Of course, that's exactly why it eventually became standard for every aspiring rookie developer to have a blog; and eventually these just turned into straight-up programming TIL blogs as more and more people who weren't ever tech hobbyists entered the field. The signal quality diminished, and in the modern world of ML-assisted ATS resume screening it may not even be a signal at all.
Basically, "building a brand" as a certain kind of technologist had value when relatively few people were doing it. Now I think its very fair to question as a tool for getting hired.
Anybody who writes because they like writing should certainly continue to do so!"},"story_title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"Ask HN: Is maintaining a personal blog still worth it?"}},"_tags":["comment","author_sethhochberg","story_42685534"],"author":"sethhochberg","comment_text":"I do think there was a distinct period 10-15 years ago where, particularly when trying to break into the startup scene as a rookie developer coming from a non-CS education background, the blog was a useful place to write about technology just to show you were actually connected to "the scene" somehow even though you had limited professional experience. Somewhere out there I still have a neglected personal blog with posts from those days where I was hacking open source firmware onto a WiMAX receiver so I could use it as a router, sharing source for some audio processing effects plugins I wrote in college courses, things like that... cool stuff for a college kid, but not what I spend time doing now years into my career. At this point my credibility is from my professional work.
Of course, that's exactly why it eventually became standard for every aspiring rookie developer to have a blog; and eventually these just turned into straight-up programming TIL blogs as more and more people who weren't ever tech hobbyists entered the field. The signal quality diminished, and in the modern world of ML-assisted ATS resume screening it may not even be a signal at all.
Basically, "building a brand" as a certain kind of technologist had value when relatively few people were doing it. Now I think its very fair to question as a tool for getting hired.
Anybody who writes because they like writing should certainly continue to do so!","created_at":"2025-01-13T18:23:16Z","created_at_i":1736792596,"objectID":"42686674","parent_id":42686184,"story_id":42685534,"story_title":"Ask HN: Is maintaining a personal blog still worth it?","updated_at":"2025-01-13T18:26:51Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"FirmwareBurner"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"> all advertising is fake nowadays, so it is hard to compete while being honest. Can't blame them.
Not just advertising but most things that are done online, like dating or job applications. You might be the only job candidate with an honest profile, but if the other candidates have fake inflated their profiles to stand out more, then your resume won't pass the ATS screening because the overabundance of inflated resumes raise the bar even for the honest ones.
Competing in the online attention economy is hell. It's like being in rock concert and trying to attract the attention of the bass player from the middle of the crowd. It devolves into a constant numbers-game arms race between those doing the screening and those seeking the attention, while those refusing to take part in it or are playing honestly by the rules, end up loosing the most."},"story_title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"AI-generated 'poverty porn' fake images being used by aid agencies"},"story_url":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/oct/20/ai-generated-poverty-porn-fake-images-being-used-by-aid-agencies"}},"_tags":["comment","author_FirmwareBurner","story_45643040"],"author":"FirmwareBurner","comment_text":"> all advertising is fake nowadays, so it is hard to compete while being honest. Can't blame them.
Not just advertising but most things that are done online, like dating or job applications. You might be the only job candidate with an honest profile, but if the other candidates have fake inflated their profiles to stand out more, then your resume won't pass the ATS screening because the overabundance of inflated resumes raise the bar even for the honest ones.
Competing in the online attention economy is hell. It's like being in rock concert and trying to attract the attention of the bass player from the middle of the crowd. It devolves into a constant numbers-game arms race between those doing the screening and those seeking the attention, while those refusing to take part in it or are playing honestly by the rules, end up loosing the most.","created_at":"2025-10-20T13:18:59Z","created_at_i":1760966339,"objectID":"45643571","parent_id":45643525,"story_id":45643040,"story_title":"AI-generated 'poverty porn' fake images being used by aid agencies","story_url":"https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/oct/20/ai-generated-poverty-porn-fake-images-being-used-by-aid-agencies","updated_at":"2026-03-05T22:51:02Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"guillegette"},"story_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Hi, we are Federico, Ignacio, and Guillermo, co-founders of Brainner (https://www.brainner.ai), an AI-powered resume screening tool that helps Talent Acquisition Professionals save up to 90% on initial screening tasks.
We\u2019ve observed that job applications have increased dramatically in recent years, with some positions attracting between 200 to 1,000 candidates.
In January, we launched our MVP on Product Hunt, where it was featured as one of the products of the day. This initial success helped us gain traction and attract our first users. Initially, we aimed to build a brand-new AI ATS, but soon realized the challenge of convincing companies to switch from their existing software. So, we pivoted to making Brainner the best resume screening integration for top ATS platforms.
We forged partnerships with leading ATS providers (e.g., Lever, Ashby), enabling us to launch our product on their marketplaces and onboard our first integration users. Their feedback was invaluable in refining Brainner into one of the most seamless ATS integrations for resume screening. This progress has led us to share our journey on Hacker News.
Rather than just showcasing our product, we\u2019d like to share our methodological approach to AI resume screening. Our goal was to design a process that maximizes efficiency while ensuring fairness for applicants. We achieved efficiency by integrating with top ATS platforms and leveraging AI to selectively automate tasks that typically require manual effort, but only in cases where bias would not be introduced. To ensure fairness, we maintain human oversight at the beginning (for input definition and calibration) and at the end of the process (providing tools for fair decision-making).
We\u2019d love to hear your feedback about our approach and any suggestions for improvement that you have.
If you like our approach, we would love to meet the Talent Acquisition Director/Manager of your company to give them a demo of our product. They can schedule it using the following link: https://www.brainner.ai/demo"},"title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume","screening"],"value":"Show HN: AI resume screening tool that maximizes efficiency and ensures fairness"},"url":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume","screening"],"value":"https://www.brainner.ai/blog/article/the-fairest-approach-to-resume-screening-with-ai"}},"_tags":["story","author_guillegette","story_41110192","show_hn"],"author":"guillegette","created_at":"2024-07-30T15:36:56Z","created_at_i":1722353816,"num_comments":0,"objectID":"41110192","points":2,"story_id":41110192,"story_text":"Hi, we are Federico, Ignacio, and Guillermo, co-founders of Brainner (https://www.brainner.ai), an AI-powered resume screening tool that helps Talent Acquisition Professionals save up to 90% on initial screening tasks.
We\u2019ve observed that job applications have increased dramatically in recent years, with some positions attracting between 200 to 1,000 candidates.
In January, we launched our MVP on Product Hunt, where it was featured as one of the products of the day. This initial success helped us gain traction and attract our first users. Initially, we aimed to build a brand-new AI ATS, but soon realized the challenge of convincing companies to switch from their existing software. So, we pivoted to making Brainner the best resume screening integration for top ATS platforms.
We forged partnerships with leading ATS providers (e.g., Lever, Ashby), enabling us to launch our product on their marketplaces and onboard our first integration users. Their feedback was invaluable in refining Brainner into one of the most seamless ATS integrations for resume screening. This progress has led us to share our journey on Hacker News.
Rather than just showcasing our product, we\u2019d like to share our methodological approach to AI resume screening. Our goal was to design a process that maximizes efficiency while ensuring fairness for applicants. We achieved efficiency by integrating with top ATS platforms and leveraging AI to selectively automate tasks that typically require manual effort, but only in cases where bias would not be introduced. To ensure fairness, we maintain human oversight at the beginning (for input definition and calibration) and at the end of the process (providing tools for fair decision-making).
We\u2019d love to hear your feedback about our approach and any suggestions for improvement that you have.
If you like our approach, we would love to meet the Talent Acquisition Director/Manager of your company to give them a demo of our product. They can schedule it using the following link: https://www.brainner.ai/demo","title":"Show HN: AI resume screening tool that maximizes efficiency and ensures fairness","updated_at":"2024-09-20T17:30:25Z","url":"https://www.brainner.ai/blog/article/the-fairest-approach-to-resume-screening-with-ai"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"ShamilDibirov"},"story_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Hi HN,
I\u2019m a solo founder building vkncy.com \u2013 an AI-powered ATS that does resume screening and phone interviews, and ranks candidates on an ELO-style leaderboard.
I\u2019m looking for 2\u20133 early users (startup founders or hiring managers) to go through the full flow with me. I\u2019ll personally onboard you and set everything up.
What makes it different:\n- Resume Screening AI: Instead of basic keyword matching, vkncy compares every new applicant to previous ones using an ELO-style ranking system. In result it gives you a live leaderboard of top candidates, constantly evolving.\n- Phone Interviews: The AI calls applicants with your custom questions, records & transcribes answers.
What\u2019s the deal?\n- 1 job post \n- Unlimited resume screening \n- 1 free AI phone screen
If you're hiring or curious about AI for recruitment, I\u2019d love to get your feedback.
Contact:\n- Email: shamil@vkncy.com \n- Telegram: @shamildibirov
Thanks for reading!=)"},"title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"Show HN: ELO leaderboard for applicants \u2013 AI ranks CVs and does phone screens"},"url":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"https://vkncy.com"}},"_tags":["story","author_ShamilDibirov","story_44498963","show_hn"],"author":"ShamilDibirov","children":[44499287],"created_at":"2025-07-08T11:18:12Z","created_at_i":1751973492,"num_comments":1,"objectID":"44498963","points":1,"story_id":44498963,"story_text":"Hi HN,
I\u2019m a solo founder building vkncy.com \u2013 an AI-powered ATS that does resume screening and phone interviews, and ranks candidates on an ELO-style leaderboard.
I\u2019m looking for 2\u20133 early users (startup founders or hiring managers) to go through the full flow with me. I\u2019ll personally onboard you and set everything up.
What makes it different:\n- Resume Screening AI: Instead of basic keyword matching, vkncy compares every new applicant to previous ones using an ELO-style ranking system. In result it gives you a live leaderboard of top candidates, constantly evolving.\n- Phone Interviews: The AI calls applicants with your custom questions, records & transcribes answers.
What\u2019s the deal?\n- 1 job post \n- Unlimited resume screening \n- 1 free AI phone screen
If you're hiring or curious about AI for recruitment, I\u2019d love to get your feedback.
Contact:\n- Email: shamil@vkncy.com \n- Telegram: @shamildibirov
Thanks for reading!=)","title":"Show HN: ELO leaderboard for applicants \u2013 AI ranks CVs and does phone screens","updated_at":"2025-07-08T12:20:16Z","url":"https://vkncy.com"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"mokahr"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Hiring is one of the most critical processes for any company, and AI is rapidly transforming how organizations find and evaluate talent. Many companies now use AI-powered Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to:
Automate resume screening: NLP models analyze resumes and rank candidates.\nConduct AI-driven interviews: Tools like HireVue use facial recognition and voice analysis to assess candidates.\nOptimize job descriptions: AI generates job postings that attract the right candidates.\nPredict candidate success: Machine learning models forecast job performance based on historical hiring data.\n Sounds great, but does AI really improve hiring?
Bias & Ethics: AI models trained on biased data can reinforce discrimination. Amazon famously scrapped its AI hiring tool for penalizing female candidates.\n Candidate Experience: Many applicants dislike AI-driven hiring, especially automated interviews and opaque screening criteria.\n Accuracy & Trust: Can AI truly predict a candidate's future performance better than experienced recruiters?
What do you think? Have you used AI-driven hiring tools? Do you trust AI to make better hiring decisions than humans?
(If you're interested, we at MokaHR have been working on AI-powered hiring solutions. Happy to share insights!)"},"story_title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"[dead]"}},"_tags":["comment","author_mokahr","story_43264501"],"author":"mokahr","comment_text":"Hiring is one of the most critical processes for any company, and AI is rapidly transforming how organizations find and evaluate talent. Many companies now use AI-powered Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to:
Automate resume screening: NLP models analyze resumes and rank candidates.\nConduct AI-driven interviews: Tools like HireVue use facial recognition and voice analysis to assess candidates.\nOptimize job descriptions: AI generates job postings that attract the right candidates.\nPredict candidate success: Machine learning models forecast job performance based on historical hiring data.\n Sounds great, but does AI really improve hiring?
Bias & Ethics: AI models trained on biased data can reinforce discrimination. Amazon famously scrapped its AI hiring tool for penalizing female candidates.\n Candidate Experience: Many applicants dislike AI-driven hiring, especially automated interviews and opaque screening criteria.\n Accuracy & Trust: Can AI truly predict a candidate's future performance better than experienced recruiters?
What do you think? Have you used AI-driven hiring tools? Do you trust AI to make better hiring decisions than humans?
(If you're interested, we at MokaHR have been working on AI-powered hiring solutions. Happy to share insights!)","created_at":"2025-03-05T09:05:40Z","created_at_i":1741165540,"objectID":"43264502","parent_id":43264501,"story_id":43264501,"story_title":"[dead]","updated_at":"2025-03-05T09:09:17Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"dahuangf"},"story_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Hi HN! I built PDF Resume AI (https://pdfresumeai.online/) to help job seekers optimize their resumes for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).\nThe tool analyzes your PDF resume and suggests improvements to increase your chances of passing ATS screening - things like keyword optimization, format adjustments, and content restructuring based on job descriptions.\nKey features:
Upload PDF resume and get instant AI analysis\nATS compatibility scoring\nKeyword optimization suggestions\nFormat and structure recommendations\nNo signup required - just upload and get feedback
I created this after seeing too many qualified candidates get filtered out by ATS before human reviewers even see their resumes. The AI analyzes common ATS pain points and provides actionable suggestions.\nYou can try it out directly at the link above. I'd love to hear your feedback on the analysis quality and any features you think would be useful!"},"title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume","ats"],"value":"Show HN: PDF Resume AI \u2013 AI-powered resume optimizer to beat ATS systems"},"url":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"https://pdfresumeai.online/"}},"_tags":["story","author_dahuangf","story_44547306","show_hn"],"author":"dahuangf","created_at":"2025-07-13T03:44:06Z","created_at_i":1752378246,"num_comments":0,"objectID":"44547306","points":2,"story_id":44547306,"story_text":"Hi HN! I built PDF Resume AI (https://pdfresumeai.online/) to help job seekers optimize their resumes for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).\nThe tool analyzes your PDF resume and suggests improvements to increase your chances of passing ATS screening - things like keyword optimization, format adjustments, and content restructuring based on job descriptions.\nKey features:
Upload PDF resume and get instant AI analysis\nATS compatibility scoring\nKeyword optimization suggestions\nFormat and structure recommendations\nNo signup required - just upload and get feedback
I created this after seeing too many qualified candidates get filtered out by ATS before human reviewers even see their resumes. The AI analyzes common ATS pain points and provides actionable suggestions.\nYou can try it out directly at the link above. I'd love to hear your feedback on the analysis quality and any features you think would be useful!","title":"Show HN: PDF Resume AI \u2013 AI-powered resume optimizer to beat ATS systems","updated_at":"2025-07-13T19:21:34Z","url":"https://pdfresumeai.online/"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"code_bytes"},"story_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"I've been a software developer for over 15 years, and despite having relevant skills (Python, JavaScript, Rust etc) and solid startup experience, I'm struggling to land interviews. I'm concerned my experience is being perceived as a liability rather than an asset.
My resume is ATS-friendly, but I'm still not getting past the initial screening stage.
Has anyone else experienced this? How did you overcome it?
PS: I am not looking to pivot to management role or change careers"},"title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"Ask HN: Senior Dev (15 YOE) Struggling to Land Interviews Despite Current Skills"}},"_tags":["story","author_code_bytes","story_43540701","ask_hn"],"author":"code_bytes","children":[43540726,43540934,43541059],"created_at":"2025-03-31T22:36:25Z","created_at_i":1743460585,"num_comments":7,"objectID":"43540701","points":4,"story_id":43540701,"story_text":"I've been a software developer for over 15 years, and despite having relevant skills (Python, JavaScript, Rust etc) and solid startup experience, I'm struggling to land interviews. I'm concerned my experience is being perceived as a liability rather than an asset.
My resume is ATS-friendly, but I'm still not getting past the initial screening stage.
Has anyone else experienced this? How did you overcome it?
PS: I am not looking to pivot to management role or change careers","title":"Ask HN: Senior Dev (15 YOE) Struggling to Land Interviews Despite Current Skills","updated_at":"2025-04-01T10:24:50Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"lturner21"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"I think you have great information in here! However as far as layout, I think it could be improved. Maybe try one of these free resume templates: http://free.jobscan.co/20-best-ats-resume-examples-in-2015/ I always recommend them because they are "ATS (Applicant Tracking System) Friendly" or compatible which means they are easily read by the screening systems 90% of companies use to weed out applicants!"},"story_title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"Ask HN: Could you critique my resume?"},"story_url":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":""}},"_tags":["comment","author_lturner21","story_9708808"],"author":"lturner21","comment_text":"I think you have great information in here! However as far as layout, I think it could be improved. Maybe try one of these free resume templates: http://free.jobscan.co/20-best-ats-resume-examples-in-2015/ I always recommend them because they are "ATS (Applicant Tracking System) Friendly" or compatible which means they are easily read by the screening systems 90% of companies use to weed out applicants!","created_at":"2015-06-17T00:58:30Z","created_at_i":1434502710,"objectID":"9729577","parent_id":9708808,"points":null,"story_id":9708808,"story_title":"Ask HN: Could you critique my resume?","story_url":"","updated_at":"2023-09-07T02:59:25Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"javier_yc_new"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Hey HN \u2014 I\u2019m Javier, founder of Self.
Self turns an existing CV into an editable personal website. You upload your resume, and we use AI to map and extract the information into a structured, ready-to-use page in under a minute.
I built Self because while PDFs are still useful for applications and ATS screening, they\u2019re not great for showcasing projects, links, and context. In a competitive job market, having a polished online presence can make a big difference.
The generated page is fully editable, and users review everything before publishing. You can also make changes later, and each page is ready to share with professional-looking preview cards.
Creating and publishing is completely free. The Pro subscription is for users who want more control over their personal brand, with features like custom domains, analytics, and SEO settings. The analytics help you understand if someone viewed your page and how much of it they read.
I\u2019d especially appreciate feedback on the CV import accuracy, how useful the generated pages are compared to tools like LinkedIn or Carrd (or Canva, where you have to design everything yourself), and what privacy information you\u2019d expect to see before uploading a CV.
Cheers!"},"story_title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"Turn an existing CV into a personal website in under a minute"},"story_url":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"https://self.cv/en/blog/why-we-built-self"}},"_tags":["comment","author_javier_yc_new","story_48945427"],"author":"javier_yc_new","comment_text":"Hey HN \u2014 I\u2019m Javier, founder of Self.
Self turns an existing CV into an editable personal website. You upload your resume, and we use AI to map and extract the information into a structured, ready-to-use page in under a minute.
I built Self because while PDFs are still useful for applications and ATS screening, they\u2019re not great for showcasing projects, links, and context. In a competitive job market, having a polished online presence can make a big difference.
The generated page is fully editable, and users review everything before publishing. You can also make changes later, and each page is ready to share with professional-looking preview cards.
Creating and publishing is completely free. The Pro subscription is for users who want more control over their personal brand, with features like custom domains, analytics, and SEO settings. The analytics help you understand if someone viewed your page and how much of it they read.
I\u2019d especially appreciate feedback on the CV import accuracy, how useful the generated pages are compared to tools like LinkedIn or Carrd (or Canva, where you have to design everything yourself), and what privacy information you\u2019d expect to see before uploading a CV.
Cheers!","created_at":"2026-07-17T10:09:19Z","created_at_i":1784282959,"objectID":"48945428","parent_id":48945427,"story_id":48945427,"story_title":"Turn an existing CV into a personal website in under a minute","story_url":"https://self.cv/en/blog/why-we-built-self","updated_at":"2026-07-17T11:28:41Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"FrankyWoberry"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Every job seeker knows the pain: you hit \u201csubmit\u201d and then\u2026 crickets. Most of the time it\u2019s not your experience, it\u2019s the bots filtering you out first.
Why Most Resumes Never Get Seen
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by ~98% of Fortune 500 companies to screen resumes before a human ever reads them. If your resume isn\u2019t ATS-friendly, it may be rejected in ~6 seconds before it reaches a recruiter.
Common ATS blockers include:
Complex layouts with tables or columns
Headers/footers hiding contact info
Images, graphics, or icons
Missing job-specific keywords
Non-standard section headings\nThese might look great visually but bots can\u2019t parse them.
What the Free ATS Resume Checker Does
This tool simulates what real ATS software sees and gives you actionable feedback in under 30 seconds with no signup required.
Key Features
Instant ATS Compatibility Scoring\nGet a 0\u2013100 score showing how likely your resume is to pass automated screening.
Formatting & File Checks\nTests fonts, spacing, file type (PDF, DOCX), and detects elements that confuse ATS.
Keyword Analysis\nIdentifies missing keywords based on job titles and descriptions so you can optimize your resume content.
Actionable Fixes\nSee exactly what and how to fix issues not just a vague score.
Real Results from Job Seekers
Users report dramatic improvements after ATS optimization:
Average ATS score increased from ~50% to ~90%+ after fixes.
More interview invitations within weeks of applying optimized resumes.
\u201cMy resume was invisible to ATS before. Now recruiters actually see it.\u201d \u2014 User review
Why It Actually Helps
You don\u2019t need to reinvent your resume \u2014 you need to format it so machines can read it. This free checker focuses on:
ATS parsing compatibility (structure + text extraction)
Keyword matching with real job descriptions
File type review (text-based PDF or DOCX is preferred)
Layout issues that kill ATS parsing\n\u2026and delivers concrete fixes, not just a score.
Quick Resume Optimization Tips
Even without a checker:
Use a single-column layout
Stick to standard section headers (e.g., Work Experience, Skills)
Avoid graphics, tables, text boxes
Include keywords from the job description
Save as .docx or clean PDF\nThese simple tweaks dramatically boost parseability.
Try It Today
If your applications are getting ignored, the problem might be what bots see \u2014 not recruiters. Test your resume now, get instant feedback, and fix issues that actually matter.
Check your resume\u2019s ATS compatibility, free, instant, no signup."},"story_title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"[dead]"}},"_tags":["comment","author_FrankyWoberry","story_46402929"],"author":"FrankyWoberry","comment_text":"Every job seeker knows the pain: you hit \u201csubmit\u201d and then\u2026 crickets. Most of the time it\u2019s not your experience, it\u2019s the bots filtering you out first.
Why Most Resumes Never Get Seen
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by ~98% of Fortune 500 companies to screen resumes before a human ever reads them. If your resume isn\u2019t ATS-friendly, it may be rejected in ~6 seconds before it reaches a recruiter.
Common ATS blockers include:
Complex layouts with tables or columns
Headers/footers hiding contact info
Images, graphics, or icons
Missing job-specific keywords
Non-standard section headings\nThese might look great visually but bots can\u2019t parse them.
What the Free ATS Resume Checker Does
This tool simulates what real ATS software sees and gives you actionable feedback in under 30 seconds with no signup required.
Key Features
Instant ATS Compatibility Scoring\nGet a 0\u2013100 score showing how likely your resume is to pass automated screening.
Formatting & File Checks\nTests fonts, spacing, file type (PDF, DOCX), and detects elements that confuse ATS.
Keyword Analysis\nIdentifies missing keywords based on job titles and descriptions so you can optimize your resume content.
Actionable Fixes\nSee exactly what and how to fix issues not just a vague score.
Real Results from Job Seekers
Users report dramatic improvements after ATS optimization:
Average ATS score increased from ~50% to ~90%+ after fixes.
More interview invitations within weeks of applying optimized resumes.
\u201cMy resume was invisible to ATS before. Now recruiters actually see it.\u201d \u2014 User review
Why It Actually Helps
You don\u2019t need to reinvent your resume \u2014 you need to format it so machines can read it. This free checker focuses on:
ATS parsing compatibility (structure + text extraction)
Keyword matching with real job descriptions
File type review (text-based PDF or DOCX is preferred)
Layout issues that kill ATS parsing\n\u2026and delivers concrete fixes, not just a score.
Quick Resume Optimization Tips
Even without a checker:
Use a single-column layout
Stick to standard section headers (e.g., Work Experience, Skills)
Avoid graphics, tables, text boxes
Include keywords from the job description
Save as .docx or clean PDF\nThese simple tweaks dramatically boost parseability.
Try It Today
If your applications are getting ignored, the problem might be what bots see \u2014 not recruiters. Test your resume now, get instant feedback, and fix issues that actually matter.
Check your resume\u2019s ATS compatibility, free, instant, no signup.","created_at":"2025-12-27T16:32:07Z","created_at_i":1766853127,"objectID":"46402930","parent_id":46402929,"story_id":46402929,"story_title":"[dead]","updated_at":"2026-03-05T23:13:56Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"mdaniel"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"I like that and wish that was the new resume practice since I'd bet someone could get a lot more signal from hearing me talk about why I'd be a good fit rather than ATS screening my PDF out
The bad news is that I bet listening to 50+ video pitches is more exhausting than reading 50+ PDFs"},"story_title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"Ask HN: Handling Two Identical Resumes?"}},"_tags":["comment","author_mdaniel","story_42475273"],"author":"mdaniel","comment_text":"I like that and wish that was the new resume practice since I'd bet someone could get a lot more signal from hearing me talk about why I'd be a good fit rather than ATS screening my PDF out
The bad news is that I bet listening to 50+ video pitches is more exhausting than reading 50+ PDFs","created_at":"2024-12-21T02:57:03Z","created_at_i":1734749823,"objectID":"42477196","parent_id":42475779,"story_id":42475273,"story_title":"Ask HN: Handling Two Identical Resumes?","updated_at":"2024-12-21T03:02:20Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"caseyy"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Well, you should see the link :) Having ATS-based screening or research-based screening would be fantastic. But this is a thin wrapper on an LLM.
I build AI products in a known company and experiment on my own time. It is really easy to build a product like this without aligning it to solid research or recruiter ATSs. I know the value of this alignment because part of my job is interviewing candidates for my team. Easy isn\u2019t bad, of course.
The tool above is undercooked. It\u2019s a very cool week-long project or a nice back burner one. I have nothing against that, good on GP for building it.
My point was that the presentation and pricing was a bit aggrandizing. Given what the project is, which is indeed similar to running a query with ChatGPT on a resume as it mainly does structured prompting, it has a better shot at being a $1 product. For more, it needs some of the things you and I mentioned."},"story_title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"Show HN: We created a way for you to review your resume using AI"},"story_url":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"https://blog.chapteroneai.com/b/resume-reviews-our-first-product"}},"_tags":["comment","author_caseyy","story_40006939"],"author":"caseyy","comment_text":"Well, you should see the link :) Having ATS-based screening or research-based screening would be fantastic. But this is a thin wrapper on an LLM.
I build AI products in a known company and experiment on my own time. It is really easy to build a product like this without aligning it to solid research or recruiter ATSs. I know the value of this alignment because part of my job is interviewing candidates for my team. Easy isn\u2019t bad, of course.
The tool above is undercooked. It\u2019s a very cool week-long project or a nice back burner one. I have nothing against that, good on GP for building it.
My point was that the presentation and pricing was a bit aggrandizing. Given what the project is, which is indeed similar to running a query with ChatGPT on a resume as it mainly does structured prompting, it has a better shot at being a $1 product. For more, it needs some of the things you and I mentioned.","created_at":"2024-04-12T15:58:48Z","created_at_i":1712937528,"objectID":"40014371","parent_id":40011231,"story_id":40006939,"story_title":"Show HN: We created a way for you to review your resume using AI","story_url":"https://blog.chapteroneai.com/b/resume-reviews-our-first-product","updated_at":"2024-09-20T16:45:50Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"gymbeaux"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Thank you for the detailed response. I think there are lots of good tips in there. I don't know that I "list details that don't impact the job"- could you elaborate or give an example?
One thing I certainly struggle with in 2024 that I have not struggled with in previous job hunts is that nowadays I rarely hear back from a company after applying. Sometimes I get the automated rejection email weeks later. It is rare that I talk to a human. I try to combat this by optimizing my resume's ATS score to the job postings, but what I often find is that my ATS score is less than 80-100 because it is missing keywords like "OOP" and "debugging" which are keywords that obviously should not need specifying on a SWE's resume. Is the issue that the job poster made a lousy job description? And is the solution to "play the game" and throw dumb keywords on my resume like "OOP"?
I do not know if what has changed is that my resume isn't making it past automated screening, and for all I know companies are using LLMs to screen resumes rather than ATS, which may be better, but could be worse for all we know..."},"story_title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"Ask HN: Recurring developers and companies in the \"Who is hiring/hired\" threads"}},"_tags":["comment","author_gymbeaux","story_39290661"],"author":"gymbeaux","comment_text":"Thank you for the detailed response. I think there are lots of good tips in there. I don't know that I "list details that don't impact the job"- could you elaborate or give an example?
One thing I certainly struggle with in 2024 that I have not struggled with in previous job hunts is that nowadays I rarely hear back from a company after applying. Sometimes I get the automated rejection email weeks later. It is rare that I talk to a human. I try to combat this by optimizing my resume's ATS score to the job postings, but what I often find is that my ATS score is less than 80-100 because it is missing keywords like "OOP" and "debugging" which are keywords that obviously should not need specifying on a SWE's resume. Is the issue that the job poster made a lousy job description? And is the solution to "play the game" and throw dumb keywords on my resume like "OOP"?
I do not know if what has changed is that my resume isn't making it past automated screening, and for all I know companies are using LLMs to screen resumes rather than ATS, which may be better, but could be worse for all we know...","created_at":"2024-02-10T20:35:59Z","created_at_i":1707597359,"objectID":"39329962","parent_id":39325130,"story_id":39290661,"story_title":"Ask HN: Recurring developers and companies in the \"Who is hiring/hired\" threads","updated_at":"2024-09-20T16:23:50Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"BaseballPhysics"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Damn shame the recruiter world moved to ATS's, which force folks to use tools like this to ensure their resume can be gobbled up and understood by those systems.
Personally, I love my bespoke, beautifully typeset CV. But I also recognize it's useless if I ever want to get through the ATS screening process. I'm far better off using a tool like this so I have confidence the damn thing will get read properly.
Or: your profession is now reaping what they've sown. Force resumes through a machine and we'll start building them with machines."},"story_title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"Show HN: Open-source resume builder and parser"},"story_url":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"https://www.open-resume.com/"}},"_tags":["comment","author_BaseballPhysics","story_36470297"],"author":"BaseballPhysics","comment_text":"Damn shame the recruiter world moved to ATS's, which force folks to use tools like this to ensure their resume can be gobbled up and understood by those systems.
Personally, I love my bespoke, beautifully typeset CV. But I also recognize it's useless if I ever want to get through the ATS screening process. I'm far better off using a tool like this so I have confidence the damn thing will get read properly.
Or: your profession is now reaping what they've sown. Force resumes through a machine and we'll start building them with machines.","created_at":"2023-06-25T20:10:40Z","created_at_i":1687723840,"objectID":"36472097","parent_id":36471248,"story_id":36470297,"story_title":"Show HN: Open-source resume builder and parser","story_url":"https://www.open-resume.com/","updated_at":"2024-09-20T14:28:58Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"nicolas_"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"In this case, it looks like the ATS looked only at the company listed in the resume and nothing else. Pair that to the fact that most HR people who are doing the first screening step have absolutely no clue about technology and you end up with situations like this one.\nThe lack of accountability in HR departments is baffling and they are the ones pushing all this tech like ATS, video screening to the senior management to make their job easier while still doing a terrible job at it."},"story_title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"This Resume Got Me an Interview"},"story_url":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"https://old.reddit.com/r/recruitinghell/comments/qhg5jo/this_resume_got_me_an_interview/"}},"_tags":["comment","author_nicolas_","story_29024746"],"author":"nicolas_","comment_text":"In this case, it looks like the ATS looked only at the company listed in the resume and nothing else. Pair that to the fact that most HR people who are doing the first screening step have absolutely no clue about technology and you end up with situations like this one.\nThe lack of accountability in HR departments is baffling and they are the ones pushing all this tech like ATS, video screening to the senior management to make their job easier while still doing a terrible job at it.","created_at":"2021-10-30T23:31:26Z","created_at_i":1635636686,"objectID":"29053113","parent_id":29024746,"story_id":29024746,"story_title":"This Resume Got Me an Interview","story_url":"https://old.reddit.com/r/recruitinghell/comments/qhg5jo/this_resume_got_me_an_interview/","updated_at":"2024-09-20T09:42:02Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"ste1v0"},"story_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["ats","screening"],"value":"Nothing flashy here, just sharing a workflow I've been using myself for some time before applying since most applications end up in major ATS platforms, many of which include AI-assisted parsing, screening, sorting, and/or ranking features.
It's local-first and open-source, meaning no account, hosted DB, or subscription is needed.
The idea is to:
- find out how my PDF CV is parsed, so I can remove my beloved fancy gradient skill bars, etc.
- understand the high-level fit in seconds: no / maybe / worth trying
- see the blockers and what's available to close those gaps, either from added achievements or rough ideas from the model
- get a draft letter with achievements/company context, and a chosen tone with AI patterns cleared [please do not ever send it blindly]
Sadly or not, it won't send 500 applications in a blink of an eye or adapt your CV for you while you look away.
Since it's BYOK, you can use it freely (e.g. using Gemini API), but any provider endpoint you configure may handle the data you send differently.
Curious what you think, and how the flow can be improved."},"title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume","ats"],"value":"Show HN: ATS Glyph \u2013 open-source ATS-style resume simulator for job seekers"},"url":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"https://github.com/ste1v0/atsglyph"}},"_tags":["story","author_ste1v0","story_48488164","show_hn"],"author":"ste1v0","created_at":"2026-06-11T09:31:53Z","created_at_i":1781170313,"num_comments":0,"objectID":"48488164","points":1,"story_id":48488164,"story_text":"Nothing flashy here, just sharing a workflow I've been using myself for some time before applying since most applications end up in major ATS platforms, many of which include AI-assisted parsing, screening, sorting, and/or ranking features.
It's local-first and open-source, meaning no account, hosted DB, or subscription is needed.
The idea is to:
- find out how my PDF CV is parsed, so I can remove my beloved fancy gradient skill bars, etc.
- understand the high-level fit in seconds: no / maybe / worth trying
- see the blockers and what's available to close those gaps, either from added achievements or rough ideas from the model
- get a draft letter with achievements/company context, and a chosen tone with AI patterns cleared [please do not ever send it blindly]
Sadly or not, it won't send 500 applications in a blink of an eye or adapt your CV for you while you look away.
Since it's BYOK, you can use it freely (e.g. using Gemini API), but any provider endpoint you configure may handle the data you send differently.
Curious what you think, and how the flow can be improved.","title":"Show HN: ATS Glyph \u2013 open-source ATS-style resume simulator for job seekers","updated_at":"2026-06-11T09:39:27Z","url":"https://github.com/ste1v0/atsglyph"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"ohstep23"},"story_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Most resum\u00e9s are rejected by AI before a human ever sees them. Applicant tracking systems screen for keywords, structure, and relevance long before a recruiter looks at anything.
I built a small app that uses AI to operate on the other side of that filter.
You upload your experience once. Then, for any job posting, the agent parses the role, analyzes requirements, and generates a fresh, ATS friendly resum\u00e9 tailored specifically to that job. Bullet points are rewritten to match the posting\u2019s language, relevant experience is prioritized, and the output is a clean PDF in about a minute.
Under the hood, this is powered by Subconscious, which handles the agent reasoning, job parsing, and structured resum\u00e9 generation. The agent also does light company research and keeps your experience stored as structured data so it improves over time instead of creating duplicate documents.
The goal was to reduce the manual, repetitive work of rewriting resum\u00e9s while acknowledging the reality that software is doing most of the screening.
Demo: https://resume-tailoring-agent.subconscious.dev/
Happy to answer questions about the approach, tradeoffs, or the agent design."},"title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume","ats"],"value":"Show HN: An AI agent that tailors your resum\u00e9 to beat ATS filters"},"url":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"https://resume-tailoring-agent.subconscious.dev/"}},"_tags":["story","author_ohstep23","story_46828241","show_hn"],"author":"ohstep23","created_at":"2026-01-30T18:45:20Z","created_at_i":1769798720,"num_comments":0,"objectID":"46828241","points":1,"story_id":46828241,"story_text":"Most resum\u00e9s are rejected by AI before a human ever sees them. Applicant tracking systems screen for keywords, structure, and relevance long before a recruiter looks at anything.
I built a small app that uses AI to operate on the other side of that filter.
You upload your experience once. Then, for any job posting, the agent parses the role, analyzes requirements, and generates a fresh, ATS friendly resum\u00e9 tailored specifically to that job. Bullet points are rewritten to match the posting\u2019s language, relevant experience is prioritized, and the output is a clean PDF in about a minute.
Under the hood, this is powered by Subconscious, which handles the agent reasoning, job parsing, and structured resum\u00e9 generation. The agent also does light company research and keeps your experience stored as structured data so it improves over time instead of creating duplicate documents.
The goal was to reduce the manual, repetitive work of rewriting resum\u00e9s while acknowledging the reality that software is doing most of the screening.
Demo: https://resume-tailoring-agent.subconscious.dev/
Happy to answer questions about the approach, tradeoffs, or the agent design.","title":"Show HN: An AI agent that tailors your resum\u00e9 to beat ATS filters","updated_at":"2026-03-05T23:27:21Z","url":"https://resume-tailoring-agent.subconscious.dev/"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"josylad"},"story_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Hey HN,\nI am a solopreneur building AI SaaS and mini tools.
I recently built ResumeSet, an AI resume builder that creates tailored resumes based on job descriptions from any job link.
Job hunting can feel like a full-time job itself, especially with the growing reliance on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that automatically filter out resumes. I wanted to help job seekers create resumes more likely to pass ATS checks without endless manual tweaking.
How it works:\n- Paste the job link, and ResumeSet's AI analyzes the job requirements to tailor your resume to match the job's key requirements and skills.\n- The result? A resume that is ATS (Applicant Tracking System) friendly and increases the likelihood of passing automated screenings.\n- PDF export feature for easy downloads and integrations into existing job platforms.\n- No fancy templates, just functional and ATS-friendly formatting.
Why I built this: I noticed how time-consuming and frustrating it is to repeatedly tweak resumes for every job application, especially when fighting against rigid ATS systems. I wanted to automate this process and make job hunting more efficient by focusing on what matters\u2014tailoring resumes specifically to each role.
ResumeSet helps users avoid the generic, one-size-fits-all resumes that often get rejected. I see how often good candidates are missed due to poorly optimized resumes. My goal was to make a simple but effective tool that bridges that gap.
Tech Stack:\n- Built with Django and OpenAI API for the core AI functionality.\n- Frontend is a simple Bootstrap for a responsive design.
I'd love to get feedback from the community. Thoughts on improving it or potential features? You can try it for free here: https://resumeset.com.
Looking forward to your comments and suggestions!"},"title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"Show HN: I Made an AI Resume Maker That Turns Any Job Link into Tailored Resumes"},"url":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"https://resumeset.com/"}},"_tags":["story","author_josylad","story_41796379","show_hn"],"author":"josylad","children":[41796526,41796837,41797015,41816334,41817098],"created_at":"2024-10-10T07:14:36Z","created_at_i":1728544476,"num_comments":16,"objectID":"41796379","points":12,"story_id":41796379,"story_text":"Hey HN,\nI am a solopreneur building AI SaaS and mini tools.
I recently built ResumeSet, an AI resume builder that creates tailored resumes based on job descriptions from any job link.
Job hunting can feel like a full-time job itself, especially with the growing reliance on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that automatically filter out resumes. I wanted to help job seekers create resumes more likely to pass ATS checks without endless manual tweaking.
How it works:\n- Paste the job link, and ResumeSet's AI analyzes the job requirements to tailor your resume to match the job's key requirements and skills.\n- The result? A resume that is ATS (Applicant Tracking System) friendly and increases the likelihood of passing automated screenings.\n- PDF export feature for easy downloads and integrations into existing job platforms.\n- No fancy templates, just functional and ATS-friendly formatting.
Why I built this: I noticed how time-consuming and frustrating it is to repeatedly tweak resumes for every job application, especially when fighting against rigid ATS systems. I wanted to automate this process and make job hunting more efficient by focusing on what matters\u2014tailoring resumes specifically to each role.
ResumeSet helps users avoid the generic, one-size-fits-all resumes that often get rejected. I see how often good candidates are missed due to poorly optimized resumes. My goal was to make a simple but effective tool that bridges that gap.
Tech Stack:\n- Built with Django and OpenAI API for the core AI functionality.\n- Frontend is a simple Bootstrap for a responsive design.
I'd love to get feedback from the community. Thoughts on improving it or potential features? You can try it for free here: https://resumeset.com.
Looking forward to your comments and suggestions!","title":"Show HN: I Made an AI Resume Maker That Turns Any Job Link into Tailored Resumes","updated_at":"2024-11-07T23:15:20Z","url":"https://resumeset.com/"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"boostergold"},"story_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"For the better part of a decade, I've been fortunate enough to let my work speak for itself\u2014opportunities came via word-of-mouth, and any downtime felt like a well-earned break. Lately, though, the landscape feels unrecognizably convoluted. Even with solid interviews lined up, the initial hurdles (like ATS-optimized resumes) demand a level of polish that borders on performative, especially when competing against what seems like an influx of AI-assisted applications.\nA few observations bubbling up from this shift:
The applicant pool is noisier than ever, with tools enabling mass-customized submissions that often blur the line between genuine and fabricated experience. It's a real challenge for everyone involved.\nThis pushes even straightforward candidates to amp up their materials just to get past filters, which feels counterproductive\u2014penalizing those who'd shine in a more direct evaluation.\nScreening often falls to folks without hands-on dev experience, leading to mismatches in what gets prioritized (e.g., keyword hits over problem-solving depth). Devs and HR types bring different strengths, but it can create odd blind spots.\nBeyond core engineering, many roles in software orgs (HR, PMs, etc.) are filled by generalists rather than those with lived dev cycles under their belt. Contrast this with pro sports, where ex-players often handle coaching and ops. There are plenty of dev-savvy people who might not code full-time anymore but could bridge those engineering-business divides effectively. In practice, though, these positions rarely tap that potential, sticking to neutral (or sometimes frictional) contributions.
I'm still mulling this over\u2014curious if others are seeing the same? How are you navigating hiring as a candidate or hirer? Any creative workarounds or signs of change on the horizon? (Posting anon for now.)"},"title":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"partial","matchedWords":["resume"],"value":"Ask HN: Has tech hiring lost its human touch in the age of AI resumes?"}},"_tags":["story","author_boostergold","story_45388518","ask_hn"],"author":"boostergold","children":[45388546],"created_at":"2025-09-26T16:47:10Z","created_at_i":1758905230,"num_comments":1,"objectID":"45388518","points":1,"story_id":45388518,"story_text":"For the better part of a decade, I've been fortunate enough to let my work speak for itself\u2014opportunities came via word-of-mouth, and any downtime felt like a well-earned break. Lately, though, the landscape feels unrecognizably convoluted. Even with solid interviews lined up, the initial hurdles (like ATS-optimized resumes) demand a level of polish that borders on performative, especially when competing against what seems like an influx of AI-assisted applications.\nA few observations bubbling up from this shift:
The applicant pool is noisier than ever, with tools enabling mass-customized submissions that often blur the line between genuine and fabricated experience. It's a real challenge for everyone involved.\nThis pushes even straightforward candidates to amp up their materials just to get past filters, which feels counterproductive\u2014penalizing those who'd shine in a more direct evaluation.\nScreening often falls to folks without hands-on dev experience, leading to mismatches in what gets prioritized (e.g., keyword hits over problem-solving depth). Devs and HR types bring different strengths, but it can create odd blind spots.\nBeyond core engineering, many roles in software orgs (HR, PMs, etc.) are filled by generalists rather than those with lived dev cycles under their belt. Contrast this with pro sports, where ex-players often handle coaching and ops. There are plenty of dev-savvy people who might not code full-time anymore but could bridge those engineering-business divides effectively. In practice, though, these positions rarely tap that potential, sticking to neutral (or sometimes frictional) contributions.
I'm still mulling this over\u2014curious if others are seeing the same? How are you navigating hiring as a candidate or hirer? Any creative workarounds or signs of change on the horizon? (Posting anon for now.)","title":"Ask HN: Has tech hiring lost its human touch in the age of AI resumes?","updated_at":"2026-03-05T22:45:05Z"},{"_highlightResult":{"author":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"HarHarVeryFunny"},"comment_text":{"fullyHighlighted":false,"matchLevel":"full","matchedWords":["resume","ats","screening"],"value":"Lots of replies here pointing out that that any kind of "provisional employment" wouldn't work for the majority of candidates who are currently working.
From the candidate's POV what is mostly broken about the application process is all of the ATS gaming, resume tweaking, etc, just to avoid getting filtered out before an interview, as well as the inane leetcode screening that some companies are doing.
A better process might be to replace all initial profile/resume-based screening with task-based evaluation (evaluation could be at least semi-automated - if a computer/AI is going to reject me, I'd prefer it to be based on task evaluation job skills rather than ATS-filter avoidance skills!).
Lengthier on-site interviews/evaluations could also be task-based - for a developer role perhaps a 2-4hr peer-programming or problem solving task. Far less signal that a 3 month provisional hire of course, but maybe a better use of everyone's time than a traditional talk and brief whiteboard challenge process which is clearly failing as a useful filter.
I wouldn't expect companies to forgo the traditional touchy-feely team/culture fit type of screening as well, but better if this came after they'd already determined, as best they can, whether you've got the chops to actually do the job well."},"story_title":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"The Last Technical Interview"},"story_url":{"matchLevel":"none","matchedWords":[],"value":"https://steve-yegge.medium.com/the-last-technical-interview-bc13ddcf4564"}},"_tags":["comment","author_HarHarVeryFunny","story_48328405"],"author":"HarHarVeryFunny","comment_text":"Lots of replies here pointing out that that any kind of "provisional employment" wouldn't work for the majority of candidates who are currently working.
From the candidate's POV what is mostly broken about the application process is all of the ATS gaming, resume tweaking, etc, just to avoid getting filtered out before an interview, as well as the inane leetcode screening that some companies are doing.
A better process might be to replace all initial profile/resume-based screening with task-based evaluation (evaluation could be at least semi-automated - if a computer/AI is going to reject me, I'd prefer it to be based on task evaluation job skills rather than ATS-filter avoidance skills!).
Lengthier on-site interviews/evaluations could also be task-based - for a developer role perhaps a 2-4hr peer-programming or problem solving task. Far less signal that a 3 month provisional hire of course, but maybe a better use of everyone's time than a traditional talk and brief whiteboard challenge process which is clearly failing as a useful filter.
I wouldn't expect companies to forgo the traditional touchy-feely team/culture fit type of screening as well, but better if this came after they'd already determined, as best they can, whether you've got the chops to actually do the job well.","created_at":"2026-05-30T13:43:16Z","created_at_i":1780148596,"objectID":"48336098","parent_id":48328405,"story_id":48328405,"story_title":"The Last Technical Interview","story_url":"https://steve-yegge.medium.com/the-last-technical-interview-bc13ddcf4564","updated_at":"2026-05-30T15:22:56Z"}],"hitsPerPage":20,"nbHits":748,"nbPages":38,"page":0,"params":"query=resume+ATS+screening&advancedSyntax=true&analyticsTags=backend","processingTimeMS":47,"processingTimingsMS":{"_request":{"roundTrip":21},"afterFetch":{"format":{"highlighting":1,"total":1},"merge":{"mergeLoop":{"prepareNextHit":4,"total":4},"total":4},"total":4},"fetch":{"query":12,"scanning":30,"total":43},"total":47},"query":"resume ATS screening","serverTimeMS":50}