Why Resume Screening Doesn't Work
Eliminating candidates based on keywords simply doesn't make sense.
Writing a resume is a daunting task. Applicants are asked to recap their work history, their educational background, and the skills they've acquired over a lifetime of learning and earning, and then craft all of that into a concise one- to two-page summary designed to help sell themselves to a potential employer. If that wasn't enough to worry about, that employer might not even see their resume, depending on how their HR department works. If they screen resumes in the traditional way, there's a good chance it could get lost in the shuffle.
Welcome to the unfair world of resume screening — a world where keywords and positioning are more important than actual job qualifications. If you really want the best person for the job, it may be time to retire that resume screener.
The System Has Been Compromised
Most resume screening depends on tracking certain targeted keywords within the resumes submitted to the system. However, many of today's job applicants have caught on to this process, often guessing what keywords you are looking for and stuffing their resumes full of them. A quick Google search turns up hundreds — yes, hundreds — of articles with tips on how to beat automated resume screeners.
With these systems, the candidates who typically move to the top of the list are the ones who have learned how to beat the system — not necessarily the ones who are best for the job. The potential hires you're actually looking for — the ones with the skills and talents you want for the position — could be left in the dust.
So Efficient, It's Inefficient
For larger companies who understand the welcome burden of too many applicants, resume screening software may seem like a gift. It can filter out applicants who don't fit the criteria, and it can narrow down those remaining resumes based on how well they fit the software's keyword algorithm. There's only one problem: You have the responsibility of choosing the BEST candidate for the position — not simply the most convenient. And if the best candidate out there didn't include enough keywords in her resume, you'll never find her. Instead, you'll settle on the applicant who figured out what you wanted and told your software exactly what it needed to hear. And that isn't the kind of employee you want to have.
What's The Alternative?
When you want to know something about someone, the easiest way to learn is, simply, to ask. Pre-interview assessmentsare a far more valuable evaluation tool than resumes. Assessments can tell you what a candidate is like, what kind of job skills he will bring to the table, how he will fit in with the rest of your organization, and much more. Applicants can then be sorted by their assessment scores, and your valuable time is only spent interviewing the candidates who are truly the best fit for the position. Keywords won't win over assessment tools; only the applicants who truly know their stuff will make it to the top of the pile.
The only thing resume screening evaluates is how well a potential job candidate can write a resume. It tells you nothing about the candidate herself or what she can bring to your organization. Resume screeners are designed to make HR's job faster and more efficient. Many promise that they can scan resumes to find the best people for your company; instead, all they do is ensure that the best people end up somewhere else