Mastering Zia Match Scores | Let's Talk Recruit

Feeling overwhelmed by hundreds of resumes for every job? You’re not alone!

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Welcome back to Let’s Talk Recruit, where we break down Zoho Recruit’s features and hiring best practices into simple, actionable insights for recruiters.

Imagine having an assistant that not only reads resumes but truly understands candidate skills to match the perfect job fit. Meet Zia, Zoho Recruit’s AI assistant, that goes beyond keywords to analyze both job descriptions and candidate profiles — helping you find the best matches quickly and accurately.

The outcome? A clear Match Score that tells you how closely a candidate’s background fits the role, so you spend less time sorting piles and more time engaging top talent. See More Candidate Matches | Job Matches

 🔎 How Do Zia Matches Work?

Zia digs deep to determine which skills are must-haves and which are nice-to-haves for each job opening:

• Primary skills (e.g., “Python programming” for a software engineer) are mandatory. Without these, Zia will not suggest the candidate.
  
• Secondary skills (e.g., “public speaking”) can boost a candidate’s score but are not required.
  

When recruiters list these skills clearly, Zia has been shown to boost the number of truly relevant candidates by about 30% compared to old-fashioned search.

❓How Zia Understands Skills

Zia doesn’t just check off skills—it understands their value by asking:

• Is the candidate a beginner or expert?
  
• Have they used the skill recently or years ago?
  
• How long have they applied the skill in real work?
  

For instance, a programmer who actively coded in Java this year scores higher than one who last used it five years ago. Zia prioritizes current and relevant skills, so you find candidates who are ready to contribute immediately.

⚙️ How Match Scores Are Calculated

Zia’s scoring influences multiple areas inside Zoho Recruit:

• Job Openings → Candidate Matches: Compares job-required skills to candidate profiles; missing a primary skill disqualifies matches.
  
• Candidates → Job Opening Matches: Highlights which jobs best fit a candidate’s skillset.
  
• Applications → Matching Score: Assigns a base score (usually 5) when someone applies, refining it based on skill alignment.
  

Zia’s Process

• Extracts key info from job descriptions and resumes (skills, experience years, recency).
  
• Filters candidates strictly on must-have skills listed by recruiters or automatically identified.
  
• Scores and ranks candidates by closeness of fit.

🚀 Why Match Scores Matter

Organizations using AI-powered Match Scores have:

• Filled roles 2–3× faster
  
• Reduced hiring bias by up to 40%
  
• Discovered hidden talent by focusing on skills over keywords
  

This lets recruiters spend less time on administration and more time engaging with high-potential candidates—making hiring smarter and more equitable.

💡 Tips for Better Matches

• Clearly mark primary vs secondary skills.
  
• Keep candidate skills updated throughout the hiring process.
  
• Encourage detailed skill descriptions—duration and context matter.
  
• Review candidates with low match scores; up to 12% of hires come from well-matched secondary skills.
  
• Avoid vague skill entries to improve match accuracy.
  

Let's Talk!

Are Match Scores your first filter or your final check in hiring? How have they transformed your recruitment workflow?

Share your experience below and let’s talk about how Zia can boost hiring success for every recruiter!

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