Getting Your Resume Past HR Filters

 

 Your resume needs to be designed with its audience in mind. More often than not, HR departments are using productivity tools that function as an initial filter to vet applications that don’t meet certain standards. Without very specific criteria, these algorithms tag resumes as unsuitable matches for their sexy job with comprehensive healthcare coverage and dreamy eyes. The thing about you is that you’re so money, the filters just don’t know it. Yet. You just need to play the algorithmic game to increase your chances. A few simple resume hacks can take you from wondering what could been, to batting clean-up for the company softball team.
Inside the mind of an HR filter. One word: keywords. These filters break apart your resume into components of manageable text that it can recognize. Your application is ranked based on the match for keywords that the HR department has programmed into the system. Finding the algorithms soft spots involves building a list of buzz words from the job posting; any words or terms that are included in the post more than once ought to be added to the list. For some secondary keywords think beyond the ad in question. You can generate buzzwords by demonstrating that you understand the position, company and industry. Research related roles with other companies to come up with keywords. Name dropping the competition can demonstrate that you understand the industry.
Befriend the gate-programmer. Algorithms aren’t people. People are people. If you want to get a leg up on how to speak the seductive language of keywords, chat up all your HR friends. If your pack doesn’t include any HR folk, get proactive and seek some out via the LinkedIn. Since the filters are programmed to weigh and rank your resume based on different criteria, it can be useful to speak with an HR Manager in your preferred industry, as they can give you insight into what they’re seeking.
The nitty-gritty. Forgo photos; some filters have difficulty with images and as a result tag resumes as unqualified for the position that include them. Bullet points instead of paragraphs facilitate the scanning process, both for the filter and for the human when your resume finally makes it to the next stage of the recruiting game. As a result of the volume of applications for a position, a resume is only ever going to receive a couple minutes attention. The goal is to make your pertinent info stand out.
Some filters are now programmed to perform cursory searches of your social media profiles. So while your trip to Cabo last spring may have been a glorious return to your college self, those photos can get your resume axed. Search yourself and hide anything that doesn’t fit with the company culture.
Staying ahead of the job application game means understanding how resumes are being analyzed and discarded. By taking the time to make your resume more friendly to the initial filters, you come that much closer to landing an interview.