Applied for a position that required a resume, cover letter, work & writing samples and marketing portfolio.

15 Comments

1. AnonymousMarch 31,2025 at 10:02PM UTC

   Big Companies and Government Departments use AI software that picks up on certain terms and words they’re looking for hits on, or not as the case maybe(?)(¿) and that could be the case but that usually still takes some time due to the number of applications. I’d be as bold as to call and ask, especially if you took that much time. Just asking the question, how they look at applications and applicants etc. If they don’t want to talk to you, it tells you all you need to know about the company imo.

2. AnonymousMarch 31,2025 at 10:16PM UTC

   My guess is that they had a massive response to the posting, and yours came in right after receiving a specific number. If they don't have enough in the first wave, they may consider yours and come back with a follow-up. It is rare, but I've had that happen before. Another thing to consider is that they may have some of their funding in limbo if they utilize federal government contracts or grants.

3. AnonymousApril 1,2025 at 4:23PM UTC

   Sounds like the hiring process is full of automated responses like: the hiring committee if looking forward to reviewing your materials. And the rejection email sounds automated, too.

   In our office, hiring managers will review resumes in out ATS. If they pass on one, our system will generate something that says the applicant hasn't been selected.

   I can tell you disappointed, best wishes in your search.

4. AnonymousApril 1,2025 at 7:44PM UTC

   Thank you and I appreciated your feedback. I have an eclectic background and ATS and candidate profiles make it difficult to highlight my experience based on industry. When I viewed that a hiring committee would review applications, I spent hours putting together my submission and that's why I was so disappointed to be automatically eliminated.

5. Celena BartonApril 2,2025 at 12:19PM UTC

   No, but that’s the way it is unfortunately. They likely had hundreds of applications

6. GirlBossanova934974April 2,2025 at 12:51PM UTC

   My recommendation for you is to AVOID these types of applications going forward. Just ignore them. It is obvious that your application was rejected by Mr./Ms. Lazy at company XYZ running some ATS resume software. My take? I will submit a resume and a cover letter and sign up for 10-15 minute proficiency test for a given job. Work samples, fancy case studies come MUCH LATER! AFTER I speak to 2-3 members of the company. I'm not making any prepackaged videos for your company! IF you cannot be bothered to sit down and speak to me in person, that tells me you are flat out LAZY and that is how you run your company aka a REVOLVING DOOR of employees.

7. AnonymousApril 2,2025 at 3:51PM UTC

   It could be one of many things. Clearly they are using an ATS (applicant tracking system) which is usually set up by the hiring team to filter out and send automated emails and replies. Your resume might have hit just after they closed the "accepting applications" window. Then you would have gotten a rejection message. It is definitely poor form if they used a canned one that just unceremoniously dumped you with not a tinge of information about that timing issue. When I set up for any roles in my ATS I always customize the responses. No one ever gets rejected earlier than 48 hours no matter what. Alternatively, they might have been further in the process with others and you just got in there after a decision was made. Same comment here, bad form for them to not say that explicitly. 3rd possibility is that some low ranking person on their team is just manually sorting and sending things that a manager told them to forward or not based upon certain things they want in their responses. Clearly also bad and this might likely be the most possible situation. Often it is even the HM (hiring manager) if the company is too small to have a robust and experienced talent team.

   My advice would be, pick up the phone and call or better yet email to the CEO of the company. Share your same application directly with them and add in another cover note on top of the original one and let them know why they should at least speak to you beyond your application. Gush a bit and let them know that their company inspires you but that your candidate experience being eliminated from consideration in less than 5 minutes seems like an error. Give it 2 days and if you hear nothing from them then you know you dodged a bullet. If you don't hear from them do post your experience on Glassdoor so that others know what happened to you and are warned about this behavior. Don't let this taint your job search at all they just don't deserve you! Next...

8. AnonymousApril 3,2025 at 1:24PM UTC

   Email the CEO of the company?? This is NOT a good strategy. Do you really think the CEO has any involvement in rank and file hiring decisions?

9. AnonymousApril 3,2025 at 6:06PM UTC

   OP above, and yes the CEO of the company cares about the companies reputation and will most likely send it over to the person who will actually do a personal follow up to their complaint if it is professionally done and not accusatory. I run a Talent team and any time that we get something sent down from Exec level to fix we take a white glove approach to fixing our reputation. No matter the cause we do speak directly to that person and often we realize we might have missed out on someone great because the ATS failed or someone was trigger happy and accidentally rejected someone in a batch by mistake. The world is not perfect but when a mistake happens we own it or try to make it right. Any company where I have worked the CEO cared to make it right.

10. AnonymousApril 2,2025 at 4:08PM UTC

    Thank you all and I appreciated your feedback. I was frustrated not only for the missed opportunity but that I wasted my time submitting the application.

11. Sommer M WoodmanApril 3,2025 at 12:37PM UTC

    It’s possible they have someone in mind already and they are done taking applications.

12. AnonymousApril 3,2025 at 12:45PM UTC

    I've been in the same boat, and it's incredibly frustrating. I once received a rejection email less than 24 hours after applying, saying my qualifications weren’t a match. It stung, especially since I was more than qualified. The job description seemed to be written directly from my experience and resume, so getting that generic rejection felt dismissive of my skills.

    Logically, I knew it was just an automated response, and chances are they already had an internal candidate or someone else in mind. But that didn’t make it any less frustrating or disappointing in the moment. We just have to keep reminding ourselves that it was an automated response and not to take it personally.

13. AnonymousApril 3,2025 at 1:03PM UTC

    They might have been using AI. I was turned down for a position saying I didn't have certain requirements and experience that, not only I had but many years of experience. More and more companies are using AI to screen and it isn't working well.

14. Sharon SteinbachApril 3,2025 at 5:41PM UTC

    They likely used AI to look for keywords. If they weren't there, you're sunk. If there's a way to contact them directly to say gently that you would appreciate any feedback they could offer, although they may not respond. Generally, I've been told HR personnel don't give resumes more than a one-minute skim. For all you know, they were planning all along to hire within but are legally obliged to post job openings publicly.

15. AnonymousApril 4,2025 at 8:57PM UTC

    I hear you and it sounds very frustrating. I applied for a job a few years ago and was contacted, but declined being in the applicant pool because I found the salary was too low. There was an email chain with person about this. Months later, I received an email that stated the job was put on hold. I truly think orgs use systems that simply, do not work. AI is nothing more than the old Control F search on a keyboard but at a higher level. AI will never replace human interaction but unfortunately, it's able to handle mass applications. I will always suggest LinkedIn and also, use your social media groups within Facebook if you have one. We have one in our city that is for job seekers and I reply and suggest all the time. Do not leave any stone unturned and use social media as if you're yelling to the world, HIRE ME! What's important is you keep talking, keep connecting. Connecting does not equal applying. It keeps you relevant. The more you're out there, the more likely you'll get noticed by the right company.