Crafting a resume that cuts through the “blackhole” of AI filtering systems

Amid the toughest entry-level job market conditions in decades and sweeping layoffs across the media landscape, the Society for the Advancement of Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) convened a virtual panel on April 22 to address how early-career and recently laid-off reporters can make their resumes stand out.  

With the rise of artificial intelligence-driven screening of applicants, having a machine-readable resume and an active LinkedIn profile are only parts of the equation to get a job, the featured experts explained. Now more than ever, the candidates who cut through the noise are able to leverage human-to-human networking, translate past experiences into relevant skills and treat their target company like a reporting project. 

Bloomberg’s news team lead, Sarah Babbage, author of the investigative book “The Algorithm” Hilke Schellman and the CEO of a New York City-based staffing firm Ariel Schur served as panelists. Kayla Webster, a staff editor at Inc. Magazine’s “Workplace” section, moderated. 

Marketing previous experiences as transferable skills

The panelists explained several strategies for applicants trying to translate their previous experiences as relevant skills on a resume. 

Babbage advised focusing on selling your core reporting skills as a journalist, whether that’s cultivating sources, churning out breaking news or driving impactful investigations. 

“It is kind of about figuring out what your skills are as a reporter, what really differentiates you and then also what they’re looking for in that position,” she explained. 

Instead of listing duties at previous roles in your resume, Schellman recommended using active verbs and quantitative results to describe your achievements. 

“Don’t just say ‘I left this team’, like ‘I found this problem, I solved it this way, and I saved five million dollars’,” Schellman said. “A lot of companies also now look more for more skills instead of your background.” 

Schur, whose firm ABS Staffing Solutions helps professionals find work and companies recruit talent, emphasized using the job description’s key words in your resume and customizing it to every role you’re applying for.

“Little tweaks can really make a huge difference, especially in just getting through that first round,” Schur noted. 

This tailoring process includes articulating exactly how your skills and experience fit into the company’s needs rather than hoping the hiring manager will connect the dots on their own. Babbage mentioned concise cover letters as a possible way to show that alignment.

“They can be helpful, especially for somebody who needs to kind of articulate why they’re a good candidate for the job if they’re not just a really obvious shoo-in,” she said. 

Treating a job like a reporting or research project is how Schellman approached finding work. This means researching and reverse-engineering the career trajectory of someone in your target role and coming prepared with ideas for the companies you want to work for.

“I research my way into a new job, in a way,” she explained. 

The power of referrals and “low lift” requests

But there’s more to landing a job than optimizing the wording on a resume.

Schellman, who wrote a book about how companies secretly use AI systems to make hiring and firing decisions, highlighted that those companies are now placing more value on employee referrals rather than solely depending on automated systems. This is a way to verify that they’re dealing with humans rather than avatars applying for jobs.

“AI cannot meet people in the real world and convince them that you’re a good candidate,” Schellman observed, noting that being a referral now helps a candidate skip the automated resume screening round of the interview and go straight into the second round.

Cultivating the relationships that can lead to referrals, as well as networking in general, can be a “big differentiator” in hiring between two equally qualified candidates, according to Schur. 

“It can pay off, and it shows,” she emphasized. “Doing your due diligence is important.” 

The panelists also shared strategies to start building those career connections. Babbage suggested reaching out to current employees to grab a coffee and chat about workplace culture and other facets of the company that intrigue you. 

“[Reaching out] is a really good way to kind of figure out what you’re looking for but also to start building connections who could get you jobs in the future,” Babbage said. She explained that nurturing this “talent pipeline” is part of her responsibilities as a manager and she’s “always happy to chat” with potential Bloomberg applicants. 

“Maybe you’re gonna meet people who aren’t necessarily the hiring manager, but when you’re going to apply for a job down the road, there’s somebody who could put in a good word for you,” Babbage added. 

While there’s an instinct in new graduates or early-career reporters to reach out to top professionals for networking, Schellman encouraged applicants to leverage their existing connections to peers and university career advising offices and ask for 10-minute chats or send five targeted questions.

“I think that is a much easier lift for folks,” she said. 

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