Automated Resume Screening Narrows Job Market Access for Experienced Applicants
Shelby Young has spent two months submitting resumes for medical sales positions without securing an offer, a stretch of unemployment that began in late August. The 70-year-old Indianapolis resident has participated in a few interviews, but she suspects that automated hiring software is filtering out her applications before a human ever reviews them.
Young is not alone in facing immediate rejections from online job portals. Over half a dozen jobseekers told Mirror Indy that they suspect their resumes never make it past automated screening tools. Large companies increasingly rely on applicant tracking systems powered by artificial intelligence to scan and filter job applications, identifying which candidates advance to interviews.
When applicants apply for an opening and receive no response, the cause is often a mismatch between the resume text and the job description, even when the applicant holds valid qualifications. Kenya Whatley, a workshop facilitator for WorkOne Indy, described this dynamic directly when she told Mirror Indy, “That’s why no one’s calling.”
Tactics to Bypass AI Filters
Through WorkOne, Whatley instructs jobseekers on how to use automated hiring systems. While she recommends utilizing AI tools designed to customize resumes for specific job postings, she also outlines manual strategies to help applications pass through automated filters.
Tailoring a resume to each individual job description provides the strongest chance of clearing automated screening tools. Whatley suggests starting with a brief introduction at the top of the resume, keeping it to two or three sentences that summarize an applicant’s background, qualifications, and goals.
Keywords represent one of the primary mechanisms AI uses to screen out applications. Jobseekers can counter this by aligning the wording on their resumes with terms found in the job posting. Whatley advises reviewing the job description to identify the most frequently repeated words and integrating those terms naturally into the resume’s skill section.
For example, if a listing requires “collaboration” and the applicant possesses that skill, including that exact term can help the software match the resume to the job description. However, Whatley cautions against overloading a resume with unrequired terms, which can lower a document’s alignment score.
Check Automated Resume Outputs Carefully for Errors
WorkOne recommends an AI tool called Hardly, which scores resumes based on how closely they align with specific job postings. Whatley recommends aiming for a score between 80% and 90% when using the model.
Applicants who utilize automated tools to generate or adjust their resumes must check the output carefully. Generative AI models can occasionally invent or hallucinate incorrect details. Jobseekers need to review their documents not only for spelling errors and typos, but also to confirm that the text accurately reflects their actual experience and skills.
Resume Workshops in Indianapolis
WorkOne Indy hosts free resume workshops each Thursday at 4410 Shadeland Ave. The sessions are split into two offerings: “Build Your Resume with Hardly” and “Customize Your Resume for More Interviews.” Attendees must register in advance using an Indiana Career Connect account. The Indianapolis Public Library hosts resume workshops every couple of weeks, with schedules available online.
