We’ve got some news, and you might not be ready to hear it—especially if you’re job hunting. Impressing in an interview is no longer enough. In fact, if you want to get to the interview stage, you need to impress the bots that sift through the hundreds of applications that hundreds of companies receive for each job.
That’s right: bots. The hiring manager you’re working so hard to impress is actually an AI-enabled tool known as an Application Tracking System (ATS) that screens applications based on algorithms and keywords.
What does it mean for job seekers? Well, that means you not only need to tailor your resume to the job you want to pursue, but you also need to make it AI-friendly. This becomes even more important when you consider that a recent survey from Harvard Business School found that 88% of top executives believe that AI recruiting software often excludes qualified candidates from the hiring process.
While not all industries or companies use this software, 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies do, writing an incredible resume that plays for bots will give you an edge over the competition.
Here are three simple tricks that will keep your resume off the top of the pile.
Currently, AI enabled tools are screening applications based on algorithms and keywords. / © graphicwithart/Shutterstock.com
Shape correctly
Simply put, many AI programs don’t recognize PDF, which means you’re cutting yourself out of the process by not submitting your resume in Word format. Similarly, that Canva or professionally designed resume means you can display a lot of information on two pages, but anything placed in the borders or margins may not be picked up by recruiting software. This means that your academic record or the awards you have received are just as important as those that can be overlooked. In this case, simpler really is better.
Match correctly
What keywords are in the job description? Those are the keywords you should use in your resume, and use them correctly. For example, if the job requires software development experience but you describe your work history with software development achievements, you’re going to be rejected by bots.
While some ATS systems have evolved to identify synonyms, many exact matching systems are still used by companies, and without such insider knowledge it’s best to err on the side of caution.
Be traditional
There are many career experts and articles that encourage you to highlight your accomplishments and focus on the high points of your career rather than the responsibilities in your workplace. While this plays to the theory that you have 30 seconds to grab a hiring manager’s attention, it doesn’t play to AI that pulls experience and information chronologically. This means a resume that’s a little old school, starting with a summary and listing your previous roles in chronological order can help your selection.
Now that you’ve got a killer resume, it’s time to put it to use. There are hundreds of roles to explore, and we’ve selected three of the most interesting ones below.
Senior Software Engineer – Derivatives Group (FA – Financial Analytics), Bloomberg
The role: The Senior Software Engineer – Derivatives will be a member of the Derivatives Engineering team, and will work with a variety of open source technologies including Blockchain, Apache Spark, Apache Kafka, Apache Cassandra, Redis and more.
Responsibilities: You will gain hands-on experience in data analytics, distribution algorithms, and writing performance-optimized code while gaining advanced knowledge of the derivatives domain.
The requirements are: BA, BS, MS, PhD in computer science, engineering, or related technology field required, plus two years of programming experience in C++, Python, Javascript, Scala, or OCaml.
Apply for a Senior Software Engineer – Derivatives team role or explore other US-based roles with Bloomberg.
Sales Operations Analyst, CrowdStrike
The role: The Sales Operations Analyst will work with the broader team to ensure CrowdStrike’s market-leading cloud-native platform provides unparalleled protection against the most sophisticated cyber attacks.
Responsibilities: You will be responsible for analyzing data models; Developing new processes; develop, analyze and provide insights; Also create and support dashboards to help sales leaders drive their business.
The requirements are: You will have a minimum of one to three years of relevant experience in a sales operations, finance or strategy function, with a proven track record of detail-oriented and strong organizational skills.
Apply for a Sales Operations Analyst role or explore other remote opportunities at CrowdStrike.
Senior Software Developer, Individual
The role: As a Senior Software Developer, you will work with the Product Management team to understand requirements, suggest technical solutions, implement and deploy new features across Personify’s networks.
Responsibilities: They work remotely on all stages of the software development lifecycle to build and improve new features and modules for the company. Code/configure, maintain, test, and debug existing or new systems, ensuring they deliver quality features and bug fixes consistent with current development processes.
The requirements are: You have four years of software development experience, working through the software development lifecycle and a solid knowledge of computer science fundamentals as well as coding standards and design principles.
Apply for a Senior Software Developer role or explore other opportunities with Personify.
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