The broken promise of AI in recruitment
Not long ago, AI was supposed to fix recruitment. Faster screening. Better matches. Less bias. Improved candidate experience.
But somewhere along the way, something broke.
Startup founders keep telling me the same thing:
“Talent acquisition is broken.”
Most methods that worked five or ten years ago no longer deliver. Referrals and internal promotions still work, but attracting the right talent through open roles has become significantly harder.
And they’re not wrong.
The Hiring Flood: when more becomes too much
AI was supposed to make hiring more efficient. Instead, it’s fueling overload.
Recruiters are buried in applications. Job platforms now make it possible to apply to dozens of roles in just a few clicks. AI-generated CVs and cover letters are everywhere. Autofill tools make submitting an application effortless.
Some candidates now apply to 50 jobs per day—ten times more than five years ago. It’s become a volume game: the more you apply, the better your odds. The logic mirrors outbound sales. But just like in sales, when everyone adopts the same tactic, response rates crash.
The result? A flood of applications. Many look great on paper but lack real relevance. Some are completely fake. The sheer volume makes it nearly impossible for recruiters to identify qualified candidates.
Recruiters used to read cover letters—at least occasionally. Today, there are too many. Most go straight to the trash.
Candidates try to game the system by increasing volume. But that only makes the problem worse. It feeds the cycle.
Remote roles are affected the most—due to the wider talent pool—but this trend is growing fast in local markets too.
Recruiters tell me all the time:
“We don’t even know where to start anymore.”
The Black Hole
The other side of the table is just as bleak.
Every week, I speak with professionals—experienced, skilled, motivated—who are completely discouraged.
“I’ve applied to 30, 40, sometimes over 100 jobs. No one replies.”
“Even when I was junior, I got some feedback. Now? Nothing.”
“LinkedIn feels completely useless.”
People aren’t just being rejected.
They’re being ignored.
Recruitment has become so automated and impersonal that applying for jobs feels like shouting into a void. Candidates say they’ve never seen anything like it. What started in the U.S. is now happening across Europe.
Unemployment numbers don’t reflect the issue. This isn’t just about job availability—it’s about the experience of looking. The frustration. The silence.
Tech roles are clearly affected. But the deeper issue spans industries.
We’ve created a system where applicants are invisible, and recruiters are overwhelmed.
Nobody wins.
The vicious circle of noise
This is the loop we’re stuck in:
- AI makes applying easier → candidates apply more
- Recruiters are overwhelmed → they automate or ignore
- Candidates feel invisible → they apply even more
- Noise increases
- Quality suffers
Both sides are trying to optimize their process. But in opposite directions.
Candidates: “I want to be seen—whatever it takes.”
Recruiters: “I only want to see the most relevant people.”
What began as a push for efficiency has turned into pure noise.
No depth. No context. No connection.
The illusion of optimization
Everything in the modern hiring stack was built to improve the process:
- CV screening tools
- Chatbots
- Matching algorithms
- AI-written cover letters
- Application bots
But optimizing doesn’t mean understanding.
Filtering isn’t evaluating.
Automation isn’t care.
We’ve prioritized speed over substance.
Scale over relevance.
And in doing so, we've made real talent invisible.
I’ve seen incredibly qualified people—perfect matches—completely ignored. Not once. Routinely.
So what now?
We don’t need less technology.
We need better use of it.
The goal shouldn’t be more applications. It should be better matches.
In fact, applying for jobs may soon become an outdated concept. In an optimized system, you’d know in real time which jobs truly fit your skills and preferences. And you’d only be presented with those.
There aren’t many jobs that are a great fit for any one person—and that’s the point. Once we accept that, the system can focus on relevance, not reach.
A strong match should trigger an introduction directly to the hiring manager or recruiter. No forms. No automated rejections. No black holes.
A better model
We need a new framework—one that:
- Filters less and understands more
- Surfaces only truly relevant opportunities
- Gives job seekers clarity and timely feedback
- Gives hiring teams real signal—not noise
- Restores trust on both sides
AI can be part of the solution. But it must serve the process, not dominate it.
Recruitment shapes companies, careers, and communities. If we allow it to collapse under noise, we lose more than time, we lose opportunity, fairness, and dignity.
The old job search model—browsing endless listings with a “What” and “Where” filter—is fading. And it should.
Asking candidates to apply blindly across dozens of jobs doesn’t make sense anymore.
Let’s build a system where:
- Talents only see jobs that truly match
- Algorithms identify the most relevant candidates
- Humans make the final decision, based on skills and values
- And where the right employer finds the right person—without wasted time on either side
AI should bring efficiency, not chaos.
Everything starts with reinventing job search.
We need to give talents the ability to match instantly with the right—and every relevant—opportunity, and ensure recruiters can actually see them.
No more blind applications.
No more noise.
Just the right people, connected at the right time.