Sending a job application into the digital cloud can batter the best of resumes, a dilemma that one startup hopes to resolve.
With so many job seekers on the hunt, employers are resorting to applicant tracking systems (ATSs) that automate the resume screening process, explains Mona Abdel-Halim, co-founder. Some applications use semantic technology to rank candidates based on the relevance of their experience. Careerimp's platform,
Resunate, applies "Semantic Intelligence" by matching job experiences against job descriptions to create a smarter resume.
"The sad truth is that when most people submit their resume, they don't know what the person on the other side is looking at," she explains. "It's parsed into a database and sometimes the content isn't extracted properly. And that can be the end of it."
Careerimp was started by Mona Abdel-Halim, Ayan Kishore and Paul Sutcliffe who met during grad school at CMU. An AlphaLab and Project Olympus company, the firm has been working in beta for the last year and recently hired two, bringing the StartupTown office to six plus an intern.
While other resume builders use basic design and formatting templates, Resunate works by identifying which aspects of a candidate's work history are most relevant and formats that information into its signature "Templates That Matter." The tool is primarily free to job seekers.
With a couple clicks, a seeker's entire work history goes into a private (and secure) profile. Resume content can be edited on the "Profile Details" page and tweaked on the "Resume Canvas." Different jobs are vetted differently for each employer. There are tips and tutorials for improving content.
When you import your resume, two main things happen, says Abdel-Halim. First, Resunate ranks your job experience based on information that employers are seeking. Secondly, it eliminates potential formatting problems. The final resume is in PDF.
It's unfortunate that while employers are spending loads of money on technology to search and scan candidates, very little is being spent to prepare those looking for jobs, she adds.
"There's a disconnect. People feel like they're submitting their resumes into a black hole. Employers often don't find candidates with the skills that they need. We allow you to create a more relevant resume for each job."
Writer:
Deb SmitSource: Mona Abdel-Halim, CareerImp