By 2026, automated résumé screening has become the norm. AI-powered ATS systems are no longer limited to keyword searches; they now take context and career logic into account. That is why it is important to understand the common mistakes that stop a résumé from passing the initial filter.
Anastasia Vintova, Head of Recruitment at Selecty:
Anastasia Vintova, Head of Recruitment at Selecty:
«We never use an automated system that rejects candidates, because we specialise in finding rare specialists. Every application is reviewed by a recruiter. However, a résumé may still fail to appear in the candidate pool the recruiter creates. This usually happens because the responsibilities are described too briefly and there are not enough relevant keywords».
The main reason résumés fail automated screening is their content and completeness. It is important to make sure that your key responsibilities and keywords match the job description. This helps the automated system recognise your experience correctly.
Anastasia Vintova, Head of Recruitment at Selecty:
Anastasia Vintova, Head of Recruitment at Selecty:
«For example, we may be looking for an engineer who writes design documentation and works with radio-electronic equipment. But the right résumé may not reach us if the applicant only says that they work as an engineer at a factory. Many candidates use vague phrases when describing their responsibilities and do not include keywords that reflect the specific nature of the work».
It is important to understand which keywords are relevant to your profession. One simple way to do that is to look at several job postings and identify the wording used in the requirements section.
Anastasia Vintova, Head of Recruitment at Selecty:
Anastasia Vintova, Head of Recruitment at Selecty:
«If you want to be considered for a role that involves preparing design documentation and working with a specific type of equipment, include that in your résumé. Employers will almost certainly use those same terms in their searches — for example, design documentation, DD, DDR, or work in accordance with GOST».
Before sending your résumé, make sure to check it for grammatical errors — a single misspelled word may stop AI from finding it.
Anastasia Vintova, Head of Recruitment at Selecty:
Anastasia Vintova, Head of Recruitment at Selecty:
«I do not see major risks in using AI. An experienced recruiter will always review the shortlist after the automated check. The main problem is that the résumé we need may never make it into the initial search results».