Employers 'spending more time sifting through unsuitable candidates'
A slow hiring process could lead jobseekers away from possible employers — but an influx of job applications can worsen the process, according to a recent report.
Overall, 38% of jobseekers are sending out over 20 applications per week. And 58% say they would be put off by a long application process.
But 54% of hiring managers in Canada say the influx of job applications has caused delays, with many applications not meeting the basic criteria for the roles in question, according to Robert Walters.
The influx can result in candidates missing key details of job postings or failing to tailor their applications to the role. Also, employers are seeing a higher rate of applications that miss key experience or skills requirements.
"Employers are receiving more applications than ever before, but they're spending more time sifting through unsuitable candidates,” says Martin Fox, managing director of Robert Walters Canada. “It’s a challenging situation because hiring managers don’t want to miss out on great talent, but they are also struggling to manage the volume effectively."
Thirty-seven percent of employers manually review and manage applications in their applicant tracking systems (ATS), but the sheer volume has led to some qualified candidates slipping through the net and being overlooked.
Meanwhile, nearly nine in 10 (87%) jobseekers in Canada feel that their job applications are being ignored, according to the report.
More than half of workers (57%) lose interest in a job if they don’t hear back from employers within 10 business days, according to a previous survey.
Should AI be used for job applications?
Amid the influx of job applications, nearly half (45%) of jobseekers admit that they now use AI to help with the job hunt process, according to Robert Walters’ survey.
And 14% state that they use them regularly.
However, 31% of hiring managers claim they can spot when a candidate has used AI to create their CV or cover letter, mainly due to the impersonal language and perfect formatting. And 48% state that the use of AI would negatively impact their opinion of the candidate.
"While AI can be helpful for quick applications, hiring managers value authenticity and a true reflection of a candidate’s experience. Many professionals believe tailoring their CV with AI improves their chances, but employers can often spot the language or overly polished formatting, which can actually work against them."
Half of workers are using AI in their job search, according to a previous report from Capterra.
Meanwhile, employers' increasing reliance on AI in recruitment may also risk alienating top talent, according to another survey by Capterra.