Updating your change management role to answer recruitment algorithms 

Are you a change manager who is job hunting now, or planning your next move? If so I recommend that you build an understanding of recruitment algorithms called applicant tracking systems (ATS). These systems are powered by algorithms to compare your details against job descriptions, scanning for specific keywords, skills, experience, and qualifications. 

As a result of AI, these systems are developing fast, acquiring new functionality which pushes humans out of the recruitment process. In some cases, not only will ATS screen all applicants, but it will use AI to conduct the first couple of interviews. You will not get to speak to a human until the third interview. 

This means that you must describe yourself, your change management experienceyou’re your change management qualifications to be read by a machine first, not by a person. So here are my top tips for how to do this. 

Describe yourself in an algorithm friendly way 

Firstly, the software will extract factual information including job titles, skills, qualifications. 

If your information does not match the words that the algorithm is searching for, your application is at an end. 

Next it will search your details for keywords or phrases that appear in the role description, and if your details do not contain these keywords then your application is at an end. 

To get through these first levels of assessment, you need to be precise and accurate, and get to the point, without “keyword stuffing” which is overuse of the same term. The number of times something appears, especially if it is not in the context of a specific role or achievement will count against you. 

Finding relevant change management keywords 

The easiest way to ensure your details meet the needs of ATS is to use the descriptions from job descriptions posted on legitimate sites. For example, LinkedIn jobs will have the latest jobs in change but you need to be careful to select relevant roles. 

Sometimes the role of Change Manager reads more like a Project Manager, because it has been posted by someone who really does not understand change management. If you enjoy helping people adopt new ways of working, and your interests are in achieving behavioural change, be careful not to base your details on these kinds of role descriptions. 

Similarly, some senior level roles will not use the word change but instead will advertise for Transformation Managers. Transformation is often described as a programme of inter-dependent projects and change initiatives, so a lot of your work will be identifying, simplifying and breaking the deadlock between these inter-dependencies. You will be responsible for planning and re-planning all the work, and you will be expected to brief senior leaders, and align with the strategic objectives of the organisation. Is this the change role that you want? 

Transformation roles are a great step towards more strategic roles and senior leadership positions, but you need to be clear that is the direction that you want your career to go in. 

Also, be aware that using the keywords and phrases for roles that are far above your current level of skills and experience will be flagged by the ATS and your application will be rejected.  

Describe your achievements 

Algorithms are built to search for your achievements so they can match what you will deliver to what the organisation has asked for in the role description. Ensure that you say what you have achieved, and not list all the things you did. Your activities are interesting if you finally get through to an in-person interview and you are asked ‘how’ you will do something. 

To get to that in-person interview, make sure you list achievements with measurable results including percentages, money, time, coverage). For example, state that you led a system implementation that increased user adoption from 35% to 75% within 4 months. Or quote staff engagement scores, customer satisfaction scores and how the change that you implemented led to an increase.  

Be specific about the stakeholders you have influenced, quoting functional areas and job titles.  

Clearly describe how you have stopped outdated ways of working and how you have implemented specific types and/or brands of software. 

Describe your experience 

Give a full description of the types of change situations you have worked in. Have you been responsible for recovering a previously failed change? Have you guided an organisation through an acquisition? Have you onboarded new suppliers or helped to shape a new culture within the organisation?  

Make it clear if you have worked with external suppliers, consultancies or other regulatory or professional bodies. 

Describe specific methodologies you have used. In change management, think about describing your use of Kotter’s 8 steps or team development approaches including Lencioni or coaching models including GROW – all these models and more are in the APMG Change Management Practitioner course described in this course outline. 

Now that AI has become the most common type of change initiative make sure you have something to say about this subject.  

Ensure your certifications match the latest skills in demand 

There are areas of knowledge that change professionals are expected to have so make sure your details match what is being asked for.  

If you are calling yourself an experienced change manager, make sure you have the global gold standard for this, which is the APMG Change Management Practitioner certification.  

An obvious category is “agile” because we are expected to work incrementally as changes evolve and emerge. The Agile Change certifications described here are a useful and quick way to ensure your certifications match the keywords for Agile and Change! 

Whilst there are no specific certifications focused on AI in change management AI you can demonstrate that you have attended relevant training and master classes – like my AI for Change Management Interactive Workshop.  

Provide evidence of your change management qualifications 

You must demonstrate that you have certifications relevant to change management. This is because passing an examination is clear evidence of your ability to process information, and the subject matter you studied builds a picture of your skills and abilities. 

If you have not got recent certifications, fix this problem. Training is regarded as time sensitive so if your last training was 5 years ago, the algorithm will spot this and award with less (or even no) points. If you are not sure which course to take, have a look at my video guide. 

Make sure you share all your digital badges from every course and training event on LinkedIn because ATS use the full descriptions of the training, including the learning objectives and the models and theories you studied as part of their keyword search.  

A digital badge is more powerful than an examination certificate because unlike a certificate (which can be easily forged so are often discounted these days), it holds these full descriptions as “metadata”. The digital badges are often blockchain-backed or issued by verified third-party partners, so they are considered high-trust signals, reducing the risk of forged or exaggerated skills. AI evaluates these as “proven” skills rather than self-reported ones. 

To help people increase their reach for new roles, we provided a digital badge to all those who responded to the global Change Capability Survey last year, and we are planning to do so again this year. If you want to be part of our Survey Champions network, which demonstrates you are an active voice in change management, register for the 2025 survey.  

A few last words 

Next time you update your details (which should be quarterly, not an annual task) use this blog as a checklist of how to describe yourself and the information you must include. The machines might be in charge, but if we apply their criteria, there are amazing jobs in change management coming to the market every week. Good luck with your next role.