We counted how often Scale AI's own 27 ads (those with a full description) state each requirement. This shows the filters the ads apply before anyone reads a resume. We have no data on why candidates are rejected after applying, and we do not guess.
Years of experience. 17 of 27 ads (63%) state a number of years. The median is 5 years; 65% ask for 5 or more and 0% for 10 or more.
Education
Sort:
Requirement ⇅
Ads that state it ⇅
Share of ads ⇅
PhD or doctorate
5
19%
Master's degree
4
15%
Bachelor's degree
3
11%
'or equivalent experience' accepted
3
11%
Legal and eligibility: what can rule you out
Sort:
Requirement ⇅
Ads that state it ⇅
Share of ads ⇅
U.S. citizenship mentioned
27
100%
Security clearance mentioned
5
19%
Working conditions
Sort:
Requirement ⇅
Ads that state it ⇅
Share of ads ⇅
Travel mentioned
4
15%
Nights, weekends, holidays or on-call
1
4%
Skills and tools named most often
Sort:
Requirement ⇅
Ads that state it ⇅
Share of ads ⇅
machine learning
17
63%
python
11
41%
aws
11
41%
gcp
10
37%
kubernetes
9
33%
azure
8
30%
docker
6
22%
sql
5
19%
javascript
4
15%
typescript
3
11%
excel
1
4%
salesforce
1
4%
How to stand out
First, cover the basics the ads ask for most (see the requirements above: machine learning (63%), python (41%), aws (41%), gcp (37%)). Then look at what separates higher-paid ads:
Among the 27 ads that publish a pay range, we compared the median pay of ads that name each item with ads that do not. This is a correlation in the ads, not a promise: an item can pay more because it comes with senior roles.
Sort:
Item named in the ad ⇅
Ads naming it ⇅
Ads not naming it ⇅
Median pay midpoint with it ⇅
Difference vs ads without it ⇅
docker
6
21
$276,300
+$55,800
kubernetes
9
18
$243,225
+$22,725
gcp
10
17
$243,225
+$22,725
azure
8
19
$243,225
+$22,725
aws
11
16
$243,225
+$22,725
machine learning
17
10
$231,300
-$11,925
sql
5
22
$202,500
-$40,500
python
11
16
$220,500
-$55,800
PhD or doctorate
5
22
$186,300
-$56,700
We describe only what the ads state. We do not know how recruiters rank candidates.
Same role elsewhere
Where else the same role family is open, with the pay each posts: