Now, companies are deploying robots to decode CVs

As robots tread their way into every industry from hotels to healthcare, how could human resources (HR) and recruitment remain far behind?

With automation gradually seeping into various levels within organisations, resumes are getting increasingly scanned by robots, or rather specialised applicant tracking systems (ATS).

According to TopResume.com, a leading global resume service provider, about 95% of Fortune 500 companies today use ATS software in their recruitment process, with Greenhouse and Bullhorn being some of the most popular ATS that are used. The global industrial robotics market is predicted to reach $41.23 billion by 2020, as per a report by Grand View Research, and robotics in resume scanning is expected to gain greater credence.

In India, however, the usage of ATS by HR departments is rising at a gradual pace. “ATS is not used thoroughly in India as yet. We observe large organisations who undergo recruitment volumes of over 300-500 candidates in a year for junior level positions utilising ATS. Advanced recruitment companies who use technology as a differentiation factor have adopted these platforms too,’’ says Nicolas Dumoulin, managing director, Michael Page India.

“Resumes are being read by tools using natural language processing techniques and software tools,’’ says Aditya Narayan Mishra, CEO, CIEL HR Services.

Experts believe as ATS seeps into the recruitment process, it is becoming vital for job seekers to make their resumes ATS=complaint. According to Nida Shahid, associate director – advisory, SHRM India, resumes in India are often not well optimised for ATS as they weigh low in grammar and formatting.

“Even a LinkedIn profile that is not recently updated may not support an ATS to make the correct decisions. The algorithm works basis the data it is fed and analysed in a format that is readable by the software,” adds Shahid. Experts say ATS is designed to pick out keywords in the resume and analyse if the keywords match with the job description. “Earlier, we would advise candidates to highlight important points, niche skills, experience and education. Now, as a machine will scan through the data, candidates should use keywords that match with the job description,” explains Shahid.  

For example, if the job description says “time management’’, the same keyword should reflect in the resume, instead of something like “managing time’’. 

Moreover, job titles should match those in the job description. If the job requirement reads as “Brand Manager’’, then a resume using the fancier “Brand Evangelist’’ might find no favour with the ATS.

Secondly, the resume should be clear and simple while quantifying the work, as the algorithm gets confused by the use of jargon, says Shahid.

Moreover, candidates should include key information in a concise manner and avoid long narratives, adds Dumoulin. Experts add that neither do the tools undervalue a concise resume that uses keywords sparingly but intelligently, nor do they give more importance to resumes that overuse keywords.

ATS carries a host of benefits for HR teams and organisations. “On an average, one job posting receives about 250 resumes. It’s impossible for an HR person to go through and vet each resume minutely. 

In fact, almost 75-88% of resumes that are received do not qualify for the job that is available. ATS reduces human intervention and thus cuts down the cost to the company. We weave in AI and human insights to predict absolute quality in recruits,” says Umasanker Kandaswamy, joint director and chief operating officer, Bruhat Insights Global.

Kandaswamy explains that ATS optimises the turnaround time for recruiters. He says that companies invest up to Rs 50,000 per hire, which also includes 23 working hours taken to thoroughly screen each resume. 

“The biggest shocker is that a candidate stays up in the market for only 10 days, as they are gulped down by other hungry recruiters.”

Besides optimising the cost of hiring and the time taken, ATS enhances recruiter efficiency by as much as 20%, says Mishra. 

FINDING A MATCH

• Large organisations who recruit over 300-500 candidates in a year for junior level positions utilising ATS
   
• Resumes in India not well optimised for ATS as they weigh low in grammar and formatting