Article Spotlight: AI-Friendly Resumés
Many wonder if something else is at play when thousands actively seek employment and thousands of positions remain unfilled. Hilke Schellmann asks why in an article for The Guardian and speculates that AI-recruiting tools may be to blame. As more data appears regarding algorithm biases, many qualified candidates are disqualified, costing companies and society billions of dollars. Below are tips for writing AI-friendly resumés from the article.
“Never send a human to do a machine’s job” – Agent Smith (The Matrix)
Although everyone knows they are as unique and special as their mothers told them, standing out can be a liability for AI-evaluated resumés. Schellmann suggests, “Instead of trying to stand out, make your resumé machine-readable: no images, no special characters such as ampersands or tildes. Use the most common template. Use short, crisp sentences – declarative and quantitative, said Ian Siegel, CEO of the job platform ZipRecruiter.”
“What you know you can’t explain, but you feel it. You’ve felt it your entire life” – Morpheus (The Matrix)
Qualifications are essential, and how they’re presented is significant. Adds Schellmann, “List licenses and certifications on your resumé…Make sure your resumé matches the keywords in the job description and compare your resumé to the job description using online resumé scanners to see if you are a match for the role.”
“The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now in this very room” – Morpheus (The Matrix)
Does AI do keywords? Schellmann’s final recommendation strongly suggests they do. He concludes, “For entry-level and administrative jobs, consider stating that you are competent in Microsoft office suite applications even if it’s not in the job description, said Harvard business professor Joe Fuller.”
Whittling down information into actionable data was the goal of involving AI in the hiring process. However, algorithm biases against women, minorities and qualified candidates are the unforeseen consequences of letting AI take the wheel. In addition, political pressure on hiring has led the current administration to assert AI may violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. Only time will tell what the algorithm fix will look like.
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