now you have hundreds of people unhappy with your process, and the candidates in front of hiring managers might not even be that good. 

Your brand is suffering and you’re not getting the right talent.

How are you going to fix it?

Adding AI to resume matching software

You’re still going to collect resumes. That isn’t going away anytime soon.

But today, you’re able to combine artificial intelligence into the resume screening process. 

The benefits:

  1. You eliminate manual screening so candidates aren’t being ignored.
  2. You use your existing ATS and the artificial intelligence integrates with it, going beyond simple keyword matches to scan and rank qualifications on resumes grading every candidate an A to D in real time.
  3. You reach out to the best candidates in days (not weeks) and reduce time to fill by up to 75%.
  4. Every action you take, whether it’s dismissing a candidate or bringing them into an interview, AI uses that feedback to get smarter.

On the recruiter side, some of the biggest problems – time on manual tasks, rediscovering past candidates, ranking candidates, and time to fill – are now being solved by AI-powered resume screening software.

On the candidate side, ever resume received is being screened. If you incorporate a concept like a chatbot into your screening process, you can even reply to almost every candidate.

The candidates feel heard. Maybe they don’t get the job, but they’re not out there criticizing your brand.

And if a new job opens in six months that the candidate is a better fit for, the AI will rediscover them within your ATS.

You win. Candidates win.