In today’s job market, navigating the hiring process feels more like battling a faceless algorithm than showcasing your skills to a potential employer. As someone with years of experience in communications, marketing, and public relations, I’ve faced this frustration firsthand. I’ve applied to countless jobs—roles for which I’m not only qualified, but in many cases, overqualified—only to be met with the cold, impersonal sting of an automated rejection email.
Here’s the kicker: I’ve done everything “experts” suggest. I’ve tailored my resume to specific job descriptions, strategically incorporated keywords (yes, even copying and pasting the job description into my resume,) and written detailed, passionate cover letters for each application. Yet, the result is the same: silence or rejection without ever interacting with a real person.
This isn’t just my story—it’s a systemic issue.
Convenience Over Connection
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) were designed to streamline the hiring process for employers, analyzing hundreds or even thousands of applications to identify candidates with the right keywords and qualifications. On paper, it sounds efficient. In practice, it’s a disaster.
ATS software often eliminates candidates based on arbitrary parameters. Maybe your resume wasn’t formatted perfectly, or perhaps you didn’t repeat a keyword enough times.
Here's what ATS doesn’t account for:
Transferable skills: These may not perfectly match the job description, but they are incredibly relevant to the role.
Human qualities: Creativity, communication style, and cultural fit are all critical attributes for roles in communications and PR.
The ability to tell a story: This is what communications professionals do best, but can’t fully showcase in an ATS-friendly resume.
Companies relying solely on ATS to narrow the candidate pool aren't just weeding out the “unqualified." They’re cutting out on incredible talent.
Is hr Really Qualified to Hire for certain roles?
Here's the thing, and I mean this respectfully: the people overseeing hiring for communications and PR roles often don’t have the expertise to evaluate candidates. Communications requires a specific skill set, from crafting compelling stories and narratives to managing crises with finesse. Yet the many HR professionals who are tasked with deciding who moves forward in the process don’t hold degrees in communications or marketing. Why?
Imagine hiring a surgeon based on the opinion of someone who’s never studied medicine, or hiring an attorney who only watches "Law and Order." The same principle should apply here. Communications roles require in-depth understanding, creativity, and strategic thinking. These qualities can’t be measured by software or assessed by someone without relevant expertise.
A Call for Change
Fact: The current system is broken. Myself and others have spent hours crafting tailored applications only to be filtered out before a real person ever reviews our resume.
Here’s what needs to happen:
Fire ATS: If your company solely relies on ATS, you might as well fire your HR staff and recruiters. Seriously, what’s their role if they aren’t reviewing resumes or conducting interviews?
Bring Back Human Interaction: Let's be honest. COVID killed this. I'm not even a proponent of remote working, but that's another story. For roles in communications, marketing, and PR, in-person interviews should be mandatory. These roles are about people, storytelling, and connection. These qualities can't be judged by a machine.
Train HR Teams: If HR is hiring for specialized roles, they need training in those fields, or at least have experience in HR for those specific fields. Better yet, involve someone from the department. Usually this happens down the line, but how do applicants get passed the gate keeper?
Value the Effort: At the end of the day we're investing time, effort, and hope into the process and companies need to recognize that and reciprocate with genuine engagement.
The Emotional Toll
Job hunting has always been tough, but the modern process has become soul-crushing. The lack of human interaction and the repetitive cycle of rejection is leaving candidates feeling invisible and undervalued. For us communications professionals, this is especially ironic. We’re experts in connecting with others, yet we’re met with a process that’s devoid of connection.
To companies relying on ATS: you’re not just filtering out resumes; you’re filtering out potential, creativity, and the very human qualities that make your company or organization thrive. Something needs to change, and it needs to change now.
If you’re in HR or leadership and reading this, take a moment to reflect on your hiring practices. The future of your company and the careers of countless job seekers depends on your practices.
For the rest of us job seekers, stay resilient. Keep honing your craft, telling your story, and advocating for change. Let's work together to demand a system that values people over algorithms.
By: Michael-Chase Strollo
Hospitality
Published: November 11, 2024 7:40 PM ET
United States, Employment, Hiring, Finance, Tech
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