How to Automate Resume Screening with AI

Step-by-step guide

1. 1

   Define scoring criteria

   List 5-8 weighted criteria from the job description (skills, experience, education).

   Tool: Spreadsheet

   💡 Get hiring manager sign-off before screening — saves rework.

2. 2

   Parse resumes to structured data

   Use AI to extract education, experience, skills, and tenure from PDF/Word resumes.

   Tool: Claude API

   💡 Claude beats traditional resume parsers on unusual layouts.

3. 3

   Score against rubric

   AI scores each resume 1-100 against the criteria with reasoning per criterion.

   Tool: Claude API

   💡 Always require AI to cite the resume text it used for scoring.

4. 4

   Generate shortlist

   Filter to the top 10-15% and present with score breakdowns to recruiters.

   Tool: Greenhouse

   💡 Never go below 70 score — quality drops fast.

5. 5

   Audit for bias

   Spot-check rejected resumes and compare demographic outcomes to ensure fairness.

   Tool: Manual review

   💡 NYC AEDT law requires annual bias audits — bake them in.

Common pitfalls to avoid