How to Create Skill Keywords for Resume Shortlisting in Horilla HRMS
A key to successful recruitment today lies in combining speed with accuracy. Horilla HRMS meets this demand by placing automation at the center of the hiring process through its intelligent Resume Shortlisting Engine. However, before this powerful tool can surface the most qualified candidates, it requires one essential input Skill Keywords.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the step-by-step process of creating skill tags in Horilla, which form the backbone of your automated shortlisting system.
What Are Skill Keywords?
Skill keywords are specific tags that define the required competencies for a job. When resumes are uploaded, Horilla scans them and assigns scores based on how many of these keywords appear. These scores determine which candidates are the best match for the role.
Step-by-Step: How to Create Skills in Horilla HRMS
Creating and managing skills in Horilla is an easy way to boost the accuracy of your recruitment. By setting key skill keywords, you help the Resume Shortlisting Engine match candidates more effectively. This quick guide will show you how to add and organize skills to make your hiring process faster and smarter.
1. Go to Settings
Click the gear icon on the top-right navigation bar. This opens the configuration panel for various HRMS modules.
2. Navigate to Recruitment > Skills
In the left sidebar:
- Expand the Recruitment section
- Click on Skills
This will display a list of existing skills and allow you to manage them.
3. Add New Skills
Click the red + Create button on the top-right of the skill list.
A simple input form will appear. Enter the skill name (e.g., Python, Project Management, communication, etc.) and save.
Tip: Stick to clear and commonly used terms. These skills must appear in resumes for the scoring engine to detect them.
How These Skills Power Resume Shortlisting
Once the skills are created:
Assign Skills to Job Posts
While creating or editing a recruitment post in the Recruitment module, link relevant skills from your list.
Upload Resumes
Go to the job pipeline, access Resume Shortlisting, and bulk upload resumes (PDF only).
Automated Scoring Happens
Horilla compares the resumes to the job-linked skills and calculates a match score.
Create a Candidate Instantly
If a resume looks good, just hit Create Candidate — the system even auto-fills the candidate form from resume content.
What If a Resume Doesn’t Score?
If a resume has no or few skill matches, it’ll score low. Some may be marked as “Need Verification” if unreadable (scanned/image-based PDFs). You can still review these manually.
Best Practices for Creating Skills
- Use standard naming (e.g., “JavaScript” instead of “JS” unless both are relevant)
- Avoid duplicate or similar entries (e.g., “Team Work” and “Teamwork”)
- Regularly review and update the skill list based on evolving job roles
Why It Matters
The strength of Horilla’s resume shortlisting lies in its skill-based logic. By spending just a few minutes to define relevant keywords, recruiters unlock:
- Faster screening
- Data-driven hiring decisions
- Objective candidate evaluation
- Reduced manual errors
Conclusion
Setting up skill keywords is not just a preliminary step; it’s the foundation of making Horilla’s Resume Shortlisting Engine truly effective for your hiring process. With carefully selected and relevant keywords, your system evolves from a passive filter into an intelligent assistant that not only reads resumes but interprets them with context and precision. This means faster, smarter decision-making and a dramatically streamlined recruitment workflow. By investing time upfront in creating a comprehensive and tailored skill list, you’re empowering your HR team to focus on what truly matters—evaluating talent strategically, not just administratively. Start strong, and watch hours of manual screening transform into minutes of meaningful review that drive better hiring outcomes.
