Ghosting Candidates, Black Holes, Poor Candidate Experiences, and the Broken System of ATS Rejections
The recruitment market is in a state of flux, with both companies and candidates feeling the strain. As technology advances and job markets tighten, you would think the hiring process would be smoother than ever. Instead, many candidates are finding themselves lost in a sea of automated systems, being ghosted, and seemingly endless silences. The frustrations are mounting, and it’s clear the positive recruitment and candidate experience is falling short.
Let’s talk about the ‘black hole 'that's swallowing CVs, the ‘broken promises’ of interviews that lead nowhere, and the ‘automated gatekeepers’ (Applicant Tracking Systems) rejecting candidates before they’re ever truly considered.
1. The Black Hole of CV Submissions: Where Does My Application Go?
It’s a feeling most job seekers know too well: you spend hours crafting the perfect CV, tailoring it for a job posting, writing a personalised cover letter—and then… nothing. Not even a generic rejection email.
This “black hole” of recruitment is one of the most frustrating aspects of today’s job market. Candidates submit applications and never hear a word back. It’s demoralising, disheartening, and frankly, disrespectful. But why does this happen?
In many cases, it’s due to the overwhelming reliance on automated systems and a lack of personal touch. Recruitment teams are swamped with applications, and rather than acknowledging each one, they simply leave most in the abyss. For candidates, it feels like a total disregard for their effort and time, reinforcing the idea that they’re just another number in a vast pool of applicants.
2. Interviews with No Closure: The Ghosting Continues
If submitting a CV into the void isn’t bad enough, imagine going through several rounds of interviews only to never hear from the company again. Unfortunately, this kind of ghosting has become increasingly common. Candidates invest time, energy, and hope into the interview process, only to be met with radio silence.
Not only is this a poor reflection on the company, but it’s also a terrible candidate experience. Candidates are left in limbo, wondering if they’re still being considered or if they’ve been silently rejected. This lack of communication and closure can lead to resentment and erode trust in the hiring process.
The reasons behind this ghosting vary. Sometimes, it’s due to internal disorganisation (mostly), a sudden shift in hiring priorities, or a hiring freeze that recruiters don’t want to disclose. But whatever the reason, failing to communicate with candidates is a critical failure in the recruitment process. At the very least, candidates deserve feedback—even if it’s a rejection.
3. The Broken Candidate Experience: From Beginning to End
Recruitment isn’t just about finding the right person for the job; it’s about creating a positive experience for every candidate who interacts with your company. Yet, in today’s market, the candidate’s experience is consistently neglected. Poor communication, overly complex application processes, and impersonal rejection methods contribute to a negative perception of companies.
Candidates want transparency. They want to know where they stand in the process, what steps come next, and—if they’re rejected—why it happened. Yet so many companies fail to provide even basic feedback, leaving candidates feeling undervalued.
This poor experience doesn’t just affect candidates emotionally; it has tangible consequences for employers, too. A bad recruitment experience can deter top talent from applying again in the future, tarnish a company’s brand, and even lead to negative reviews on platforms like Glassdoor.
4. ATS Systems: Automated Rejection Machines?
The rise of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) was supposed to make recruitment easier and more efficient. In some ways, it has—ATS tools can quickly scan thousands of applications and filter out those that don’t meet certain criteria. However, this efficiency comes at a cost: many qualified candidates are being automatically rejected before a human ever sees their CV.
ATS systems rely on keyword matching and preset algorithms to sift through applications. If your CV doesn’t match the keywords exactly as the system expects, it might get tossed out, even if you’re a strong fit for the role. This means many candidates are being rejected for technical reasons rather than their qualifications or potential.
What’s worse is that most candidates don’t even know they’ve been rejected by an ATS—they’re left wondering if anyone ever looked at their application in the first place. And in most cases, no one did. This automated filtering process dehumanises the job search and leaves many qualified candidates feeling like they never had a fair chance.
5. The Disconnect Between Hiring Managers and Technology
One of the biggest challenges in today’s recruitment market is the disconnect between technology and human decision-making. Hiring managers often rely on recruitment technology—like ATS systems and automated screening tools—but these technologies are far from perfect.
Recruiters and hiring managers may never see the full picture of who’s applying for their jobs because the system filters out candidates based on rigid criteria. This reliance on automation creates a disconnect between the actual needs of the company and the candidates who are available and capable of meeting those needs.
Moreover, many hiring managers assume that these systems are perfect gatekeepers, not realising that they may be missing out on excellent talent. The result? A prolonged hiring process, frustration for both sides, and ultimately, roles that go unfilled because the system rejected candidates before they even had a chance to showcase their potential.
6. Is There a Way Forward?
The current recruitment market is clearly broken in many ways, but there are opportunities for improvement. Both companies and recruitment professionals need to reassess their processes and the technologies they use. Here are a few key steps to consider:
Humanize the Process: Companies must shift from a purely transactional approach to recruitment and bring back the human element. Acknowledge every candidate’s application, provide updates throughout the process, and give feedback where possible.
Reevaluate ATS Systems: While ATS systems are helpful for managing high volumes of applications, they shouldn’t be the final gatekeepers. Recruiters should consider reviewing ATS-rejected candidates manually to ensure no strong candidates are being missed due to keyword mismatches or algorithmic errors.
Provide Closure: Even if a candidate is unsuccessful, providing a clear rejection with feedback can go a long way. Not only does this create a positive candidate experience, but it also leaves the door open for future opportunities.
Invest in Communication: Clear, consistent communication is key to improving the candidate experience. Whether it’s a simple automated response acknowledging receipt of a CV or a personalized message after an interview, candidates deserve to know where they stand.
Conclusion: Recruitment Needs a Reset
The current state of recruitment is filled with frustration—for candidates and hiring managers alike. CVs fall into black holes, interviews end in silence, and automated systems reject candidates without a second thought. It’s time to rethink the process and create a more humane, transparent, and efficient recruitment system that benefits everyone involved.
The question now is: Are we ready to fix it? Or will we continue to let CVs, and potentially great candidates, disappear into the black hole?
Feel free to share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below. Have you been ghosted by a company? Or are you a hiring manager struggling with the inefficiencies of the current recruitment market? Let’s start a conversation about how we can make recruitment better for everyone.