Faster, Smarter Hiring: Digitize and Filter Paper Resumes Using OCR and ATS

Sorting through a pile of paper resumes is tiring for hiring managers and recruiters.

It takes hours to go through each one, one by one. There is a chance to make errors and miss qualified candidates, especially when the time is short.

Fortunately, there is an easier way to handle and screen paper-based CVs. We call it Optical Character Recognition (OCR). All you need to do is turn the paper CVs into digital files and then use advanced technologies to screen them.

Do you want more details about the topic? Or do you want to know what the whole process looks like? This guide provides all the necessary information. Please read it to learn more!

1. Digitize Paper Resumes via OCR Technology

Digitizing paper CVs via OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology simplifies recruitment.

OCR tools convert physical CVs/resumes into digital, searchable formats. These formats make it easier to organize, review, and filter applications.

This is the first step in simplifying the screening process, as recruiters don’t have to go through each resume manually, saving time and effort.

You only need to scan or take a photo of the paper CVs you received from the applicants.

Scanning with a scanner device ensures the documents are flat and wrinkle-free. In contrast, if you take a photo with a camera, provide good lighting and clear text.

Created the scanned copies? It is time to extract the text/data saved on them.

Bring in an OCR tool now.

For example, Imagetotext.info is one such tool. It is free to use and always provides accurate text extraction results. It even works well for low-quality images. You can use it or another tool with similar features—accuracy is a must.

Upload all the scanned copies of the paper-based Resumes into the tool.

Using Imagetotext.info, you can upload multiple resumes in one go and process them in a batch to save time—there is no need to repeat the process for each resume separately.

Once you get the extracted text, download it in TXT file format.

In addition, don’t forget to organize the digitized files in clearly labeled folders to ensure easy access during recruitment.

2. Use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Once you get the data from resumes, ATS systems can do the rest.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are software tools that help recruiters collect, organize, evaluate, and filter job resumes more efficiently.

These systems are especially useful when hiring for multiple positions or handling many applications. They automate many parts of the recruitment process, saving HR teams time and effort.

Some popular Applicant Tracking Systems include the following:

1. JazzHR
2. BambooHR
3. Greenhouse
4. Workable

Upload the digitized CVs to an ATS and let it analyze and create searchable candidate profiles.

These software programs create applicant profiles with their ability to parse resumes. Parsing breaks down the text into structured data, such as name, contact details, skills, job history, and education. You can easily search through it.

Then, filter the applications based on the job-specific requirements.

For example, necessary skills, required experience, and/or education. There is no need to manually sort through each resume.

If you want to go into more depth, use Boolean searches.

For example, searching “(‘software engineer’ AND ‘Python’) OR (‘web developer’ AND ‘JavaScript’)” can quickly find candidates who match your criteria.

Doing so helps you find only the applicants who meet the criteria and filter out those who don’t, ensuring you only get qualified candidates at the end of the scanning.

3. Manually Go Through Key Sections

Following the steps mentioned earlier, you can screen paper CVs quickly.

If you want to take the screening process to the next level, manually review the resumes or profiles (from the ATS) of those who met the set criteria. This will help you further screen and narrow down the number of qualified candidates.

However, focus on the key sections, such as Work Experience, Skills, and Education,

The Work Experience section is usually the most important.

Look for job roles, responsibilities, and achievements that match your hiring position. Pay attention to the duration of each role to understand the candidate’s experience level.

For example, if hiring a marketing manager, check for marketing, campaign management, or team leadership roles.

Another key area is the Skills section. Compare the candidate’s listed skills with those mentioned in your job description.

For technical roles, look for specific tools or programming languages like “Python,” “SQL,” or “AutoCAD.” For non-technical positions, focus on soft skills like “communication,” “problem-solving,” or “time management.”

Although this method takes time, it further narrows your approach toward finding a capable candidate. With fewer options, you can select a good one.

Conclusion

Want to screen paper CVs in a fast manner? Use OCR technology and ATS systems, then.

OCR technology can convert paper-based resumes into digital formats. ATS software then helps sort and filter the resumes based on job requirements, saving recruiters time and effort.

This process is much faster and more accurate than going through CVs by hand.

However, once you’re done with the screening process, review the key sections manually to examine the work experience and relevant skills thoroughly.

Related articles: Why AI Beats Applicant Tracking System?

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