How to Use a Resume Parser: Tips and Tools for Efficient Candidate Enrichment

Did you know that each corporate job opening in the United States attracts 250 resumes on average?[1] If that’s the case, then it will take the majority of your time to sort through them. So, rather than processing each application individually, you can use technology like an applicant tracking system with a resume parsing feature. Let’s explore what is a resume parser, the types of resume parsing, its benefits, and more.

What Is Resume Parsing?

Resume parsing is a process wherein a company or business uses software to structure and organize the resumes that potential team members submit in response to a job listing. When it comes to modern recruitment, you can use a resume parsing software to scan large volumes of documents, analyze them, and extract the information you need. The software can also search, sort, and extract relevant data such as:

• Skills
• Desired salary
• Visa status
• Work history
• Contact information
• Achievements
• Education
• Certifications
• Professional specialties
• Other qualifications and key terms

Resume parsing software can also convert resumes into different formats, such as PDF, HTML, or plain text. This will allow you to standardize the appearance and layout of resumes and make them easier to read and compare.

TIPS: Check this out if you’d like to learn more about resume parsing

Types of Resume Parsing

There are three main types of resume parsing software including:

• Statistical parsing: This is a method that applies numerical models to applications to review the structures of resumes. it yields highly accurate results and helps differentiate the context of words and phrases. By using statistical parsing, you can highlight numerical phrases such as addresses or work history timelines.
• Keyword-based parsing: It is the simplest and most common parsing type. This software scans resumes and cover letters for customized and predetermined phrases and words that match the original job description. Keyword-based resume parsing allows you to determine specific characteristics and skills quickly and efficiently.
• Grammar-based parsing: This method uses grammatical rules while scanning resumes to provide context for phrases and words. It can ensure that the results of the parsing mainly include relevant results. For example, if you’re searching for candidates who list responsibility as a skill or core characteristic, grammar-based parsing would only highlight applicants that use the word in that context instead of including phrases such as “responsible for” in their work experience section.

Benefits of Automated Resume Parsing

Imagine a recruiter who receives hundreds of job applications every day, each accompanied by unique formatting, varied layouts, and diverse terminologies. Going through these resumes manually can consume countless manhours, and despite the time invested, there’s no guarantee that the perfect candidate will be identified among the piles of applications. Even if the recruiter spends five minutes reading through every resume and application, they’ll only have processed 96 resumes in a single working day. This way of processing applications is simply not feasible for companies that have to process and choose from thousands of candidates.

This is where an applicant tracking system (ATS) with resume parsing features becomes invaluable. An ATS such as Manatal can convert resumes into a structured, searchable database in real-time by employing advanced algorithms and AI. This technology intelligently extracts pertinent information, such as skills, work history, education, and certifications, categorizing it into properly filled-out fields.

Manatal’s Resume Parsing feature transforms the chaotic influx of applications into an organized system, allowing recruiters to easily search for specific qualifications or skills associated with the job, instead of sifting through each application individually.

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Things to Look Out for In Resume Parsing

What is your resume parsing tool and does it have the ability to do the following? Here’s a checklist for you.

• A resume parsing tool should have the capability to parse various CV formats, such as PDF, Word, HTML, or plain text. This can help recruiters handle resumes from different sources and platforms without losing any data or formatting.
• Able to handle CVs and candidate profiles in multiple languages. This can help recruiters expand their talent pool and reach candidates from different regions and backgrounds.
• Possess a comprehensive skill taxonomy for identifying candidates. This can help recruiters match candidates with the right skills and qualifications to the job requirements and avoid missing any relevant information.
• Have the capability to extract all necessary candidate information from as many data fields as possible. This can help recruiters create detailed and standardized candidate profiles that include contact information, work history, education, achievements, certifications, and more.
• Comes with the ability to enrich candidate profiles with data from social media platforms and other sources. This can help recruiters get a more holistic view of candidates and their interests, hobbies, personality, and cultural fit.
• Able to automatically rank candidates based on their relevance to the job description. This can help recruiters prioritize candidates and save time on screening resumes.
• Have the capability to suggest candidates for other open positions that match their skills and qualifications. This can help recruiters maximize their candidate database and fill vacancies faster.
• Possess the ability to store, organize, and access resume data in a centralized and secure location. This can help recruiters manage their candidate database and ensure data privacy and compliance.
• Can integrate with other platforms such as job boards, email providers, calendar apps, and more. This can help recruiters streamline their hiring process and improve their communication and collaboration with candidates and hiring managers [1].
• Have the ability to generate reports, insights, and analytics that can help recruiters measure their hiring performance, identify talent gaps, and optimize their recruitment strategy.

How Manatal’s Resume Parsing Works

Manatal’s resume parsing feature can parse resumes from any document format, such as PDF, Word, HTML, or plain text.

In addition, it can extract data from resumes and create comprehensive candidate profiles that include contact information, skills, work history, education, achievements, certifications, and more. It can also enrich candidate profiles with data from LinkedIn and other social media platforms.

For your convenience, Manatal comes with the ability to automatically rank candidates based on their relevance to the job description using a candidate scoring feature. It can also suggest candidates for other open positions that match their skills and qualifications.

Organizing and accessing resume data in a centralized and secure location can be done through the use of Manatal. Plus, you can also use its search tools, filters, and tags to find the best candidates in your database.

Last but not least, you can integrate Manatal with other platforms such as job boards, email providers, calendar apps, and more.

Case Study

Manpower Malta, a part of the global Manpower Group faced several challenges with their previous ATS including an unreliable resume parsing where candidates were not automatically linked to job listings, leading to missed opportunities and inefficiencies. With Manatal’s ATS, they are able to automatically associate candidates with relevant job listings.

Frequently Asked Questions About Resume Parsers

Q1: What is Manatal’s resume parser?

Manatal’s resume parser is a sophisticated tool integrated into our recruitment software that automatically extracts and organizes information from resumes. It helps recruiters quickly identify relevant skills, experience, and qualifications from a large volume of resumes.

Q2: How does Manatal’s resume parser work?

Manatal’s resume parser uses advanced natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to analyze the text in resumes. It identifies key sections such as contact information, work experience, education, skills, and certifications, and then converts this information into a structured format within the Manatal platform.

Q3: What are the benefits of using Manatal’s resume parser?

• Efficiency: Saves time by automating the resume screening process.
• Accuracy: Reduces human error in data entry and interpretation.
• Consistency: Ensures uniformity in how resumes are evaluated.
• Scalability: Handles large volumes of resumes quickly.
• Integration: Seamlessly integrates with Manatal’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS) for streamlined recruitment workflows.

Q4: What data does Manatal’s resume parser extract?

The data extracted includes but is not limited to:

• Name
• Age
• Contact info (email, phone number)
• Location / Address
• Spoken languages
• Nationalities
• Experiences (job title, employer, start and ending dates, description, etc)
• Skills
• Education (university, degree, specialization, start and ending dates, etc)

All this information will be automatically added to the candidate's profile and will be searchable through Boolean Searches / Advanced Searches.

Q5: How accurate is Manatal’s resume parser?

Manatal’s resume parser is designed to be highly accurate, but its effectiveness can vary based on the quality of the resume formatting. It performs well with standard formats and is continually improved to handle more complex layouts.

Q6: Are there any privacy concerns with using Manatal’s resume parser?

Manatal takes data privacy seriously and ensures that its resume parser complies with data protection regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. Candidates are informed about how their data will be used and stored, ensuring transparency and trust.

Q7: Can Manatal’s resume parser integrate with other systems?

Yes, Manatal’s resume parser is designed to integrate seamlessly with our ATS and other recruitment tools, allowing for smooth data transfer and management across different platforms.

Q8: How can I choose the right resume parser for my organization?

When considering Manatal’s resume parser, evaluate factors such as accuracy, language support, integration capabilities, user reviews, and compliance with data protection regulations. Manatal offers demos and trial periods to help you assess the parser’s performance in your specific recruitment context.

Conclusion

As the competition for top talent grows, leveraging such technology not only improves efficiency but also ensures that you identify the best candidates quickly enhancing your overall hiring outcomes. So, when you integrate a robust resume parsing feature into your ATS, it can significantly enhance your recruitment process by streamlining the sorting and analyzing of thousands of resumes with ease and accuracy. Additionally, by automating data extraction and categorization, you not only save valuable time but also reduce potential errors associated with manual processing, allowing you to focus on more strategic aspects of hiring.

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Citation

1. 50 HR and Recruiting Stats That Make You Think