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Artificial intelligence is a technology with the power to permeate every element of daily life. It's already made a significant difference to many industries, and its use is revolutionising how we approach tasks. However, one area where AI is really making a splash is in the field of recruitment.
Machine learning is one of AI's many branches, and it's one of the most far-reaching. By using huge data sets and advanced algorithms, machine learning has enormous implications wherever it's used, and now that it's been introduced to job boards, it's changing the way that candidates approach job seeking.
When an applicant searches for a job, the machine learning algorithms can help them rapidly find the best adverts to suit their requirements and qualifications, saving them the hassle and time-consuming effort involved in wading through endless irrelevant positions.
However, there's another benefit that AI is bringing to the job seeking market - the ability to reach passive candidates - and it's this advantage that is set to change the way applicants find their next role.
A lot of companies and recruiters are missing out on highly qualified candidates who would be a perfect fit for their vacant roles because those candidates simply aren't seeking work when the vacancy arises. Nevertheless, many of those individuals would be keen to hear about an offer that presents them with something better than their current working arrangement.
Recent hiring statistics have shown that over 80% of workers would consider changing jobs if they were given an appealing offer, even if they weren't searching actively for a different position. (Stat from haiilo.com.)
These passive candidates aren't considered to be active jobseekers. However, they're still eager to find out about new potential opportunities. They're motivated by specific triggers, like a particular company, a favourable job location, or the right salary range.
Usually, these candidates are quite selective when it comes to choosing job seeking sources and don't routinely search for upcoming roles. These candidates, essentially, are opportunists, and while they may be only passive jobseekers, they'll grasp the perfect opportunity for them if they're offered it.
This is where AI can prove to be extremely beneficial. One area of machine learning, NLP (or Natural Language Processing), is especially helpful in this regard. It allows recruiters to find passive candidates who are perfect for their vacancies and then present them with opportunities that address their specific pain points.
NLP technology is useful in extracting data points from resumes and translating the data into groupings based around common themes. Furthermore, NLP is useful in identifying job titles then creating canonical versions of those titles for comparison, so jobseekers can be empowered with extra information about different roles. Overall, NLP has many key uses that operators and recruiters alike can tap into.
While AI offers a host of advantages for both jobseekers and employers, it can only work its magic for you as a candidate if you maximise the power of your own CV. When your CV is being screened by machines, it needs to be tweaked so that it will be noticed, pass the algorithms, and reach the recruiter's shortlist.
So, where do you begin when it comes to adapting your CV for the latest technological innovations?
The answer lies in choosing the right keywords to add into your online professional profile and CV. You need to choose words that are relevant to the roles you wish to apply for, and that means you need to do your research well.
The key to success is to look at different job descriptions for jobs that you'd be interested in applying for. Look at the words that crop up time and again such as specific job titles, responsibilities, and hard skills necessary to undertake the position effectively. For example, words like 'budget management', 'health and safety', 'governance', or 'financial reporting' could all be keywords to add into your own CV so that it gets noticed.
The next step is to consider the soft skills necessary for the job and scatter words relating to these throughout your resume. Words like 'communication', 'organisation', 'professionalism', 'time management', and 'adaptability' are all helpful additions when added to your CV to describe the achievements you've made.
Don't just leave it there, though. To achieve the best results, you need to link the keywords with some proof of your ability by combining keywords with verbs. As an example, rather than simply stating that you 'always reached your targets', it would be far more effective to write that you 'surpassed your targets by 20% during the first quarter of the year'.
One final tip is to ensure your resume has been written in an accepted format. While alternative styles may look interesting on paper, they may not contain all the essential content that algorithms are looking for, and that could mean your application, no matter how excellent, doesn't make it onto the shortlist.
Armed with this advice, it's time to spruce up your CV and make it AI-ready so that you can find the perfect role for you.
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