It's not you, it's the AI.
At least, that's the social media cliché. What stands between you and your new job is an algorithm. This is an idea that can help you make sense of the fast-paced job market, where applications are quickly rejected or, worse, never answered.
But technology is often not the direct cause.
Even though AI and applicant tracking systems are playing a bigger role in many parts of the hiring process, it's still humans, not bots, who actually invalidate applications most of the time, recruiting experts told Business Insider.
“People are buying into stories that aren't true,” said Bobby Miloev, a researcher at resume writing company Enhancv, referring to the practices of many resume writers. Blame job market challenges on applicant software and AI. He added that he doesn't blame job seekers who think this way.
Daniel Chait, CEO of recruitment software company Greenhouse, said it's natural for people looking for work to want to blame someone else.
“They're applying for far more jobs than ever before, and they're not getting hired,” he said. “When that happens, you look for a reason.”
When technology actually retires apps
Some job seekers have noted on social media that they received rejection emails shortly after applying.
Cases where technology can be a pre-determining factor include so-called knockout questions. These may include questions such as “Are you authorized to work in this country?” or “Do you have a nursing degree?” Software can weed out applicants who answer “no” if the question is a deal breaker. However, ultimately these are parameters set by the recruiter.
There are also high-profile examples of the use of AI in recruitment. A lawsuit against HR services company Workday raises questions about what type of AI is appropriate for screening applicants.
A Workday spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider that the lawsuit's claims are false and that the company's products, AI-enabled or not, are designed to help customers manage growing numbers of applicants “with an emphasis on human decision-making.”
Enhancv's Miloev said applicant software often generates a “very simple” score based on how many keywords in a resume match the job description.
But it's not necessarily a big help. In particular, AI has made it easier for people to tailor their resumes to job openings. As a result, many recruiters he speaks with don't rely on those scores to screen resumes, he said.
Miloev said such scores do not yet tend to involve parsing resumes to gain deeper insights or “complex understanding through large-scale language models.”
Miloev said there are “not many magic hacks” for screening resumes.
What recruiters actually do
Recruiters often just read the resumes they receive in chronological order, he said, which is another reason why it's a good idea to apply for positions that look good right away. After a certain point, there's just too much to go through.
Mark Jensen, a recruiter at Upswing Talent Acquisition, said he would stop accepting applications for a position if it started to increase. Otherwise, he said, recruiters are “waiting for the perfect thing to fall into our hands instead of taking advantage of what's available.”
Chait, who runs Greenhouse, said recruiting technology is improving to help recruiters identify applicants with the skills and qualifications needed for a job. He said the software can read resumes and applications and generate analytics about applicants.
This is a far cry from a few years ago, when applicant tracking systems were just glorified inboxes.
“It used to be like a deli line. People showed up and got in line,” Chait said.
“AI Doom Loop”
With so many resumes floating around the internet, many employers are inundated with applicants. For those who really want to find a job title or find a connection with an employer, sometimes it's as easy as clicking “Submit.” Employers, on the other hand, have to sift through piles of resumes.
The result, Chait said, is that while it's easier to apply for jobs, it's harder to get them, creating an “AI doom loop.”
That means job seekers often feel like they can “shout into the void and get nowhere,” he said. Meanwhile, Chait said, recruiters are faced with a flood of applications and are wondering, “What do we do with all this? How do we find people to hire when there's so much noise?”
Miloev said it's natural for people to blame technology when job postings are flooded with so many applicants. But that doesn't mean “randomly rejecting resumes,” he says.
Do you have a story to share about your career? This reporter can be contacted at: tparadis@businessinsider.com.
