Let’s face it, the job search industry is in a bit of a rut. Despite continual improvements in technology, TAs are still forced to sift quickly through huge quantities of resumes, knowing they are probably letting qualified candidates fall through the cracks.
Our CEO Doug Monro recently conducted a poll of HR and talent acquisition professionals on LinkedIn to understand the most pressing issue the job search industry needs to solve, and the winner was clear – better matching. A whopping 44% of respondents identified this bias as the industry’s biggest hurdle.
So why is matching such a persistent pain point? Here is a breakdown:
Higher workload for TAs
Receiving too many unqualified and irrelevant applications increases the workload and time constraints for TAs, often leading to longer hiring cycles, higher operational costs, and a worse candidate experience. Having to filter out so many unsuitable applications also increases the risk of errors and bias, ultimately holding back the organization’s ability to hire the best candidates and achieve diversity goals.
Skills gap
Resumes are often optimised for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) by including a high number of keywords directly from the job description. While this increases the chances of a resume being noticed, it can obscure a candidate’s actual skills and relevant experience. For instance, a marketing manager role might list “SEO optimization” as a desired skill. Resumes become flooded with this term, regardless of whether the candidate has actually implemented successful SEO strategies. Hiring managers are then left with the difficult challenge of identifying individuals with the specific skills and proven experience truly needed for the job.
Algorithmic bias
Applicant tracking systems are designed to streamline the initial screening process by automatically filtering resumes based on keywords and predefined criteria. However, these algorithms can introduce unintentional bias. For example, an ATS might reject a candidate because their previous job title doesn’t align with a specific industry term listed in the job description. Similarly, an ATS could overlook a candidate with a non-traditional career path, even if their skills and experience are a perfect match for the role. This unintended bias can significantly limit the talent pool and prevent qualified individuals from being considered for the position.
Soft skills mismatch
Traditional applications like resumes and cover letters often fail to capture a candidate’s soft skills, which are crucial for success in most workplaces. Soft skills encompass a range of interpersonal abilities, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving and work ethic.
These qualities are essential for building strong relationships with colleagues, adapting to change, and contributing positively to a company culture. However, resumes and cover letters typically focus on hard skills like technical expertise and prior job responsibilities. This focus leaves hiring managers with an incomplete picture of a candidate’s suitability for the role.
So, what can we do to bridge the matching misalignment?
Skill-based assessment
Instead of relying solely on resumes that are often overloaded with keywords, implement assessments that directly measure the specific skills relevant to the job. These assessments can take various forms, such as coding challenges for software developer roles or written tests that assess critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Behavioural interviewing
Train hiring managers to ask targeted questions that go beyond a candidate’s past job duties and delve into their problem-solving abilities, communication style, and potential cultural fit. Instead of asking generic questions like “Tell me about your experience,” focus on questions that uncover how a candidate would handle specific situations or challenges relevant to the role.
AI-powered matching, human-curated results
Leverage AI to streamline the initial screening process. AI can analyse resumes and applications based on predefined criteria and relevant skills, helping to identify qualified candidates who might otherwise be overlooked. However, it is crucial to integrate human expertise into the final selection process. Hiring managers with their industry knowledge and experience are best equipped to make the final decision, considering all aspects of a candidate’s suitability, including their resume, interview performance, and potential cultural fit. This combination of AI efficiency and human judgement ensures a more balanced evaluation and a better fit for the role.
At Adzuna we are prioritising better matching, and understand the importance of this issue for TAs. We know that for a long time the dominant players in the job search industry have defaulted to quantity rather than quality of applications – something we’re determined to put right. As our CEO, Doug explains “we know that as we bring more and more AI into our matching tech and tools, and focus on doing the right thing by the candidate, we expect to continue to be able to provide quality without overwhelming our clients like Indeed’s spam cannon!”
In fact, according to our clients, candidates from Adzuna are 25% more likely to pass screening than those from other top job ad platforms like Indeed and ZipRecruiter. We strongly believe for the industry as a whole it’s time to move beyond the firehose of unsuitable resumes and embrace a more nuanced approach to matching.
Read more: Future proofing your recruitment strategy