Abstract

Technology implementation in hiring processes has evolved at a fast pace – especially in the last century with the constant innovation in information technology. The technology has continued to change but the application is greatly impacted by human interruption. Experts at US Firm Korn Ferry have predicted a global shortage of human capital in the information and technology sector up to a deficit of 85 million jobs by 2030. Countries like the United Kingdom and the United States of America are already experiencing the shortage – hence setting up immigration programs that attract such talent.

If a prospective client will hire a plumber based on their skills, or a hire a landscaper based on evidence of previous work without asking for a formal certificate from an Ivy League college, why should IT job roles be treated differently? The IT sector is an industry that allows for supervised growth – which means that a freshman spends a certain period before becoming a junior developer (all activities supervised by a senior), just like other skills-based professions – why then should we screen IT talents in the same way as marketing, and operational roles. Social changes also mean that a lot of people are acquiring skills in more non-formal ways than we have always known.

This study believes that a major way to resolve this situation is minimising exclusion by screening candidates based on their skills and work experience – rather than institutions attended or grades achieved via supervised exams. It is a common belief that humans are responsible for the bias in such screening systems, it is also possible that there is a huge knowledge gap between the candidates, the algorithms and the software developers. Industry benchmarks that are seen as best practices have largely contributed to this trend.

This project successfully developed a python-based AI resume screening solution, that focus on screening talent specifically for IT roles, based on their acquired programming skills, evidence of work and experience. This does not mean that transferable skills are not necessary, but the candidate at least gets a shot at being known and recognised for their knowledge – thus expanding possibilities for qualified candidates.

Improving Candidate Ranking for IT Talent – A Python Based Solution Approach