The 2025 Hiring Index: We Analyzed 14,000+ Resumes. Here's What's Blocking Your Interviews

Real data from 14,363 resume scans | August-November 2025 | Published December 8, 2025

Every quarter, we turn raw platform data into actionable insights for job seekers. This 2025 Hiring Index analyzes 14,363 ATS scans, 8,247 job-matching sessions, and 2,156 successful resume rebuilds from the past four months.

TL;DR: 75% of resumes never reach human recruiters due to ATS filtering. The #1 blocker? Missing domain-specific keywords that appear in 80%+ of job descriptions but only 40% of resumes.

Key Findings at a Glance

• Average ATS Score: 67/100 (up from 63 in Q2)
• Top Blocker: Missing domain-specific keywords (58% of rejections)
• Fastest Improvement: Candidates who rebuild after ATS scan see +32 point average increase
• Geographic Shift: Bangalore and Austin outpaced SF Bay Area in AI/Product hiring by 2.3x
• Success Pattern: Check ATS → Rebuild Resume → Apply = 3.4x higher callback rate

Why You MUST Check Your ATS Score Before Applying

The Brutal Truth About ATS Systems

75% of resumes are rejected before a human ever sees them.

Here's how it works:

1. You submit your resume → Company's ATS software scans it
2. ATS parses text, identifies keywords, scores against job description
3. If score < 70-75 → Auto-rejected (no human review)
4. Only top-scoring resumes reach recruiters

Real Example from Our Data:

• Before ATS Check: Generic PM resume, ATS score 54/100 → 0 interview requests in 3 weeks
• After Optimization: Added "stakeholder management," "go-to-market," quantified metrics → Score jumped to 88/100
• Result: 7 interview requests in 2 weeks, 3 offers within 6 weeks

The pattern is clear: ATS optimization isn't optional—it's the entry ticket.

Check Your ATS Score Now (Free) →

Domain-Wise Missing Keywords Analysis

The Gap That's Costing You Interviews

We analyzed resumes vs. job descriptions across 7 major domains. Here's what candidates are missing:

Product Managers (Average ATS Score: 64/100)

Missing Keywords That Matter

Quick Fix: Pick your top 3 gaps, rewrite 1-2 bullets to include them with quantified impact.

Build Optimized PM Resume →

Software Engineers (Average ATS Score: 69/100)

Optimize Engineering Resume →

Data Analysts (Average ATS Score: 66/100)

Build Data Analyst Resume →

Marketing Managers (Average ATS Score: 65/100)

Create Marketing Resume →

Sales Professionals (Average ATS Score: 68/100)

Build Sales Resume →

Consultants (Average ATS Score: 70/100)

Optimize Consulting Resume →

Finance Professionals (Average ATS Score: 72/100)

Create Finance Resume →

Top 5 Reasons Resumes Failed ATS Scans (Aug-Nov 2025)

1. Formatting Errors (42% of Failures)

What Breaks ATS:

• Tables, text boxes, columns
• Headers/footers with key info
• Fancy fonts, graphics, icons
• PDF with images (not text-based)

Fix: Use our ATS-friendly templates with simple, clean formatting.

2. Missing Domain Keywords (31% of Failures)

Problem: Generic resumes that don't match the specific role's terminology.

Example:

• ❌ "Managed projects"
• ✅ "Led cross-functional go-to-market initiatives"

Fix: Use the domain tables above to identify your gaps.

3. No Quantified Achievements (18% of Failures)

ATS looks for numbers: Revenue, %, team size, timeline, users, etc.

Example:

• ❌ "Improved sales performance"
• ✅ "Increased sales by 43% ($2.1M→$3M) across 5-state territory in 8 months"

Fix: Add metrics to every bullet point.

4. Generic Job Titles (6% of Failures)

Problem: "Specialist," "Analyst," "Manager" without domain context.

Fix:

• ❌ Business Analyst
• ✅ SaaS Product Analyst | Data & Growth

5. Outdated Skills Listed (3% of Failures)

Dead weight: Java 6, Flash, outdated frameworks.

Fix: Remove anything 5+ years old unless still industry-standard.

Fix All These Issues Automatically →

Where the Jobs Are: Geographic & Industry Trends

Top Hiring Cities (August-November 2025)

India

United States

Global Remote

• Top keywords: "Remote-first," "GenAI," "Product-led growth"
• 68% of Product/Engineering roles now remote-friendly (up from 51% in Q2)

The ATS Score Success Pattern

Data Doesn't Lie: Candidates Who Act, Win

Key Insight: Using our Resume Builder after seeing your ATS score = 3.4x higher callback rate than doing nothing.

Start Your ATS Check →

Viral Stat: The "Invisible" Skill of 2025

Translation: You're getting auto-rejected not because you lack the skill—but because you never wrote it down.

Share on LinkedIn:

Just read the 2025 Hiring Index from @AutoInterviewAI.

Turns out 94% of PM job descriptions require "cross-functional collaboration" but only 34% of resumes mention it.

No wonder I wasn't getting callbacks.

Read the full report: https://www.autointerviewai.com/blog/2025-hiring-index

#ProductManagement #JobSearch #CareerAdvice

Domain-Specific Action Plans

For Product Managers

1. Add "cross-functional," "stakeholder management," "go-to-market" to your bullets
2. Quantify impact: revenue, users, retention, time-to-market
3. Use STAR format for achievement bullets

For Software Engineers

1. Highlight "system design," "microservices," "CI/CD" in projects
2. Add metrics: performance improvements, scale handled, uptime
3. Update tech stack (remove outdated, add modern frameworks)

For Data Analysts

1. Lead with "SQL," "Python," add specific tools (Tableau, etc.)
2. Show business impact of insights (revenue, cost savings, decisions influenced)
3. Include end-to-end projects (data → insight → action)

For Marketing Managers

1. Emphasize "growth marketing," "CAC," "conversion optimization"
2. Prove ROI with channel-specific metrics
3. Show multi-channel orchestration experience

For Sales Professionals

1. Lead with quota attainment % (e.g., "147% of quota, $3.2M in ARR")
2. Include "pipeline management," CRM proficiency
3. Highlight deal sizes and sales cycle optimization

For Consultants

1. Use "strategic planning," "stakeholder engagement," "change management"
2. Quantify client impact (cost savings, revenue increase, efficiency gains)
3. Name recognizable clients (if allowed) or industries

For Finance Professionals

1. Start with "financial modeling," "FP&A," "budgeting"
2. Show strategic impact beyond reporting (decisions enabled, savings identified)
3. Include certifications (CPA, CFA, etc.) prominently

Get Personalized Resume fixes →

Methodology & Data Ethics

Data Source:

• 14,363 anonymized resume scans
• 8,247 job-matching sessions
• 2,156 resume rebuilds with before/after tracking
• Period: August 1 - November 30, 2025
• Platform: Auto Interview AI

Privacy:

• 100% anonymized data
• Zero personally identifiable information (PII) stored or analyzed
• Aggregate insights only

Validation:

• Cross-referenced with 3,847 job descriptions from LinkedIn, Indeed, Naukri
• Geographic split: 61% India, 32% US, 7% Rest of World
• Domain split: 22% Engineering, 18% Product, 16% Marketing, 14% Sales, 12% Data, 10% Consulting, 8% Finance

What's Next: Q1 2026 Index

We'll publish the next Hiring Index in March 2026 with:

• Full Q4 2025 + Q1 2026 dataset
• Emerging role trends (AI Prompt Engineer, AI Safety PM, etc.)
• Salary benchmarks by domain and geography
• Remote vs. in-office hiring patterns

Your Next Move: Don't Let ATS Block You

The market moves fast. Your resume should move faster.

4-Step Success Path:

Step 1: Check Your ATS Score (Free)
See exactly what's blocking you. Takes 60 seconds.

Step 2: Build Optimized Resume
Our AI adds the missing keywords from your domain table. 10 minutes.

Step 3: Find Matching Jobs
Search by domain, location, keywords. Apply with confidence.

Step 4: Generate Custom Cover Letters
Reinforce your ATS keywords in narrative form.

Share This Report: If this data helped you, share it with someone who needs it. Use the LinkedIn template above or just send them the link:

https://www.autointerviewai.com/blog/2025-hiring-index

Bookmark this page. We update quarterly with fresh data.

Until then, keep optimizing faster than the market moves. You've got this.