What Should You Look for in an Enterprise Resume Parser?

Creative resume designs look nice, but are very difficult for machines to understand.

Are you tired of implementing software only to find that it doesn’t suit your requirements?

It can be tempting, if you have the resources, to try to create your own resume parser. Sadly, you'll discover quite quickly that resume parsers are much more tricky to build than they look. Unless you're willing to dedicate an entire dev team, you'll find that it's better - and much more affordable - to use an existing solution that can be adapted to your needs.

Perhaps you’ve already tried to create a resume parser yourself or have used an Open Source version. If so, you'll have discovered that using a sub-par solution can be even less optimal than relying on manual data entry.  Creating a resume parser is more complex than many people realise, due to the mind-boggling amount of differences between CVs.

Given all the various possible CV layouts out there – not to mention the many ‘creative’ resumes seen nowadays from candidates - there’s just not a standard pattern.

Below, we'll talk more about what to look for in a parser and discover which is the best enterprise resume parser to implement in your organisation.

It's easy to make mistakes here. Don’t try a low-grade commercial solution that could fail you. Many resume parsers are costly but also low quality, without a lot of accuracy in their processes. It is, unfortunately, all too common for enterprises to discover major issues with their resume parser months after signing long term commitments.

Here's what you should do instead.

What to Look for in an Enterprise Resume Parser

Natural Language Processing

It’s harder than you may expect to parse resumes based on keywords alone. This method is not very accurate because keyword parsing doesn’t account for the way people write and the semantics behind the words.

While rule-based processes were the gold standard for a long time, this has recently been eclipsed by recent advances in AI. And, because AI is developing at such a fast pace, at Affinda we have built a system  that can adapt and build on new advances in AI as they come out.

Look for a parser that uses natural language processing (NLP). This method of parsing can perform more comprehensive skills matching and produce more accurate results.

Visual Document Understanding

Many parsers have difficulty understanding the formats of different CVs. This is the strength of Affinda - we developed a visual AI that first maps the document visually, before attempting to extract text. This allows the parser to determine the correct reading order and, therefore, the best way to segment the sections.

Customisation Options

In a large and complicated business, it’s very rare to find off-the-shelf software that perfectly suits your needs. In fact, it’s almost impossible. Customisation is inevitable, especially once you've jumped through the hoops of Procurement, Legal, and Info-Sec.

That's why if you’re an enterprise looking for a resume parser, you need to make sure it’s backed by a team with enterprise experience. All the more so given that the current regulatory environment around document management will only get more difficult.

Enterprise Experience

There's nothing worse than a deal getting blocked by an internal team, most of the way into the buying process. CVs contain private data and for that reason, can be a legal minefield for large companies.

It's important to work with a parsing partner that has existing experience in working with enterprise procurement processes, from Procurement through to Info-Sec, IT and Legal.

Integration Collaboration

If you already have your own custom-built applicant tracker or have built one using database software like SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, or Salesforce, you need resume parsing technology that can be seamlessly integrated with this.

Alternatively, you may have an enterprise level account with Bullhorn, Workday, Zoho Recruit, or another recruitment software, and need a parser that can integrate with that.

We can work with you to integrate onto your chosen platform, be it off-the-shelf or custom. Even if we’ve never integrated with that platform before, we’re happy to commit the resources to make it happen for you. That’s the advantage of working with a company like Affinda – our adaptability, ease of customisation, and cool Australian accents.

Affinda – The Best Enterprise Resume Parser

Affinda is hands down the best enterprise resume parser solution. It meets all of the above criteria, and more!

We have a 2 person in-house legal team with plenty of experience in contract negotiation. Does that make us more difficult to deal with? No - the exact opposite!

In fact, Affinda’s technology suite is already being used in large government organisations and Fortune 500 companies all over the world. We know how to remove legal roadblocks and answer the most common questions from legal teams. Our lawyers have seen everything, and can smooth your path to a successful implementation.

Perhaps you're worried about security? You’re not alone - many organisations cannot send data through external services. That’s why we offer a self-hosted solution so that no one else will ever see your data. We can work alongside you to solve any compliance and privacy issues you may have in terms of where files are uploaded and managed.

If your enterprise needs a custom-made solution according to your requirements, Affinda is the enterprise resume parser option to choose.

We work with a variety of document types, meaning that if you need help with ANY custom data extraction project, get in touch to see how we can help you gain control over your data again.

Contact us for a confidential discussion about how Affinda can be tailored to your needs or visit our Resume Parser page to learn more