We counted how often Shield AI's own 85 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. 70 of 85 ads (82%) state a number of years. The median is 7 years; 79% ask for 5 or more and 31% for 10 or more.
Education
Sort:
Requirement ⇅
Ads that state it ⇅
Share of ads ⇅
Bachelor's degree
43
51%
Master's degree
33
39%
'or equivalent experience' accepted
21
25%
PhD or doctorate
15
18%
Legal and eligibility: what can rule you out
Sort:
Requirement ⇅
Ads that state it ⇅
Share of ads ⇅
Security clearance mentioned
48
56%
U.S. citizenship mentioned
16
19%
U.S. person / export-control (ITAR, EAR) rules
12
14%
Background check or drug test
1
1%
Working conditions
Sort:
Requirement ⇅
Ads that state it ⇅
Share of ads ⇅
Travel mentioned
10
12%
On-site or in-person work
2
2%
Skills and tools named most often
Sort:
Requirement ⇅
Ads that state it ⇅
Share of ads ⇅
cad
50
59%
solidworks
34
40%
python
22
26%
excel
8
9%
matlab
7
8%
linux
4
5%
c++
2
2%
autocad
1
1%
sql
1
1%
jira
1
1%
fpga
1
1%
How to stand out
First, cover the basics the ads ask for most (see the requirements above: cad (59%), solidworks (40%), python (26%), excel (9%)). Then look at what separates higher-paid ads:
Among the 85 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 ⇅
PhD or doctorate
15
70
$240,000
+$65,000
Bachelor's degree
43
42
$182,500
+$1,500
solidworks
34
51
$181,000
-$1,500
cad
50
35
$181,000
-$1,500
Master's degree
33
52
$175,000
-$10,000
'or equivalent experience' accepted
21
64
$172,500
-$17,500
excel
8
77
$160,000
-$25,000
python
22
63
$160,000
-$31,002
matlab
7
78
$146,500
-$43,500
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: