5 Tips to Outsmart the AI Recruiting Process

Sergey Soldatov/123RF.com

Robots are taking over the world!

Or at least that is the fear many people have when they hear of the increased use of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in many different ways to save human hours, and recruiting is no different.

AI uses complex algorithms to sort through thousands of resumes to identify which candidate would be the best fit for a company. AI can even look at your social media use and profiles to determine your suitability for a potential employer. That will make you re-think posting that picture of your dog and you sharing a piece of pizza, right?

Instead of being afraid of the new technology used in the recruiting process, you can learn how AI is scanning resumes and narrowing down applicants. Knowing what will make you stand out to the software program gives you the chance to get your resume to the top and be able to wow your human interview.

Targeting Your Resume

allexxandar/123RF.com

Targeting is just what it sounds like. It means finding something specific that you are going to aim for. For your resume to stand out, you need to know EXACTLY what the company to whom you’re applying is looking for. Blindly throwing generic resumes at thousands of jobs will get you nowhere. Those are the resumes the AI system will weed out.

Do your research. Read the company’s webpage, especially the “About Us” section, and pick up on the keywords, vision, and mission they mention. Gear your resume to match what the company is looking for.

Your end target is not the AI recruiter; your end target is the human employer who hires you. Use language that you would use with another human, not a computer. Don’t use sloppy shorthand or abbreviations and bullet points. Make sure that your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are clear. Always speak and write in real words and sentences.

The AI system is designed to pick up on professional communication, not to translate your “text talk.” Save LOL, emoticons, IRL, ICYMI, YMMV, OMG, etc. for your post-interview chat with your mom.

Branding

As AI technology becomes more advanced, your online presence will directly impact your ability to be offered a job interview.

Yes.

Marek Uliasz/123RF.com

AI software will analyze that angry rant on Facebook about the inconsiderate person who cut you off in traffic. Your online presence is called your brand. Guard it carefully.

Everything that you post online that is connected to the name you will use to apply for a job can influence your “hireability.”

Use this to your advantage. Set up a professional LinkedIn account with a clear list of your education and experience. Write and post articles in your field of expertise. Use your Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter accounts very carefully.

Keep in mind that everything you post publicly online can make or break your brand. Use this to your advantage to land a job. Your online presence should be as professional as you would present yourself in a job interview.

Networking

I’m not suggesting that you ask Alexa (the artificial intelligent personal assistant developed by Amazon) to introduce you to Siri (Apple’s artificial intelligent personal assistant) who can connect you to “OK Google” and get you a job. Although it wouldn’t hurt to ask, you never know what those personal assistants can do!

Look at ways that you can have your name linked to the company to which you are applying. Even second or third degree connections will benefit you.

scanrail/123RF.com

Comment on the company’s blog. “Like” their company on Facebook. Re-tweet a relevant post from the CEO. It might feel a little bit like you are being an online stalker, but as long as all of your interactions are genuine and professional, these steps could help you stand out from other applicants. This is how networking works, and AI looks for that.

Using Keywords

There is a specific language that your AI recruiter will be using as it searches the resume database. Although search software is quite advanced, the closer you can get to the exact keywords the recruiter is looking for, the better your chances will be.

This could be as simple as instead of saying, “I lead a team of…” to “I am a team leader.” Active language always shows up better on a resume search than passive language. State your skills as who you are instead of what you did.

Match your skills to the job description. Seriously, this works wonders!

Nipon Temsakun/123RF.com

If the job description says “We are looking for a Registered Nurse to be part of a dynamic team of professionals who provide excellent client care,” then you better make sure your resume says, “My goal is to work with a team committed to providing outstanding client care.”

Don’t parrot the job description. AI is intelligent enough to understand similar phrasing. But including the keywords will make your resume stand out.

Master the Video Interview/Assessments

It is common to be required to complete an online test, assessment, or video interview prior to being given an in-person interview. This technology is usually used to assess your ability to perform the job duties the company is looking for by giving you scenarios that would be similar to the job posting.

The AI system analyzes not only your responses, but also your word choice, your gestures, and the emotion you display.

Even if you think that it will “only be a computer” assessing your responses, always be professional and clear. Dress for the part. Keep your answers concise and to the point. You aren’t trying to win the AI recruiter over with compliments.

The best tip for wowing an AI recruiter is to be yourself. Let the system know who you are, what you can do, and what your goal is.

Although AI can seem like a futuristic and scary robot that will try to take over the world, AI is really a tool that can be extremely helpful for you if you know how to use and respond to it.

Michal Bednarek/123RF.com

AI recruiters are designed to pick out the best of the candidates and showcase them to the human recruiter. Set up your application, resume, and online presence to wow the AI recruiter and your human recruiter will be ready to be wowed by you, too.