Author: April Ogden, Founder and CEO, It’s Your Outcome

Here’s what really happens to your résumé—and how to get past the filters.

 

You applied. You waited. Crickets.

 

You start to wonder—Am I invisible now?

In 2025, artificial intelligence isn’t just part of the hiring process—it is the hiring process. From résumé screening to interview scheduling, AI tools are now involved in nearly every step. That means the old “spray and pray” method? It’s not just outdated—it’s a guaranteed way to get filtered out before a human ever sees your name.

 

The Reality Right Now

📊 99% of hiring managers say they use AI tools to screen résumés and assess candidates

⚡ 98% say those tools have made hiring more efficient

🗂️ ATS systems are filtering out up to 88% of applicants automatically

(Source: Insight Global, Select Software Reviews)

 

So What Does That Mean for You?

If your résumé isn’t aligned with the keywords, structure, or job requirements the AI is trained to look for—
it’s getting tossed before a recruiter ever opens it.

This is one of the biggest frustrations I hear from my clients:

“I know I’m qualified. I just can’t seem to get past the first step.”

You’re not the problem.

The system is.

 

But there’s a way around it—and it starts with changing how you apply.

Most people I speak with are confident they meet or exceed the job’s minimum qualifications.

They check all the boxes. They’ve done the work.

But when I bring up how AI is screening their résumé long before a recruiter ever looks at it, they pause.

They’ve never thought about it that way.

And that’s where the disconnect happens.

Because the job isn’t always going to the best candidate—it’s often going to the best-formatted résumé for the bot.

 

A Quick Example

One of my clients had decades of leadership experience. Sharp résumé. Great track record. But she kept getting ghosted after applying to roles she was perfect for.

We revised her résumé—not by making it “prettier,” but by making it machine-readable.

We included specific keywords from each job posting.

We stripped out formatting the bots couldn’t read.

And we focused on relevant skills over vague titles.

Two weeks later, she was interviewing with three companies.

 

3 Things the Bots Are Looking For

🔑 Keywords from the job description

If it says “stakeholder management,” and your résumé says “client coordination,” that mismatch could cost you.

📌 Simple formatting

No graphics. No text boxes. No tables. If it can’t be parsed, it won’t be passed through.

🧩 Relevant, recent experience

AI systems rank recency. If your most recent role doesn’t reflect the job title you’re applying for, you need to bridge that gap in language.

 

But Wait—What About Bias?

Here’s what doesn’t get talked about enough:

Even AI can carry bias.

Some tools are designed to screen out risk—but end up screening out qualified people based on invisible criteria like gaps in employment, nontraditional experience, or even age-coded language.

One client told me,

“I’ve done the work. I know I’m capable. But something is pushing me out—and I can’t even see what it is.”

That’s the hidden harm of algorithmic decision-making.

It’s not always intentional. But it’s still impacting real people every day.

(Source: Science News Explores)

 

What You Can Do

🛠️ Customize every résumé

Yes, it takes more time. But using one résumé for every job in 2025? It’s a fast track to the rejection pile.

🔍 Use the job description as your blueprint

Highlight the exact words they’re using—AI is literally scanning for them.

📄 Keep it clean and human-readable

What gets through the bot also needs to impress the human. Make sure it reads smoothly once it makes it past the gatekeeper.

 

Bottom Line

Your résumé doesn’t just need to look good.

It needs to be readable by a robot and compelling to a human.

That’s the new bar in 2025.

And if you’re not getting interviews, it doesn’t mean you’re not qualified.

It might just mean your résumé never made it past the algorithm.

 

Coming Next

You think you’re sitting across from a human in your interview—but what if the AI is listening too?

Next, we’re breaking down how AI is reshaping interviews—from the tone of your voice to the timing of your answers, and even the assessments you’re asked to complete.

🔔 Subscribe now so you don’t miss it.

 

While You Wait

If your job search has stalled, start here:

📖 How to Job Hunt in a Tough Economy

It’s packed with smart, practical strategies for navigating the market in 2025—especially when the odds feel stacked against you.

 

Final Thought

If this helped you, subscribe for more real talk on job searching, résumés, and career success—especially for professionals navigating midlife reinvention.

Have a question about how AI is affecting your job search?

💬 Hit reply to this email or leave a comment below—I may answer it in an upcoming post.

 

Written by April Ogden, Executive Career Consultant and Founder of It’s Your Outcome.

I help mid-career professionals find clarity, confidence, and career success—on their terms.

 

Someone you know is struggling with invisible hiring walls. Forward this to them—it might be the breakthrough they need.