For job seekers
Job search advice built from the postings, not from opinion.
Notch reads about 1,000 job postings a month to measure what employers ask for. We turn that into plain guides for applying through Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS, and Taleo, and a free tool that scores your resume against any posting.
Original research
How we collect the data →The study
We analyzed 254 job descriptions. Here's what employers actually demand.
The most-demanded skill isn't technical, 57% of tech postings name an AI-related skill, and two-thirds of listed requirements are non-negotiable. Real numbers from 39 companies' job boards, with the method on the page.
Read the study →73%
of postings ask for cross-functional collaboration. No hard skill comes close.
Latest month · October 2026 cohort
Share of postings naming an AI skill, by employer type
| Segment | Postings | Any AI skill | Must-have share |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI-era startups | 98 | 63% | 67% |
| Tech | 368 | 58% | 66% |
| Consumer | 111 | 23% | 66% |
| Large US employers | 201 | 16% | 63% |
| Enterprise | 128 | 14% | 63% |
For writers and researchers
Need a number we haven't published?
We collect about 1,000 postings a month across five employer panels and can cut the data by role family, segment, or requirement: entry-level floors, named AI tools, salary posting rates, degree requirements. Free for working journalists, with attribution.
Email hi@notchresume.com →Applying through an ATS
Which system is this company using? →Workday
What skills to add on a Workday application
The skills field is a searchable taxonomy, not free text. Which 8 to 15 to enter, where to find them in the posting, and why Workday makes you re-enter your resume.
Greenhouse
Greenhouse application form: every field, explained
How knockout questions auto-reject, what resume parsing fills in, and what to check before you submit.
iCIMS
How to fill out an iCIMS job application
Step by step, what each dashboard status means, and fixes for the common problems.
Taleo
How to fill out a Taleo job application
What each part of the form does, what statuses like "Process Complete" mean, and how to get past the errors.
Lever
How the Lever application form works
On Lever the uploaded resume does most of the work. What every field does and what to watch for.
All systems
How ATS software handles your resume
Parsing and ranking mechanics, why exact keyword matches matter, and what it does not do.
Resume guides
All guides →- How to tailor your resume to a job descriptionThe step-by-step process, without inventing anything.
- How to analyze a job description before you applyRead twice, highlight repeated terms, split must-haves from nice-to-haves.
- How to write resume bullet points that show impactThe four-part anatomy, including bullets without metrics.
- Resume keywords: how to find them and where to put themWhere the keywords live in a posting and how to use them without stuffing.
- Career change resume guideTranslating non-traditional experience into the language of the posting.
- Skills to put on a resumeWhat recruiters scan for.
- Resume red flags recruiters notice firstThe things that end a six-second skim early.
- Resume format guideWhich layout works in 2026 and which ones break parsers.
Free tool
Match your resume to a posting
Paste a job description and your resume. Notch scores the match, lists the competencies the posting demands, flags the gaps, and rewrites bullets in two variants, both limited to what your resume can defend in an interview.