Career Corner
Applicant Tracking Systems and You
How AI and automation are changing the recruiting process
Recently, a woman posted on LinkedIn about an odd experience she’d had with an online job posting. The day after she applied, she received an email from the company informing her that she had not been selected for the role, although they said it was “great to learn about her skills and accomplishments” during the job interview.
The problem? She hadn’t even spoken with anyone from the company, much less had an interview!
Here’s how something like that can happen, and how to avoid some of the pitfalls as you apply for jobs in this new age of AI automation.
Automated ATS
For decades now, most HR departments have used an applicant tracking system, or ATS, to manage their recruitment efforts. An ATS is a software program designed to keep track of candidates at each stage of the hiring process, and to compile the candidate’s resume, cover letter, references, and other documents.
As technology changed, the ATS became more automated. Now, the latest versions use AI for a number of functions, including reviewing and rating candidates based on keywords in their resume and application, and sending out status messages at each stage.
The “Good Old Days”
When I first became a recruiter, candidates came into our HR office and filled out paper applications in the front lobby.
Every evening, I would bring home that day’s applications and sort them into piles on my family room floor. There would be one pile for those that were not moving forward, and another pile for people I wanted to interview. The next morning, our HR assistant would send out postcards to the not-moving-forward group, while I would start calling the others to schedule face-to-face interviews.
This process had a personal touch I miss, but it took a lot of time to go through all the applications, and relying on “snail mail” meant that it could be a week or more before candidates heard back.
Streamlined, Not Always Accurate
Applicant tracking systems are designed to streamline this process and make it easier for recruiters to handle large volumes of applications. However, greater reliance on automation can create some frustrations for candidates:
“But I am qualified for this role.”
An ATS is designed to filter out candidates who don’t meet the minimum requirements, but this can lead to those who are qualified being rejected because they misread a question. The rest of their application might look great, but if only AI is reading it, they may be immediately rejected.
“I don’t know what the problem is.”
If you’re turned down for a job, it’s natural to want to know why, but automated messages seldom offer much concrete information about why you were not selected.
“This email makes no sense.”
Some systems let recruiters customize the automated notification messages depending on where a candidate is in the process, but some don’t, which can cause a lot of confusion. Also, some systems aren’t flexible enough to account for variations in the process, which is why you might get an automated email thanking you for an interview you didn’t have.
“Why do they email me in the middle of the night?”
Some organizations outsource their recruitment systems to workers in other countries. In those time zones, their midday might be 1 a.m. our time.
“But you told me I wasn’t selected.”
Sometimes, automated responses may turn away applicants who would still be great candidates for another position. A colleague of mine, Sharee McLaurin, applied for a talent acquisition job that was filled by an internal applicant. Soon after, another position opened up, but because Sharee had already gotten a “not selected” email, she didn’t apply again. Fortunately, I looked through the applications for the first position and realized she was a perfect candidate!
“It’s so impersonal.”
Receiving a rejection email always hurts, but automated messages can seem even more blunt and impersonal. If the email doesn’t even correctly indicate where you were in the process, your response may be, “Are you kidding me?”
These issues are an ongoing challenge for recruiters. Believe me, we don’t want to frustrate candidates or lose qualified applicants because of simple misunderstandings!
What You Can Do
Here are some steps you can take to limit some of these issues:
- Do not use “resume parsing” or AI for your application — complete the application manually, so you know the information is going in the right places.
- Read the job description carefully and make sure you include all the specified qualifications. Candidates who don’t meet the minimum requirements will usually promptly receive a “not selected” email.
- Fill out the application on the hospital’s website, even if you found the job listing on an external job board. There have been many times where candidates have told me they applied through Indeed or LinkedIn, but their applications were not in our system.
- Set up your profile to alert you when other positions become available.
- Keep track of all positions you applied for. Even if you aren’t selected for one, you may still be in consideration for another, so don’t lose hope.
- Try not to take the automated messages personally. They definitely are not perfect.
- Go to a career event or job fair. This will allow you to meet the recruiter or hiring manager face-to-face. Some career events even feature on-the-spot interviews.
- Share your experiences with the recruiter so they know what’s working and what isn’t. As a candidate, you deserve to be treated with respect during the application and interview process, whether it’s by humans or automated systems.
LEVELL ROMEYN has 28 years’ experience as a nurse recruiter at various Southern California hospitals.
In this Article: Job Search Advice
