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The 8 Best Resume Parsing Software Tools in 2024

In-depth reviews and comparisons of the best resume parsing software, researched and written by SelectSoftware Reviews' HR tech experts.

Noah Edis
Written by
Noah Edis
HR Tech and Saas researcher
Contributing Experts
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Last Updated: Aug 02, 2024
TOP
AI parser for recruitment
Rchilli
4.6
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
AI parser for recruitment
Rchilli
4.6
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.6
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
Fast AI resume parser
HireAbility
4.5
Popularity Score
2.0
User Score
3.4
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
Fast AI resume parser
HireAbility
4.5
Popularity Score
2.0
User Score
3.4
Product  Score
Learn More
TOP
ATS with built-in parser
Zoho Recruit
4.1
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Visit Website
TOP
ATS with built-in parser
Zoho Recruit
4.1
Popularity Score
4.4
User Score
4.4
Product  Score
Learn More
Over 3 million HR leaders trust our advice

Top Resume Parsing Software

No items found.

Rchilli

: AI parser for recruitment

HireAbility

: Fast AI resume parser

Zoho Recruit

: ATS with built-in parser

DaXtra Parser

: Recruitment suite with AI parser

Bullhorn

: Automated resume parsing software

Textkernel

: AI resume parsing software

hireEZ

: AI parsing and candidate sourcing

Introduction to Resume Parsing Software

Resume parsing software “reads” resumes and CVs, then extracts critical data to create a database of potential candidates. It is a must-have for rapidly growing and enterprise-scale companies processing high volumes of applicants and is useful for any organization that needs to find top talent, fast.

The feature comparisons, ROI insights and other information in this guide has been compiled by our HR tech experts with the aim of helping you find the resume parsing software that best fits your specific use case.

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Our Criteria: Here's How We Chose The Top Resume Parsing Software

To find the market’s top resume parsing software, we relied on a mix of direct experience and hands-on testing.  We demoed tools, tested products, spoke to industry leaders, and gathered user feedback. We focused on each platform’s performance on these expertly-curated essential factors: integration and configuration, imports for numerous sources, and meaningful candidate summaries.

Integration and Configuration: Resume parsing software must connect seamlessly with the tools and internal processes already in use by its users. It is especially critical that your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and Human Resources Information System (HRIS) are compatible with your parser.

To evaluate, we measured each platform’s list of integration partners against our list of the most commonly used HR tech tools in this space.

We evaluated the quality of the configuration with user testing. We created and applied numerous workflows for each tool and assessed the performance of each on factors like automation and flexibility.

Imports: Companies using resume parsing software draw candidates from multiple sources, so the bulk import feature is vital to consolidate thousands of resumes into a single centralized location. We evaluated each tool’s capacity to handle resumes coming from emails, job boards, employee referral software, and numerous social media platforms.

Candidate Summaries: The best resume parsing software does more than simply collect resume information – it creates meaningful summaries from the resumes of promising candidates. In our assessment, we focused on two questions: are the candidates well-matched for the position, and can we get an at-a-glance sense of this from the summary?

The HR tech world moves quickly, so this list is monitored and updated frequently. To learn more about how we create and maintain guides, check out this article on how we assess HR tech vendors.

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Compare the Top Resume Parsing Software

Popularity Score
Best for
Key Differentiator
Pricing
Free Trial
Customers
Users Score
Product Score

Rchilli

Most Popular
4.6
Small companies
Various affordable pricing plans
Starts at $75/mo
Yes
1,600+ companies
4.4
4.6

HireAbility

Most Popular
4.5
Teams using diverse recruitment channels
Language processing tech for resume analysis
Custom Pricing
Yes
1,000+ companies
2.0
3.4

Zoho Recruit

Most Popular
4.1
Teams prefer an all-in-one solution for ATS and hiring
Auto-extract resumes from multiple email accounts
Starts at $25/mo
Yes
8,000+ companies
4.4
4.4

DaXtra Parser

Most Popular
4.1
Recruitment and staffing agencies
Parse resumes and jobs in 40+ languages
Custom Pricing
No
Undisclosed
3.7
4.0

Bullhorn

Most Popular
4.4
Midsized and large staffing firms
Automatic resume parser within recruitment software
Custom Pricing
Yes
10,000+ companies
3.9
4.3

Textkernel

Most Popular
4.0
Big companies that receive a lot of job applications
Among the highest speed and accuracy in the market
Starts at $99/mo
Yes
2,500+ companies
4.0
4.0

hireEZ

Most Popular
4.1
Teams seeking sourcing in addition to parsing capabilities
Resume parser from a robust talent sourcing tool
Custom Pricing
No
Undisclosed
4.6
4.4
Phil Strazzulla
HR Tech Expert, Harvard MBA, Software Enthusiast

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Detailed Reviews of the Best Resume Parsing Software

Rchilli

Visit Website
Rchilli
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.6 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5

Why we picked Rchilli

The Rchilli resume parser is an affordable, fast, and secure software tool with deep learning algorithms perfect for companies of all sizes looking to scale their businesses.

PROS

CONS

Rchilli Review

Rchilli employs deep learning technologies to extract and analyze data from resumes. The company has garnered several awards throughout the years, including Best Product of the Year from Software Technology Parks of India and Top 10 from Europe iTalent.

With core values focusing on using creativity to solve global challenges, Rchilli excels in resume parsing, search and match engines, and resume enrichment for fast and efficient talent acquisition.

Rchilli Customers

  • Impress.ai
  • Resume Sieve
  • Sharedpro
  • GR8 People
  • Phenom
  • Berkshire
  • PeopleStrong
  • Hitachi
  • Ramco
  • Emory University
  • MilitaryHire
  • Apploi
  • HigherEdJobs

Rchilli Pricing

Rchilli offers various affordable plans. Its standard plan includes resume/job parsing APIs, email parsing, and bulk uploads. This is volume-based and can be paid on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis:

  • Monthly: Starts at $75 for 500 documents
  • Quarterly: Starts at $210 for 1,500 documents
  • Annually: Starts at $825 for 6,000 documents

It also offers an incubator program where you can parse 5,000 documents for $150. This program includes resume/job parser APIs, search and match engines, and taxonomy.

Lastly, Rchilli also provides scalable, customized enterprise plans for big companies with higher volumes of documents.

Best For

The Rchilli resume parser is perfect for big or small companies looking for affordable solutions for parsing and recruitment.

Rchilli in action
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HireAbility

Visit Website
HireAbility
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Popularity Score
4.5 / 5
User Score
2 / 5
Product Score
3.4 / 5

Why we picked HireAbility

As a veteran in parsing software, HireAbility promises to deliver fast, scalable, and configurable parsing services with a unique pricing philosophy.

PROS

CONS

HireAbility Review

HireAbility has been in the CV and resume parsing industry since 1999. Its parser called ALEX, which stands for “Automated Linguistics EXpert,” uses language processing, pattern recognition, and artificial intelligence technologies to analyze resumes.

It also has a proprietary grid technology feature that ensures fast transactions with accurate results. This grid technology maintains its efficiency even with a high volume of documents so that you can keep using the software even after scaling your company.

HireAbility Customers

  • Infor
  • Boond Manager
  • Annashae Healthcare Staffing
  • Nextmile.io
  • StaffBot
  • TalentLyft
  • Efficy CRM
  • Spottabl, Melnic
  • JobPath
  • Princeton Staffing Solutions

HireAbility Pricing

HireAbility is unique in that there are no pricing plans published on its website. Contrary to competitors which usually charge a fixed price per volume, HireAbility believes that you should only pay for what you need and pay less per parse the more you use their parsing services.

Monthly programs are available, although you may reach out to the company if you prefer an annual fixed price.

Best For

HireABility ALEX is excellent for companies that utilize various recruitment platforms such as job boards and social media.

HireAbility in action
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Zoho Recruit

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Zoho Recruit
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Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.4 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked Zoho Recruit

While other resume parsing software companies focus on a few workflows, Zoho Recruit can streamline the whole recruiting and hiring process within a single platform, which is its primary selling point.

PROS

  • Automatically extract resumes from multiple email accounts.
  • Parses only the required information.
  • Ability to view parsed and failed resumes.
  • Backed by a company like Zoho, notable for reliability and good customer service.
  • 24/5 support.
  • Priced quite modestly after the free version.
  • Has a free trial.
  • The resume extractor extension parses the content from sourcing websites and online profiles to Zoho Recruit
  • ATS + CRM in one platform 
  • Backed by a company like Zoho, notable for reliability and good customer service. 
  • 24/5 support 
  • Priced quite modestly after the free version 
  • Certain features like video interviews are available as optional add-ons.

CONS

  • The free plan offers a limited 256MB of storage
  • Extra features, including the client portal and bulk emails, come at an additional cost
  • Users have expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of some integrations
  • Full customization of the career site is only available for paid plans
  • The free plan only allows 256MB of storage.
  • Additional features, such as the client portal, mass email, workflow alerts, and API calls cost extra.
  • Some users have complained about the quality of some of the integrations. 
  • The career site is not fully customizable until past a certain paid plan.

Zoho Recruit Review

We recently tested the resume parser and resume extractor extension of Zoho Recruit and found they offer a great deal of flexibility and ease of use.

The Resume Parser tool is part of Zoho Recruit, an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and recruitment software. It allows users to quickly and accurately segregate resumes of various file formats. What’s more, it can extract resumes from different email clients like Zoho Mail, Outlook, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail - not just the candidate details from attachments but the entire email, including email content, the to, the from, and subject.

The Resume Extractor extension is indeed a good buddy for recruiters and sources to add candidates and contacts with a few quick clicks. We particularly like the synchronization of parsing resumes from sourcing websites or online profiles. The process is simple: selecting the content and clicking on the extension icon for parsing. But to be sure, we checked some parsed info. Kudos to the extension; it got it right.

However, as we mentioned, Zoho doesn’t provide its parser tools as stand-alone solutions, meaning you need to pay for the entire Recruit software to use them. Plus, users’ experiences with the mobile app aren’t very positive. Several have reported the app has very limited capability and oftentimes, crashes.

Zoho Recruit Customers

Bosch, Deloitte, Saint-Gobain, PWC, Allianz.

Zoho Recruit Pricing

Zoho Recruit has three paid plans on top of the free plan.

  • Standard is $30 per user per month, with many more features compared to the Free version.
  • Professional is $60 per user per month, with key features like assessments and social recruiting.
  • Enterprise is $90 per user per month and rounds out Zoho's entire feature set, except for the add-ons.

The client portal and video interview modules are available as add-ons. Zoho Recruit also has a 15-day free trial and a free-forever version. The free version has limited features and only 1 active job at a time.

Best For

Zoho parser tools are perfect for Zoho Recruiter's existing customers. But businesses that aren’t Zoho clients can still consider buying the platform’s recruiter software if they’re large in size and prefer an all-in-one solution for applicant tracking and hiring.

Zoho Recruit in action
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DaXtra Parser

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DaXtra Parser
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
3.7 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked DaXtra Parser

The DaXtra Parser is a part of DaXtra’s suite of recruitment automation solutions that offers accurate parsing and multilingual support for its customers worldwide.

PROS

CONS

DaXtra Parser Review

Founded in the UK in 2002, DaXtra Technologies creates software solutions to streamline the recruitment process. Their products use award-winning NLP algorithms based on their founders’ research at Edinburgh University. Throughout the years, they have partnered with leading job boards and various recruitment solutions to continuously improve user experience. Their most recent partnerships include the likes of Canada’s ACSESS, SAP SuccessFactors, and Bullhorn.

The DaXtra Parser extracts and analyzes CVs with competitive accuracy of up to 95% and easily integrates with many documentations and tools to make recruitment a hassle-free process for staffing agencies.

DaXtra Parser Customers

  • Apex Systems
  • PageGroup
  • iContract
  • Hays
  • Find Online Recruitment Group
  • LACE Partners
  • Extension
  • WSi Healthcare Personnel, Inc
  • Overture Partners
  • Sharp Decisions

DaXtra Parser Pricing

DaXtra does not provide pricing plans on its website. These may vary depending on your company’s usage or the number of users. Therefore, it is best to contact DaXtra to get the right price for the recruitment solutions that your company needs.

Best For

The DaXtra parser is best for companies on the lookout for recruitment automation software with parsing and search and match capabilities.

DaXtra Parser in action
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Bullhorn

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Bullhorn
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.4 / 5
User Score
3.9 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5

Why we picked Bullhorn

Bullhorn is an expert in automating phases of the recruitment process, and its resume parser is a perfect tool for companies who want minimal management in resume handling.

PROS

  • SourceBreaker provides productive automation for candidate search and business development.
  • End-to-end solution: ATS, interview scheduling, talent engagements, onboarding, and invoicing.
  • Easy implementation and transition from existing ATS.
  • 40+ native VMS integrations.

CONS

  • The UI is not very user-friendly, and the system can be slow at times.
  • Customer support service isn’t very responsive.

Bullhorn Review

Bullhorn has been in the recruitment industry for over 20 years and has created many software tools that you can use in all phases of recruitment. The company places emphasis on automation so that businesses can focus on more important matters.

Its automatic resume parser is integrated into its recruitment software so that you can manage resumes, communicate with candidates, match with job openings, and gain insights all in one platform.

Bullhorn Customers

  • Resouce 1
  • HCS Healthcare
  • Signature Consultants
  • Execusource
  • HireVergence
  • SSi People
  • Precision Resource Group
  • Talent International
  • eHire

Bullhorn Pricing

Bullhorn offers different plans for various company sizes. The limit of the number of documents that can be parsed depends on the plan:

  • Team: Maximum 10,000 emails/resumes per month
  • Corporate: Maximum 25,000 emails/resumes per month
  • Enterprise: Maximum 50,000 emails/resumes per month

Best For

The Bullhorn automatic resume parser and recruitment suite is perfect for companies of any size that want to integrate automation into their workflows.

Bullhorn in action
Reviewer's Rating
7/10

I use Bullhorn strictly as a time management tool, but others within the organization use it as an ATS for recruiting. It also has an onboarding integration tool that allows you to create forms needed for onboarding, house the forms when completed by the candidate, and send reminders to candidates if they forget to fill out a necessary form. There are also metric reporting capabilities for time management, applicant tracking, and post-offer once they are in the onboarding phase. For high-volume agency staffing firms, it keeps you organized. For example, if you are hiring for a client that has multiple shifts, you can differentiate this in Bullhorn. You can also run reports to see how many openings you fill per requisition and how many open positions are left.

What do you like about this tool?

The compact feature of storing all data in one place. The email integration tool is great. There never seemed to be any disruptions with notifications and/or emails being sent either in bulk or to an individual.

Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

As a staffing agency, we used Bullhorn as an ATS as well as a time management tool. We have many contingent staff workers and wanted to keep them separate from our HRIS that housed all of our full-time employees. I have used it for a couple of years solely as a time management tool. It was very easy to use for submitting and approving time for others. It also sent weekly reminders to managers to approve their contingent employees' time.

What do you dislike about this tool?

It's a slower system compared to others. Customer service or live chat isn't the best, as getting a response takes some time. I wish the reports for time management were more detailed and broke down hours worked, hourly rate, and the ability to view paystubs to help employees with questions.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

RecruiterFlow is very similar from an ATS and onboarding perspective, but it does not have a time management tool to my knowledge like Bullhorn does. Bullhorn is also a bit more expensive than RecruiterFlow, but you get an additional feature, so it's worth it in the end.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

What am I using this for? Do I need it for more than just an ATS? If the answer is yes, then Bullhorn is worth it. If I do use it as an ATS, is it for high volume? If so, then Bullhorn will keep you organized.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

I haven't noticed any significant changes in the couple of years that I have used it.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Staffing agencies only! For a company that does direct hiring, Bullhorn is not worth investing in. This is best for managing contract employees.

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Large direct hire companies would not find Bullhorn useful, unless they are looking to keep contingent staff separate from their full-time employees. At that point, they could just get the basic package, which is half the price of the corporate package.

Textkernel

Visit Website
Textkernel
Learn More
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4 / 5
Product Score
4 / 5

Why we picked Textkernel

As an innovator in using AI for recruitment software, Textkernel’s Extract! tool is a highly accurate and reliable resume parsing software that can help recruiters in any company.

PROS

CONS

Textkernel Review

Established in 2001, TextKernel was the first company to reach a breakthrough in using deep learning to power CV and resume parsing software. With this technology, error rates dramatically decreased by 20-30% on average. This innovation pushed the company’s parsing tool to the forefront among competitors.

Textkernel Customers

  • Rheinmetall
  • Kelly
  • Healthcare Industry Anonymous
  • Engie SA
  • Otto Group
  • Colas Group
  • ARTS
  • USG People
  • Manpower Group
  • CCL
  • Academic Work

Textkernel Pricing

There is no available information on pricing plans on the Textkernel website. Potential customers are advised to reach out to get the right quote for their company.

Best For

Textkernel Extract! is excellent for HR and staffing organizations in any industry that want to use AI technology for their business.

Textkernel in action
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hireEZ

Visit Website
hireEZ
Learn More
Popularity Score
4.1 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.4 / 5

Why we picked hireEZ

hireEZ's resume parsing, along with features like AI sourcing, flexible integrations, and team collaboration tools, guarantees ROI in time saved and productivity gains per hire.

PROS

  • Intuitive, modern, and continuously evolving UX.
  • Quick and unique sourcing capabilities. Many users indicate they get compelling candidates they hadn’t seen with other sourcing methods, some of which lead to good hires. Often, this happens in less time than the methods they were trying before.
  • Unlimited follow-ups with each contact you pay for. This demonstrates how self-assured hireEZ is with the quality of their sourcing. They are confident about people not abusing this feature and stop contact when it’s clear a candidate is not interested— or simply because they found the right ones and stopped their search.

CONS

  • Since it’s always changing, parts of the platform may be buggy at times, which tends to be a minor nuisance we hear often from the mouths of recruiters. However, these bugs tend to get fixed quickly.
  • Some recruiters have also pointed out a small whole issue performing searches: the tags for job titles are often too narrow, and sometimes the search function won’t include specific titles that they consider essential in their practice.
  • While it has a growing list of integrations, it does not integrate with popular job sites like Wellfound. Furthermore, the LinkedIn integration could be expanded, and it only connects with ATS/CRM, calendars, and video interview software.

hireEZ Review

Founded in 2015 and formerly known as Hiretual, hireEZ is dedicated to delivering quality products for recruiters. The company works with its customers in every step of the recruiting process to ensure they have the best tools and experience.

The hireEZ resume parser is part of their platform, including extensive candidate sourcing, engagement, scheduling, and market insights.

hireEZ Customers

  • Paypal
  • Accenture
  • Verizon
  • Visa
  • Roche
  • Nike
  • Amtec
  • Raytheon
  • Citrix
  • Deloitte
  • Workforce Logiq
  • Wayfair

hireEZ Pricing

hireEZ's pricing varies depending on your needs and employee count. Since all their pricing is custom, it's best to contact them for an exact quote.

Best For

hireEZ is best for companies with any number of recruiters that want to emphasize candidate sourcing in addition to resume parsing.

hireEZ in action
Reviewer's Rating
10/10

I would use HireEZ every single day in my role as an executive recruiter. We use it to source candidates, as well as send bulk emails to candidates for outreach.

What do you like about this tool?
  • It provides email addresses for candidates.
  • It includes a hyperlink to the candidates linkedin profile.
  • It allows for bulk email messages for candidate outreach.
  • Exporting sourcing lists to excel is much easier than with Linkedin.
Why did your organization buy this tool, and how long have you used it for?

Linkedin Recruiter accounts were becoming way too expensive so we were looking for an alternative sourcing tool. The benefits of HireEz is that they provide an email address of contacts which is helpful. They also provide a search function with categories that are similar to Linkedin Recruiter.

What do you dislike about this tool?

The platform should add an integration with Crelate. You also need to have access to all of the search categories by paying for them to make it a useful tool. Email addresses are not always 100% in the software.

How is this tool different than their competitors?

HireEz is the only competitor to LinkedIn and I find it to be much better, faster loading and just an easier user experience overall.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

Do you need an alternative to Linkedin Recruiter or Recruiter lite? Pricing is better than Linkedin. Would you like access to candidate emails? If yes, HireEZ is worth checking out.

How has this tool changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

Upgraded features are constantly being added. You can also send feedback to their developers.

What specific type of user or organization is this tool very good for?

Recruiters and agencies

What specific type of user or organization would this tool not be a good fit for?

Anyone who is not a recruiter.

Common Use Cases and Benefits of Resume Parsing Software

Resume parsing software extracts data from resumes and creates a database of info that TA teams can use in various ways, from generating nuanced analytics about the entire pool to a quick fact-check on the particulars of a single applicant.

Resume parsers are essential for high-volume hiring because they deliver speed and accuracy. Rapid, automated data extraction happens in the blink of an eye. The same instant, relevant info is organized (often with the help of AI) into a database. Long story short: the days of manual sorting and data entry are over.

But there’s more to resume parsing software than resource optimization. Below are more of the primary use cases and benefits of resume parsing software.

  • High-volume sorting: The speed and accuracy of resume parsing software are undeniable, as is the fact that people, though relatively slow and error-prone, are still critical throughout the hiring process.
  • Some of you may remember a headline-grabbing study from 2018 that found that in high-volume hiring environments, recruiters spend an average of 7.4 seconds looking at each resume. Parsing software cuts that down to fractions of a second and eliminates inevitable human error.
    For HR folks who feel a little nervous when “eliminate” and “human” are used in the same sentence, please remember: artificial intelligence has serious, irreconcilable limitations in domains where we are naturally gifted.
  • Ensure diversity: Human assessment of resumes will never be free of discrimination. Awareness of implicit bias is growing but we will always fall into our established thinking patterns because bias is a tough habit to break.
    The conversation is complex and ongoing, but the current consensus is that AI’s tendency toward discrimination is relatively less than ours, and the hope is that automated parsing will make the process more equitable.
  • Increase accuracy: Manual extraction and data entry is difficult for most humans. It’s repetitive and workers are prone to error, but modern resume parsers are swift and efficient. AI never gets bored, restless, or hungry.
  • Save time: 7.4 seconds per resume may not sound like much, but it’s a lot more than zero! Resume parsing software is perfect for the initial steps of sorting resumes. Handing off this low-skill/high-volume process enables TA teams to focus on more critical, high-skill/low-volume tasks.
  • Create databases: As it extracts and sorts data, resume parsing software also creates a database of candidate info. Though primarily used for analytics, databases like these can supplement ATS software because they contain so much neatly organized candidate information.
  • Compare candidates: Beyond the initial sorting that will inevitably eliminate many candidates (often the resume-stuffing kind), parsing software can quickly provide side-by-side comparisons of individuals for specific traits, as well as for entire sets of applicants where significant trends may be found.

Pro Tips on Resume Parsing Software

Pitfalls: Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Resume Parsing Software

Purchasing the wrong parsing software can waste time, money, and resources. Whether it’s capturing the wrong applicants or letting the right ones go, it’s critical to know what to watch out for before you buy. With recent innovations in AI, we’re in the middle of a steep learning curve, so the tried and true methods for implementing modern resume parsing software are still being established. To make sure you're getting the most out of your investment, you should be mindful of the following pitfalls:

  • Getting outdated software:  This is a highly dynamic landscape, so familiarize yourself with the latest innovations. Learn and ask about each product's capabilities in natural language processing, the technology that recognizes keywords and phrases. Also, ask about core functionalities of the database, like duplicate management and data analytics. Finally, ask the vendor about the research and development they conduct to keep their software up-to-date.
  • Not checking compatibility: Parsers should integrate with your existing HR tech stack, applicant tracking software, and other recruiting tools. This is a make-or-break consideration: buying a tool that does not integrate with your tech stack is a patently bad idea that will lead to inefficiencies in your workflow and overall frustration.
  • Not considering candidate experience: Each applicant’s perception of your company during recruitment is important. Whether it’s a minor oversight or a high-volume error, a negative candidate experience is an impression that lasts and may discourage qualified candidates from applying in the future.
  • HR training: Get a feel for the technical knowledge your HR team will have to apply for operation and troubleshooting the software. Your team should have access to multiple resources and regular training to get the most out of the software.
  • Costs of plans: Resume parsing software can be expensive, and the prices don’t always reflect the quality of the product. Get to know the standard features and learn about the add-ons. Ask vendors for a feature list and pricing breakdown and ensure your company has enough budget for the appropriate plan for the size of your business.

ROI of Resume Parsing Software

The right resume parsing software can reduce errors, manage bulk processing, and free up time for recruiters.

This final point is the most important. Resume parsing software enables your TA team's highly skilled people to use their skills! Freeing up time that allows your team to make a solid connection with candidates will result in better hires, and in turn, better hires enable productivity, collaboration, and inclusivity.

In addition to the obvious operational benefits of hiring the best people, enabling good hires also pays off in employee retention. Ideally, these excellent hires who are now a part of the productive and inclusive company will stay put. This is great for your reputation, too— public sentiment is an essential factor directly related to hiring. 

And speaking of candidate experience, this is now a standard consideration in all top-tier products. This is a critical piece of your ROI and may require some work to assess, but take the time to learn if each of your options will leave candidates with a positive impression of your business.

It can be hard to compute actual ROI, but feature-rich products generally have a pricier entry point than other tools yet generate higher potential returns. Interestingly, Hiretual has an ROI calculator that computes returns for using their software in terms of time saved and productivity gains. Companies can save up to 23 hours per hire and up to 500 hours per year with these tools, which compounds your company's size.

Pricing Models and Estimated Cost of Resume Parsing Software

Resume parsing software can be charged by the number of documents to be parsed or by the number of recruiters/users. Different plans can also cater to different sizes of businesses.

Based on our research, below are estimated annual costs for resume parsing software:

Document-based pricing
Per document$0.01-0.15
Per 10,000 documents$105-1,375
Recruiter/User-based pricing
Per recruiter$300-600
For recruiting teamsCustom

Remember that these are rough estimates, and some companies don’t disclose pricing. Therefore, getting a quote is your best bet to get the right price and plan for your needs.

Features of Resume Parsing Software

Beauty, and the difference between bad, average, and excellent resume parsing software, is in the eye of the beholder. The most important thing to consider is that your parser must be able to help you achieve your company's specific goals. Do you just want to save time? Do you want to screen a large pool of candidates, potentially across multiple platforms? Do you want to increase diversity in your company? Before you start shopping, talk to as many stakeholders as possible to understand what you need.

Below are key resume parsing software features to look out for. Most of these are standard to all platforms, but major differences exist in how each company approaches these core elements.

  • Multilingual support: If your company has potential hires from different countries, you should choose a software vendor that offers multilingual support to avoid unnecessary language barriers.
  • Bulk import from several sources: Resumes can come from emails, job boards, SMS, and even social media. A bulk import feature is crucial to get your thousands of resumes into one place.
  • Sourcing configurability: Each recruitment process is unique. Recruiters should be able to configure parsers to meet their needs, whether customizing skill taxonomies or turning off specific fields to control for bias.
  • Candidate summaries: Some parsing software tools merely extract and hold data, while others produce insightful AI-generated summaries containing relevant information about your candidate, which can speed up the decision-making process.

Questions to Ask During Resume Parsing Software Demos

You know your company best, so make your needs known when you go into a product demonstration. Here are some good questions to get you started:

  • Will this software easily integrate with the applications our company already uses?
  • Is this software capable of scaling with our company?
  • How long does it take to implement the software and integrate it with our existing systems?
  • Do you provide onboarding training?
  • How can we reach out for technical support? Do you have 24/7 live customer support?
  • Can I easily upgrade or downgrade plans?
  • Are your key features good solutions for our company’s current issues?

To help you prepare, we created this handy Excel organizer you can use when you start zeroing in on your choice.

Implementing Resume Parsing Software

Resume parsing software have wide-ranging implementation styles. Some platforms require minimal technical know-how, while others involve API keys and JSON for your arrays, vectors, and sequences. If your access to people who understand the second half of the previous sentence is limited, we recommend you buy the software described in the first.

Whether you go with a plug-and-play or open-source option, make sure the company offers technical support and other resources for the implementation process. Keep in mind that parsing and database-ing heaps of resumes isn’t the end goal. It is a single step in the hiring process, and it’s essentially useless unless it can be easily folded into the next steps.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Resume Parsing Software

What does resume parsing mean?

Resume parsing is the automated data extraction and analysis from resumes and CVs. Resume parsing software gathers information and stores it in a central location where recruiters can access candidate data quickly.

Who uses resume parsing software?

Resume parsing software is used by TA teams and recruiting agencies. Because the software handles high-volume hiring, most customers are enterprise-scale, large companies across industries. As the technology becomes more common, many small to mid-sized businesses are using the technology to automate sorting processes.

Do all companies use resume-parsing software?

Almost all large companies use parsing software and an applicant tracking system to screen and manage candidates. There is increasing demand in SMBs for low-volume parsing and other Natural Language Processing features.

Final Advice on Buying Resume Parsing Software

The cost of resume parsing software can be steep, but the ROI can be substantial. Though inexpensive (and even free) options are available, many of these products lack features that we think are super-critical. For example, exporting to Excel or a JSON file is cool, but not as cool as plugging directly into your ATS.

Generally speaking, small and slowly growing teams do not need resume parsing software. However, there are some isolated exceptions, and the technology is adapting to take on new functions. Before you start shopping, assess your company’s needs to determine if you'd be better off paying per recruiter or document.

Finally, don’t just take our word for it! We think the products on this list are the best, but you should do your own research, consult your own sources, and tap into whatever grapevine is available to you. We recommend getting demos from at least two to three companies. Before you speak to someone from their sales team, get a crystal-clear picture of your needs. Come prepared with specific questions to help you gauge if the tool is right for you.

Are you looking for more recruitment software for your company? Check out our unbiased list of the best AI recruiting tools on the market today.

About Us

  • Our goal at SSR is to help HR and recruiting teams to find and buy the right software for their needs.
  • Our site is free to use as some vendors will pay us for web traffic.
  • SSR lists all companies we feel are top vendors - not just those who pay us - in our comprehensive directories full of the advice needed to make the right purchase decision for your HR team.

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