The job market is strange. Companies post openings they can’t fill. Job seekers apply to hundreds, hear nothing, and wonder what went wrong. The problem isn’t a lack of jobs. It’s a disconnect between skills and demand, education and industry, effort and results.
Dr. Zeeshan Usmani saw this firsthand. A Fulbright Scholar, one of a handful of Kaggle Grand Masters in the world, and a data scientist by trade, he decided to fix it. His answer? SkilledScore, an AI-powered platform that assigns users a “career credit score,” guiding them to jobs that fit their skills, location, and market trends.
“I wanted to automate the entire process,” Usmani says. “People waste time and money chasing careers without a roadmap. SkilledScore fixes that.”
The system evaluates users on four factors: skills, market demand, geography, and future readiness. The score isn’t arbitrary. It’s tied to actual hiring data, integrating trends from labor organizations and job boards worldwide.
A Job Market in Crisis
There are over a billion young people set to enter the global workforce by 2030. Many won’t be ready. 46% of workers worry their skills are becoming useless, yet universities still churn out graduates unprepared for shifting industries.
Job seekers take on debt, earn degrees, and then find that their chosen path is obsolete. “People don’t know where they are, where they want to go, or how to get there,” Usmani says. “They jump between motivational videos, job boards, and LinkedIn advice without a strategy.”
Some struggle for years. Others land jobs that leave them stuck. AI-driven hiring systems reject applicants outright, favoring those who already fit the mold. SkilledScore flips that process, helping candidates understand what’s missing before they apply.
“If you know quantum computing and live in Pakistan, no one will hire you,” Usmani says. “Move to New Zealand, and suddenly, you’re in demand.”
How AI Fills the Gap
SkilledScore doesn’t just analyze resumes. It predicts career trajectories. The system ranks users into three phases:
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Learning (1-30) – People who need to build foundational skills.
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Growth (30-70) – Candidates with employable skills but room to improve.
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Impact (70+) – Experienced professionals with high-value expertise.
A user with a low score doesn’t just get rejected, they get a roadmap. SkilledScore suggests courses, certifications, and career shifts that improve hiring potential. It suggests courses from Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning, offering training options with measurable outcomes. The AI also matches users to job openings dynamically. Instead of dumping applications into a void, candidates see roles they’re actually qualified for, where employers are actively hiring.
“SkilledScore isn’t just helping job seekers; we’re making hiring smarter for businesses,” Usmani explains. Companies benefit from pre-ranked candidates, reducing hiring time and increasing retention rates.
A System That Works
Does it work? The data says yes. 89% of SkilledScore users land jobs within six months, whereas the industry average is only 11%. This is primarily due to the platform’s clarity. Instead of giving vague feedback like “you’re not the right fit,” users get clear next steps: Improve these skills, gain this experience, apply here. For employers, the tool acts as a shortcut to talent acquisition. Companies struggling to find qualified hires tap into a pre-sorted pool of candidates already primed for their needs.
The Road Ahead
Despite its success, SkilledScore isn’t done yet. Usmani’s next goal is enterprise integration by helping HR teams filter job seekers in real time. Discussions are ongoing with Fortune 500 companies and global hiring platforms. He’s also expanding SkilledScore’s reach. “AI will replace 800 million jobs but create 600 million new ones,” Usmani explains. “If you don’t learn AI, you won’t be replaced by it…you’ll be replaced by someone who did.”
The challenge now is adoption. SkilledScore isn’t mandatory. Many job seekers still follow outdated advice, wasting years on dead-end applications. The system only helps those willing to engage with it. “We aren’t promising to make you a billionaire,” Usmani says. “We’re promising to make you better than you were yesterday.” In a job market where clarity is rare, that might be the most valuable promise of all.
