How ATS Filters Block Talented Professionals from Jobs

Every single day, I’m applying to jobs. I’m talking to recruiters. And the cycle continues — applications go nowhere. It’s been 12 months of this. Every day on LinkedIn and Glassdoor, I see my situation reflected in thousands of others. The green “Open to Work” banner is becoming more and more common — a quiet signal of how many people are struggling. I’ve been through multi-round interviews that spanned two months… only for the company to decide not to hire anyone. Half the jobs posted online are ghost jobs. I know people willing to take 40% pay cuts or apply for roles well below their experience level — just for a chance to work again. I’m applying to jobs with 90-minute commutes, for 20% less than I made before… and still not being selected. There are 7.4 million unemployed people in the U.S. right now — and 7.2 million open positions. Yet hiring feels stagnant. Companies are merging, creating redundancies. Massive layoffs are happening across industries. And AI is quietly eliminating roles that once felt secure. What happens when millions of qualified, experienced people simply can’t find work? When they no longer have paychecks, benefits, or a path forward? It’s more than frustrating — it’s terrifying.

“The job market isn’t broken, it’s being reprogrammed to benefit employers.” The numbers tell a story that can’t be ignored. Job postings dropped 10% globally this September. Planned hires fell 58% from last year. Nearly 1 million job cuts have been announced in 2025, the worst since 2020. And an estimated 27.4% of listings might not even be real. This isn’t just about layoffs or competition. It’s about systemic inefficiency, where outdated hiring pipelines, inflated interview rounds, and a flood of “ghost jobs” waste both company resources and candidate potential. As someone who’s spent over 15 years automating enterprise systems and improving workflows, I see the same pattern repeating, broken systems left unoptimized. The future of hiring will depend on companies that treat recruiting like process design: measurable, transparent, and human-centered. Because efficiency isn’t just about saving time, it’s about respecting people’s time. If we don’t re-engineer the hiring process soon, we’re not just losing candidates, we’re losing trust in the system itself. #FutureOfWork #Automation #HiringTrends #TechLeadership #OpenToWork

What’s changing when people get laid off? It’s no longer just updating your resume and quietly disappearing from the org chart. Across industries — especially tech — a new trend is emerging: peer support communities for those affected by job cuts. Why this matters for recruiters, job-seekers and HR professionals: • These groups combine emotional support + practical help — job leads, resume reviews, interview strategy, shared referral networks. • They change how we think about layoffs — from a personal failure to a shared experience and potential reset point. • For recruitment agencies (like ours at Jama HR Express) and clients working in manufacturing, aerospace or tech: tapping into or even supporting these communities can be a differentiator in how you engage talent. • And for job-seekers: recognizing that you’re not alone — and that community + network can accelerate your next move. 💬 Question for the network: Have you seen or participated in a layoff-support community (LinkedIn group, Slack, Discord, local network) that made a meaningful difference? What was the biggest value you derived from it? #CareerTransitions #Layoffs #TalentAcquisition #JobSearch #CommunitySupport

The market isn’t bad. It’s just painfully slow. Maybe it’s just me. Jobs open for months. So many submissions getting rejected. Offers dragging on. Endless interviews that go nowhere. Here’s what I’m actually seeing: Unrealistic expectations. Clients want 5–8 years’ experience. Not 4. Not 9. Even if someone’s from a target company doing the same job, if they’re a year over or under, it’s a no. It’s madness. Process creep. What used to be 3 stages is now 5. Recruiter screen. HR screen. Hiring manager screen. A multi-hour, unpaid, in-depth project. Presentation of said project. Add a test. Add another “final chat.” By the time an offer’s ready, the candidate’s gone… or lost the will to live. Overthinking short stints. A 12-month fixed-term contract that ended as planned isn’t job-hopping. But it’s being treated like one and good people are getting ruled out for no reason. Too much noise. Layoffs have flooded the market. I had 268 applicants for one role in 24 hours. And honestly, not every single person gets the time they deserve. There just aren’t enough hours in the day. The ‘remote’ illusion. Firms say remote. Until you find the perfect candidate. Then it’s: “Remote, but not from San Francisco.” Translation: we want top-tier talent, just not top-tier salaries. It’s limiting options and slowing everything down The right people are right there in front of them. So what can we actually do? Recruiters: Set expectations early with candidates. “This process is slow, does that work for you?” Push back with clients when specs are too narrow. Don’t panic. Every client says they needed the hire yesterday, then goes quiet for a week when you send a CV. It's not that deep. Don't take it personally. Candidates: Keep going. There are plenty of roles out there, just don’t pin your hopes on one. You just need to get lucky once. Be patient, if you can (I know not everyone’s in that position). Explain short roles or gaps up front to avoid instant rejection. Recruiters don’t have time to deep-dive every CV, even when we’d like to. Get out in front of this. Clients: Move faster. Please. Be realistic, perfect doesn’t exist. You can’t have 7 open roles, sky-high expectations, and then wonder why no one’s been hired in months. If you want top talent, pay market rates and stop pricing people out by location. Did I miss anything?

Be proactive with your recruiter to make sure they're digging deeply, far, and wide . . . “The ‘low-hire, low-fire’ job market persisted in August, as job openings remained steady and layoffs were low, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released on Sept. 30. Available jobs in the US have dropped precipitously since the Covid 19-driven hiring boom that occurred in 2021 and 2022, when openings soared to 12.1 million. In recent months, though, they’ve hovered just above 7 million, remaining at 7.2 million in August, essentially flat from the month prior. Meanwhile, hiring dipped slightly, as employers hired 5.1 million workers, down from 5.2 million in July. This slowdown in hiring could indicate that recruiters and TA professionals are struggling to find job candidates with the right skillsets, labor market experts told HR Brew.” * *source: “Morning Brew’s”  ‘HR Brew” 10-1-25

Stat of the moment: 76% of employers say filling open roles remains one of the biggest hiring challenges in 2025 🗂️ We’re in a “strategy meets stress” era, for companies trying to scale and for candidates trying to be seen. Here’s what that means: · You can’t just post and pray. Talent is everywhere, but attention is scarce. · Speed without clarity = noise. You’ll drown in resumes that don’t matter. · Process matters. Consistency, fairness, and follow-up win more than flashy job ads. With the right partner, process, and personal touch - you stop chasing and start connecting! What’s your biggest hiring struggle right now? We’d love to help. #it #recruitment #tech #hiring #globalreach #localexpertise #partner #personal #approach

English follows 9月の米国解雇は減少も、通年採用計画は16年ぶりの低水準。 最新データによると、9月の解雇発表は約54,000件と大幅に減少しましたが、2025年通年の採用計画数はわずか20万件余りで、2009年以来の最低水準となりました。 企業が雇用を維持しながらも、新規採用には慎重な姿勢を強めており、経済の不透明感とコスト圧力が依然として重くのしかかっています。労働市場は「解雇は減ったが、採用も進まない」という、“低流動”な安定状態に入りつつあります。 📉 解雇：前月比で減少（約54,000件） 🏗️ 採用計画：通年で16年ぶりの低水準 ⚖️ 労働市場は慎重な安定局面に #米国雇用 #労働市場 #採用トレンド #雇用動向 #経済トレンド #人材市場 #採用見通し ⸻ US layoffs fell in September, but hiring plans remain at a 16-year low. According to the latest data, US employers announced roughly 54,000 job cuts in September — a 37% monthly decline. However, planned hiring for 2025 has dropped to just over 200,000, marking the lowest year-to-date level since 2009. The data signals a cautious tone across corporate America: businesses are avoiding mass layoffs but also refraining from aggressive hiring, reflecting cost pressures and ongoing economic uncertainty. The result is a labor market that feels stable yet stagnant — steady employment, limited mobility, and subdued optimism. 📉 Layoffs: sharply lower in September (~54,000) 🏗️ Hiring Plans: lowest YTD since 2009 (~200,000) ⚖️ Labor Market: stability with stagnation #USJobs #LaborMarket #HiringTrends #EmploymentOutlook #JobCuts #USEconomy #Recruitment #WorkforceTrends

English follows 9月の米国解雇は減少も、通年採用計画は16年ぶりの低水準。 最新データによると、9月の解雇発表は約54,000件と大幅に減少しましたが、2025年通年の採用計画数はわずか20万件余りで、2009年以来の最低水準となりました。 企業が雇用を維持しながらも、新規採用には慎重な姿勢を強めており、経済の不透明感とコスト圧力が依然として重くのしかかっています。労働市場は「解雇は減ったが、採用も進まない」という、“低流動”な安定状態に入りつつあります。 📉 解雇：前月比で減少（約54,000件） 🏗️ 採用計画：通年で16年ぶりの低水準 ⚖️ 労働市場は慎重な安定局面に #米国雇用 #労働市場 #採用トレンド #雇用動向 #経済トレンド #人材市場 #採用見通し ⸻ US layoffs fell in September, but hiring plans remain at a 16-year low. According to the latest data, US employers announced roughly 54,000 job cuts in September — a 37% monthly decline. However, planned hiring for 2025 has dropped to just over 200,000, marking the lowest year-to-date level since 2009. The data signals a cautious tone across corporate America: businesses are avoiding mass layoffs but also refraining from aggressive hiring, reflecting cost pressures and ongoing economic uncertainty. The result is a labor market that feels stable yet stagnant — steady employment, limited mobility, and subdued optimism. 📉 Layoffs: sharply lower in September (~54,000) 🏗️ Hiring Plans: lowest YTD since 2009 (~200,000) ⚖️ Labor Market: stability with stagnation #USJobs #LaborMarket #HiringTrends #EmploymentOutlook #JobCuts #USEconomy #Recruitment #WorkforceTrends

The job market feels stuck right now. Not crashing, just eerily quiet. Hiring plans are at a 16-year low, layoffs have slowed, and yet millions of people are still struggling to find momentum. With the federal shutdown freezing new data, no one really knows how strong or weak things are. At Resume Revival, we see it every day. Talented people with solid experience are struggling to stand out as automation and AI reshape the playing field. The rules for getting noticed have changed, and keyword-rich, tailored resumes matter more than ever. If your job search feels tougher than it should, it’s not you. It’s the market. Let’s fix that. #JobMarket #FutureOfWork #CareerGrowth #AI #ResumeRevival

Even in an employer market, hiring isn’t getting easier. Despite layoffs and a larger talent pool, 70% of organizations still struggle to fill full-time roles. Why? Processes need revising, tools are misused, and expectations are misaligned. Discover what is making it harder to hire and how you can overcome common challenges: https://lnkd.in/edMbreFW #HiringChallenges #TalentStrategy #RecruitmentInsights