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When a resume fails to parse on Talview’s Workflow Tools platform, candidates’ details may not automatically map into the system fields (like name, email, or experience). This usually happens due to file format issues, document structure inconsistencies, or unsupported elements embedded within the resume. Below are common causes and their respective fixes.

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🔎 Troubleshooting Common Issues

What might be wrongHow to fix it
The resume is uploaded in an unsupported format (e.g., image, scanned PDF).Ensure resumes are uploaded in supported formats: DOC, DOCX, PDF (text-based, not scanned images), or RTF.
The file is password-protected or encrypted.Remove password protection or save an unprotected copy before uploading.
Resume contains excessive design elements (tables, graphics, charts, or multi-column layouts) that the parser cannot interpret.Simplify the resume layout — use a clean, single-column design and avoid heavy use of graphics.
Resume text is embedded within an image scan, making it unreadable to parsing algorithms.Use OCR-enabled PDF exports or retype the text into a Word (.docx) or text-based PDF.
File size is too large, causing parsing limits to fail.Compress the file or reduce embedded graphics to bring it within recommended size (usually under 5MB).
The resume uses uncommon file extensions or corrupted files.Save the document again in a supported format (.docx or text-based PDF) to ensure parsing compatibility.
Additional Tips:
  • Always encourage candidates to upload resumes in DOCX format for the most reliable parsing.
  • If multiple parsing errors occur with the same candidate pool, share a resume template guideline that recommends simple layouts (avoiding headers, footers, and text boxes).
  • Instruct candidates to avoid scanned resumes or image-only PDFs — these cannot be parsed reliably.
  • Test parsing by re-uploading the resume after saving it in a fresh Word document.