Should you opt out of AI resume screening? Here’s a fairer alternative

What’s broken about many resume screeners?

Resume screening tools are built in a way that introduces a lot of risk into the resume review process. 

This is true whether the screener uses AI or not. And many candidates (and some recruiters) think that all resume screeners use AI simply because they’re automated, so to them, the difference between AI and non-AI screeners isn’t important. 

Here are some of the reasons recruiters and candidates are wary of all resume screeners.

They don’t understand nuance

Traditional resume screening tools rely on keyword or pattern matching. The system simply scans resumes to find specific keywords (like “project management”) or to match fixed patterns (for example, phrases that follow a predefined structure, like “managed a team of…”). This means it rewards candidates who use the “right” terminology while overlooking those with relevant experience that’s described differently.

Even newer systems with more advanced rule-based logic can be problematic. For instance, a report by Harvard Business School says that applicant tracking and recruiting management systems “use proxies (such as a college degree or possession of precisely described skills) for attributes such as skills, work ethic, and self-efficacy. Most also use a failure to meet certain criteria (such as a gap in full-time employment) as a basis for excluding a candidate from consideration irrespective of their other qualifications.”

The report says that “As a result, [these systems] exclude from consideration viable candidates whose resumes do not match the criteria but who could perform at a high level with training.” 

They’re not transparent

Companies typically don’t tell candidates how their resumes will be assessed by resume screeners. 

And sometimes, these companies don’t even know themselves, as some AI resume screeners are considered “black boxes,” meaning the tool filters candidates out without providing full visibility into why it rejected them. 

Gor Gasparyan, Co-founder and CEO of Passionate Agency, says, “Screening intimidates candidates due to the fact that the rules seem secret and minor peculiarities swing results, with no means of appealing.” Additionally, Gasparyan said, systems can fail to parse or read unusual fonts or strange document formats, arbitrarily rejecting otherwise qualified candidates. 

They can be biased

Resume screening tools can also reject or select candidates based on biases.

For example, a University of Washington study including more than 550 resumes found that large language models (LLMs) often ranked resumes with “white” and “male” sounding names higher than other resumes. They favored White-associated names 85% of the time, only favored female-sounding names 11% of the time, and never chose Black male names over White male names. 

Data isn’t secure or private

There are also data privacy concerns – especially when companies start using free AI tools (including LLMs like ChatGPT) to screen resumes. 

Matt Chappell, Content Marketing Lead at Cognisys, says, “I work in data privacy/security and we regularly see companies make some pretty concerning mistakes when they start using AI for hiring.”

He says, “The biggest issue isn't really about algorithm bias, it's that most HR teams have no idea where candidate data actually goes when they upload CVs to these AI tools. This, amongst other concerns, is a big GDPR issue. We've worked with companies that were unknowingly feeding hundreds of resumes into free AI platforms that were using that data to train their models.” 

Candidates don’t trust it 

Our own findings about 29% of candidates being worried about AI resume screening are supported by other research. For instance, a Gartner Survey found that:

• 32% of candidates are worried about AI rejecting their applications

• 25% trust employers that are using AI to evaluate their information less 

Why opting out of AI resume screening entirely is the wrong move

Of course you want to avoid issues with privacy, bias, and mistrust. But in most hiring environments, opting out of AI resume screening will create more problems than it solves. 

Here’s why. 

Manual screening is inconsistent and slow

If you don’t automate your screening process, you’ll be stuck manually reviewing hundreds or even thousands of resumes. An eye-tracking study from careers site TheLadders found that recruiters spend an average of 7.4 seconds on an initial resume review. That might sound minimal, but when you factor in the hundreds of applications that come in to a single job posting, it just doesn't scale.

Plus, that’s just the first pass. Each resume that makes a positive first impression will be analyzed more deeply, tacking on hours of time. 

Also, manual screening varies from recruiter to recruiter. Two recruiters can view the same resume and apply a different lens. 

Human screening introduces bias – and good AI can help reduce it

Even the most experienced recruiter may be influenced by biases and reject qualified candidates based on factors like their educational background, past company prestige, or even their name or location. 

Good AI tools can help reduce bias by focusing only on job-relevant info and applying the same criteria to all candidates. 

Plus, newer AI tools use natural language processing to understand the nuance in a resume instead of just looking for literal matches. This means they’re better at analyzing a candidate’s suitability for a role.  

When candidates are aware that they’ll be judged based on job-relevant criteria and given an equal opportunity – and that the tools judging them possess the artificial “intelligence” necessary to analyze their experience (including unconventional experience), skills (including transferable skills), and potential (no matter what terminology they use) – they’ll be more receptive to recruiters using those tools. They might even prefer them! 

AI can help solve operational challenges

AI can help recruiters reduce their workloads, speed up screening (and get back to candidates faster), and give every resume the true consideration it deserves. 

In fact, a study by Harvard Business School and University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business found that using AI tools allowed consultants to complete tasks 25.1% faster, finish 12.2% more tasks on average, and produce higher-quality work (40% higher than the control group). While not specific to recruitment, this shows the impact AI can have on a standard workload. 

How to use AI resume screening the right way 

The real issue isn’t AI or automation itself. It’s recruiters’ use of untransparent systems that don’t ensure data privacy and that lead to biased decisions. 

But with the right implementation and tools, this can be avoided. 

Here’s how to use AI resume screening correctly. 

Let AI support – not replace – human judgment

David Weisselberger, Expungement Attorney and Founder at Erase The Case, explains: “While AI tools can increase the speed at which resumes are reviewed…these benefits can only be realized when the AI is used correctly.”

Weisselberger says that “It is imperative that AI tools be viewed as a means to enhance the recruitment and hiring process, rather than to supplant it entirely. In addition to providing human oversight, recruiters must continuously review the results produced by the AI screening tool to determine if there exists any bias and/or inequity in its use.”

Milos Eric, General Manager at OysterLink, says, “AIs should function like a co-pilot, not a gatekeeper in which the human gets processed through algorithms to gain some insights, flag potential fits, and even help reduce biases, for as good as it gets, it is never human judgment. The best paid good hires I’ve made in my career came from some sort of noticing that no algorithm would even measure curiosity and resiliency and empathy. Those are not word descriptors, those are real human signals.”

Don’t rely on resumes alone…actually, save resume screening for last

Relying on resumes alone brings the risk of missing out on great candidates. 

As Desktronic CEO Šarūnas Bružas told us, “We previously used a high level of reliance on an AI filtering tool to screen through resumes, but it quickly became apparent that there were many candidates with non-traditional background or credentials, yet, they were still very good matches for the positions.” 

Resume screeners might miss the skills such candidates gained through non-traditional paths that don’t show up neatly in resumes – including cognitive skills like problem-solving. 

The trick? Use other, skills-based screening methods, like skills assessments, to gain objective insights into your candidates’ actual skills. 

We recommend doing this before screening resumes: You’ll be happier with your hires. In 2024, 67% of the employers we surveyed who used skills-based hiring tools after screening their applicants’ resumes were less happy with their hires than the 33% who used skills-based hiring first.

Pick ethical AI tools with transparent scoring

Modern AI resume screening tools follow strict data privacy protocols and actively keep up with AI regulations. 

They’re also transparent, and not just because candidates are told when and how they’re used. Some tools can even explain why they scored candidates the way they did. (This makes it even easier for humans to catch problems like biases.) 

When candidates and recruiters are both able to understand which criteria is evaluated, why a score was assigned, and how skills are assessed, you end up with a more predictable and fair system, reducing candidate mistrust in the tool.

Why TestGorilla’s AI resume scoring is a better alternative

TestGorilla’s AI resume scoring is a great alternative to traditional resume screening. It solves all the problems of resume screeners. 

Each resume is analyzed against the detailed criteria based on the skills and experience set in your job description. The AI doesn’t look for exact keyword matches – instead, it analyzes resumes more deeply to gain comprehensive insights into a candidate’s suitability for the role. 

The AI assigns an objective score from 0-5 along with clear explanations of the “why” behind the score. 

In addition to providing transparency, TestGorilla actively reduces bias. As candidates submit their resumes, the tool automatically removes their personal information (like names, emails, and locations) before scoring. This allows the AI to evaluate only job-related information against the job criteria. 

Plus, TestGorilla’s AI is ethical: We keep candidate data private, stay up to date with AI regulations, and help candidates understand how our AI is used. 

The best part? TestGorilla offers much more than just resume scoring. Our platform offers skills assessments, AI video interviews, and more. You won't need to rely solely on resume reviews when evaluating candidates.

Try TestGorilla for a taste of ethical AI scoring 

It’s clear: opting out of AI entirely isn’t the answer. You should just opt out of bad resume screening tools and opt into tools that’ll actually transform your hiring process. 

With TestGorilla, you can hire faster with trustworthy resume screening and increased clarity for candidates. 

See how TestGorilla’s AI resume scoring ensures every candidate gets a fair shot. Book a free demo or create a TestGorilla account today.

Contributors

• Tracey Beveridge, Personnel Checks, HR Director

• Milos Eric, OysterLink, General Manager

• Gor Gasparyan, Passionate Agency, Co-founder and CEO

• Matt Chappell, Cognisys, Content Marketing Lead

• David Weisselberger, Erase The Case, Expungement attorney/Founder/Entrepreneur

• Šarūnas Bružas, Desktronic, CEO