Both Sides Are Screwing the Pooch: Why Hiring is Completely Broken
Let’s stop blaming "the algorithm" or "the market" and talk about what’s actually happening: Both employers and job seekers have completely abandoned the human element, and everyone is wallowing in the mess they built.
On one side, employers have turned hiring into a lazy, automated nightmare. They hide behind broken ATS filters, demand candidate work histories to be manually typed in after uploading a resume, post ghost jobs, and ghost qualified applicants after three rounds of interviews. It’s sloppy, disorganized, and disrespectful.
On the other side, job seekers are firing off 300 "Easy Apply" applications, doing zero company research, ignoring basic follow-ups, and wondering why they’re getting radio silence.
Firing off 10 random clicks a day isn't a strategy. It's laziness disguised as productivity.
Unemployment sits around 4% and there are millions of open jobs out there. The opportunities exist, but the process on both sides is totally broken because nobody wants to put in the actual upfront work.
How to reclaim the human element and actually get results:
For Employers:
Fix your workflow: Stop making candidates jump through 12 administrative hoops just to apply.
Show basic respect: If someone interviews with you, send a real decision. Stop ghosting people.
Train your managers: Stop looking for unicorn candidates on paper and hire adaptable humans your leads can actually manage.
For Candidates:
Write the damn cover letter: Nobody does it anymore. That is precisely why a targeted 3-paragraph letter explaining why you fit instantly sets you apart.
Do 5 minutes of sleuthing: Research the company before applying to filter out ghost postings. Find a mutual contact, a team lead, or a manager and ask for a quick informational chat.
Follow up like a person: Whether it’s a call or in person depends on the industry, not your inclination.
Technology promised to make hiring easier. Instead, it stripped out accountability and turned the hiring process into an arms race of low-effort automation.
Stop relying on technology to do the hard work for you. Quality, research, and direct human connection win every single time.
