AI isn’t likely throwing out your résumé. A human is.
In the evolving landscape of job recruitment, the narrative that artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithms are primarily responsible for job rejections is being challenged. While technology plays a significant role in the hiring process, experts assert that human judgment remains the dominant force behind hiring decisions. This insight comes at a time when job seekers are facing unprecedented challenges, including a surge in applications that complicates the hiring landscape. Many candidates express frustration as they receive swift rejections or, worse, remain unanswered after submitting their applications. This has led to a growing sentiment on social media that algorithms are the culprits behind their struggles.
However, as highlighted by Bobby Miloev from the résumé builder Enhancv, the reality is more nuanced. While technology is utilized for initial screening—such as knockout questions that disqualify candidates based on essential criteria—it’s ultimately human recruiters who decide which applications progress. For example, if a job posting requires a specific degree, an applicant who answers “no” to that knockout question will be automatically filtered out by the software. Yet, beyond these basic parameters, Miloev notes that many recruiters prefer to read applications in chronological order, emphasizing the importance of applying quickly to stand out amidst a growing pile of résumés. This human-centric approach underscores the idea that while technology aids in managing the influx of applications, it is not the sole determinant of hiring outcomes.
The current job market is experiencing what Daniel Chait, CEO of Greenhouse, describes as an “AI doom loop,” where the ease of applying for jobs leads to an overwhelming number of applications for employers to sift through. This phenomenon often leaves job seekers feeling unheard and frustrated, as they navigate a system that seems increasingly impersonal. Chait points out that, despite the advancements in hiring technology that can analyze qualifications and skills, the sheer volume of applications can create a disconnect between candidates and recruiters. As both parties grapple with this evolving dynamic, it becomes clear that while technology enhances the recruitment process, the human element remains crucial in making final hiring decisions. The conversation surrounding job rejections and the role of AI in hiring is not just about technology but also about understanding the human factors that drive recruitment outcomes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u06ui8KSTK0
Fired IRS worker Brittany Glenn, right, talks to recruiter Lena Lager during a jobs fair for laid-off federal workers Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo.
Charlie Riedel/Associated Press
Most
job rejections
are made by people, not artificial intelligence or algorithms.
Recruiters use technology for basic screening, but human decisions still drive most hiring outcomes.
A surge in applications can create challenges for both job seekers and recruiters.
It’s not you, it’s AI.
At least that’s the popular refrain on social media: The thing standing between you and a new job is an algorithm. It’s an idea that can help make sense of a
dizzying job market
where applications can meet
speedy rejections
or, worse, go unanswered.
Yet, often, technology isn’t directly to blame.
Even as AI and applicant tracking systems are playing a larger role in many parts of the hiring process, most of the time it’s still a person, not a bot, who actually nixes your application, hiring experts told Business Insider.
“People have gaslit themselves into believing a story that’s not true,” said Bobby Miloev, a researcher with the résumé builder Enhancv, referring to the way many
blame applicant software or AI for challenges in the job market. He added that he doesn’t fault job seekers who might think this way.
It’s understandable why people who’ve been hunting for a job might look for someone to blame, said Daniel Chait, CEO of hiring-software company Greenhouse.
“They’re applying to many, many more jobs than they used to, and yet they’re not getting hired,” he said. “When that happens to you, you look for a reason.”
When tech actually tosses out your app
Some job seekers have taken to social media to point out that they’ve received a rejection email not long after putting in an application.
Where tech might be a deciding factor upfront involves so-called knockout questions. Those can include inquiries such as, “Are you authorized to work in this country?” or “Do you have a degree in nursing?” Software can weed out the applicants who say “no” when a question is a dealbreaker. Ultimately, though, those are parameters a recruiter sets.
There are also high-profile examples around the use of AI in hiring. A lawsuit against the HR-services company Workday has raised questions about what types of AI screening of applicants might be appropriate.
A Workday spokesperson said in a statement to Business Insider that the claims in the suit are false and that the company’s products — AI-enabled and not — are designed to help customers manage an increasing volume of applicants “with a focus on human decision-making.”
Miloev, from Enhancv, said that, often, applicant software generates “quite simple” scores based on how many keywords in a résumé match a job description.
Yet that’s not always a big help — especially as AI has made it easier for people to tailor their résumés to match a job posting. For that reason, he said, many of the recruiters he speaks with don’t rely on those scores to screen out résumés.
Miloev said that such scores don’t yet tend to involve parsing résumés for deeper insights or involve “complicated understanding by large language models,” he said.
“There aren’t very many magic hacks,” to reviewing résumés, Miloev said.
What recruiters actually do
Often, he said, recruiters simply read through incoming CVs chronologically — another reason it’s good to
apply quickly to a role
that looks good, he said. After a certain point, there will be too many to go through.
Mark Jensen, a recruiter with Upswing Talent Acquisition, said that when applications start to pile up for a role, he’ll stop accepting them. Otherwise, he said, those doing the hiring are “waiting for perfection to fall into our lap, instead of working with what’s available.”
Chait, who runs Greenhouse, said that hiring technology is getting better at helping recruiters identify applicants who possess the necessary skills or qualifications for a job. Software can read a résumé and application materials, and generate analytics about the applicants, he said.
That’s a departure from years ago, when applicant tracking systems were little more than glorified inboxes.
“It used to just be like the line at the deli — everybody shows up and goes in order,” Chait said.
The ‘AI doom loop’
Many employers are being bombarded with applicants because so many more résumés are zipping across the internet. People desperate to land a role or hoping to find an in with an employer can, in some cases,
easily click “submit.”
Employers, in turn, then have to sift through a taller stack of résumés.
The result, Chait said, is an “AI doom loop” that’s unspooling as it’s getting harder to get a job while getting easier to apply for them.
He said that means job seekers often feel as though they’re “shouting into the void and not getting anywhere.” Meanwhile, Chait said, recruiters face a mountain of applications and ask, “What the hell do I do with that? How do I get to the person I need to hire when there’s all this noise?”
When job posts get so many applicants, Miloev said, it’s understandable why people would blame technology. But that doesn’t mean it’s “randomly rejecting résumés,” he said.
Do you have a story to share about your career? Contact this reporter at
tparadis@businessinsider.com
.
Read the original article on
Business Insider
