Job seekers are utilizing software methods to outsmart AI gatekeepers—however their workaround could also be backfiring

In recent times, corporations have made job seekers do extra to show they’re a match for the group, together with limitless rounds of interviews, in-depth work exams, and more and more, AI screenings. An October survey from Resume Builder discovered half of the businesses surveyed have been already utilizing AI within the hiring course of, and 70% deliberate to include it by the tip of 2025.

In an effort to combat again, some candidates are resurrecting a loophole meant to trick AI screening programs and improve the chances of your résumé making it into the fingers of a human. The supposed “white font” hack includes stuffing your resume with associated key phrases from a job posting in a tiny font and white letters in order that the screening software program finds you to be an interesting candidate, even when human hiring managers can’t see the textual content themselves.

Whereas the trick has been round for years, it has resurfaced as candidates search for any means to assist beat the AI-driven programs which have emerged to weed out functions.

The white-font hack may fit for some applicant monitoring programs searching for key phrases, but, it isn’t as foolproof as job seekers would possibly assume, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, the chief innovation officer at staffing agency ManpowerGroup, advised the Washington Submit.

“Does it work? Yeah,” Chamorro-Premuzic advised the outlet. “However it would possibly contribute 10% or 15% of the variability between a résumé that’s finally accepted versus one that’s rejected.”

HR professionals on TikTok have additionally identified that corporations have gotten savvy to the trick, and using it (pun meant) may land you on an organization blacklist. 

@farahsharghi #greenscreen @Dan.from.HR The white font hack doesnt work #resume #jobtips #careeradvice #jobsearch #remotejobs #jobseeker #ats ♬ Wealthy Minion – Yeat

@maddie_macho Replying to @Najja #greenscreen what a great resume seems to be like within the ATS and why the white font hack is loopy, in a foul means lol #resumeoptimization #recruitertips #atsfriendlyresume #keywordoptimization #search engine optimisation #resumehack ♬ unique sound – Maddie Macho

Nonetheless, with the U.S. unemployment fee at 4.1%, up from 3.8% in October final 12 months, many individuals are determined to snag a place by any means vital. You’ll discover this sentiment throughout social media, notably on boards just like the subreddit “jobsearchhacks,” the place customers often vent about making use of to dozens of corporations over months with little success. 

One person by the identify of Hopeful_alchemist on Reddit wrote in a put up that they’d utilized to 52 jobs and gotten to the interview stage 10 occasions, however nonetheless didn’t have a job after six months. 

A survey from consulting agency PwC additionally claims entry-level jobs are particularly more durable to come back by. The survey mentioned in 2023, solely 61% of HR leaders have been searching for entry-level candidates, in comparison with 79% a 12 months prior.