I got Rejected by a Robot

Dear Recruiter,

I’m best suited for this role based on my experience and the passion, I have towards (x)…

We have ALL gone through the experience of clicking into your emails, receiving a ‘no-reply’ sitting in your inbox waiting for you to click open and.. it's from a job you applied for saying...

After a careful review/consideration of your application unfortunately on this occasion you have not been successful. Due to the high volume of applications for this role we are unable to provide feedback at this stage.

Don’t we just hate the auto-disposition functionality!? AI, we love you, but we also don’t like you at times especially when it comes to rejection. Goodbye Robot Robert :)

So, why am I bringing you into this journey...

Have you ever just sat there and questioned the words in the email instead of all those feelings rushing into you from sadness, regret, worthlessness, and that sense of rejection? I am questioning this process now especially as we move into AI and using ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to help filter out applicants who are mostly ‘suited’ for the role.

With AI helping recruiters find applicants who are best suited for the role, this has a huge impact on identifying top talent. Algorithm Bias is training data that reflects biases from the training data in decisions. These biases could significantly impact hiring practices, leading to unfair outcomes, reduced diversity, and dismissal of qualified candidates.

So, let’s dig deeper and discuss how artificial intelligence and recruitment are becoming best friends (without us)

AI used in recruitment can perform various tasks that can help improve the recruitment process. Some of the software they use are:

1.?Automated Transcription and Job Specification creation: AI can transcribe conversations between recruiters and clients to create a detailed job specification. This transcription allows recruiters to accurately capture the intricate details of the client’s requirements, allowing everybody to save time.

2. Profile matching and database searching: AI can search large databases to find candidates' profiles that match the job description. This process is significantly faster and more thoughtful than manual searches. Again, saves time for everyone.

3.?Automated communication: AI can send emails to potential candidates with the relevant skill set. Recruiters can use automated communication to schedule interviews and send confirmations to candidates. Double again, saving time.

4.?Shortlisting: AI can shortlist candidates who have expressed interest and match the job requirements. Then, recruiters can send the shortlist to the client for review on the spot.

What are the challenges and ethical considerations of using AI in recruitment…

1.?Data privacy: AI handling candidates' personal data raises significant privacy concerns. AI systems must comply with data protection laws to ensure the safety and privacy of candidates' personal data is protected.

2.?Human touch: Alexa play… “I need somebody with a human touch, hey you! lalalalal.. it was Spice Girls if you didn’t already get it ??” (music emoji).

Alright back to Human Touch, as AI handles most of the pre-interview tasks, recruiters need to deploy their unique capabilities, evaluating whether a candidate is a right fit for the company culture. ?A personal touch and conversation with these candidates could become the difference between successfully hiring them or not. However, I could argue that a recruiter reviewing a candidate's profile/CV right at the stage of ‘ready for interviews’ can have a detrimental impact on sourcing if those selected candidates are ‘fit’ or ‘suited’ for the role.

There’s a difference between both, someone who is ‘fit’ for the role means they are appropriate for the role due to their long-term experience. However, a ‘suited’ candidate means they are the right person for that role based on their knowledge, passion, and skills.

What about the others... Alexa, call AI Robot to calm down the crowd stampede… (quickly, before a recruiter gets a rude email from the no-reply box)

So, what happens to the other candidates who applied for the role but didn’t get through the ATS system? They get the famous automated rejection email from our friend AI Robot Robert.

Rejection statements tend to fall into these following categories:

1.?Fit

By far the most popular sent rejection email template. I'm convinced that the majority of people (approximately 100%) in charge of hiring don't do enough diligence to comprehensively define their job needs, learn about their candidates, and see potential instead of past experience only. Instead, they "know it when they see it" AKA look for "fit."

Here are some of the action statements you may have received related to fit:

• It looks like this role would not be the best fit for your talents, but know we are continually adding to our world-class team and that our door is always open for you to explore other opportunities.
• You have a great background but unfortunately, we’ve decided to move forward with other candidates who more closely match the requirements of the role.
• We have had a chance to review your application in consideration for the role, and while your skills and experience are impressive, they are not the right fit at this time.
• At the present time, there are other candidates whose qualifications more closely match the requirements for this position, and we will be moving forward with them in the recruiting process.
• We appreciate your interest; however, we are currently pursuing other candidates whose backgrounds and skills more closely fit our current needs.
• Our team has reviewed your application, and we've carefully decided to move forward with other candidates who we feel more closely match the unique requirements for the?position.
• Based on your application, this role wasn’t a great fit. Thank you for applying.

To be honest, it's hard to argue against fit. If there's a moral, humane way to reject someone it's more than likely on the merits of fit. That being said, such rejections should be followed up (upon request) with specific reasons why there wasn't a fit.

According to a recent report, assessing more than 5,000 people the report found that 12% of the population has a high level of fear about feedback.

Personally, I see it as this... if we humans can provide constructive feedback to young people from giving them a mini-lecture on why they failed their mock exam, why they didn’t show up on their first day at work experience, parents telling their child off because they aren’t doing their homework so they won’t get better grades… it can go on…

So, WHY can’t adults especially those in a position to provide constructive feedback actually just provide constructive feedback right!?

It literally can take someone 30/45 minutes of their time in the day to reflect back and provide some tips on how that adult can improve for next time. Especially when someone has spent time applying for a position at your company and that person didn’t even know the reasons why they aren’t a good ‘fit’ for the role or company.

End of the day, it’s not a competition between adults against adults. We all thrive in different pathways in life, the compassionate approach is allowing other adults to grow. Otherwise, you will receive a pool of the same individuals at your company, who bring no spark and creative challenges because you didn’t share feedback on how they can grow into better employers. The generation most impacted by this is Millennials, they aren’t progressing higher in their career because the current Seniors aren’t compassionately spending time with them to help them grow.

The graph below shows the percentage of people who fear feedback by company position.

2.??Unfortunately

Many rejection letters or emails will have the words ‘unfortunate’ which means an applicant is being rejected. It's never quite clear if it's more unfortunate for the company or the applicant, (someone share clarity on this) but it's clear that the inclusion of the term is meant to imbue some human sentiment akin to empathy. But you don’t feel any empathy after receiving this message as it sort of reads as if you aren’t the ‘lucky’ one who was selected.

• Unfortunately, after careful consideration, we have determined that our current position is not ideally suited to your talents, experience, and qualifications.
• We reviewed your resume and unfortunately have decided to move forward with other candidates for the role.
• Unfortunately, we are unable to offer you a role at this time.

3.??Regret

We hate this word, REGRET. It’s ‘Unfortunately’ sibling but twinned with consideration. The company's status quo... that, hey, we really don't want to have to do this, but it's our job. We truly regret having to carry out this part of our jobs but here it is:

• After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that you have not been selected to interview for this position.
• After careful consideration?and representative of a very competitive marketplace, we regret to inform you that we are unable to move you forward in the process.
• We have reviewed your application, and we regret to inform you that it has not been selected for further consideration.
• After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that you have not been selected for this position.

It's worth noting that each instance of regret received is all automated from our friend AI Robot Robert. This could mean two things; the recruiter genuinely read your CV and thought you just weren’t the right ‘fit’ for the role or ATS attacked you like the original game -Snakes and the AI Robot got you. Eliminated, Goodbye Friend.

4.??Closed

Sometimes a rejection notice doesn't even officially reject an applicant so much as tell that there's no longer a job to apply to. It was all an illusion the email seems to imply, and if someone else got in before the job was "closed" it was no doubt only due to either a colleague referral or an internal referral.

• We wanted to let you know that the position you applied to has either been filled with another candidate or closed.
• I am writing to let you know that unfortunately, the role has now closed.

Oddly, hearing that a position has "closed" somehow always makes me feel better. For me, it is a "regretful" and "unfortunate" action, since I always assume that they were carefully reviewing each candidate-just on the verge of calling the candidate in--before funding was cut or the company went under. The role has closed, it's nobody's fault and we leave this as it is.

5.??Passive - Aggressive

Now, you will hardly come across the passive/aggressive rejection emails due to AI, but I thought I would include this as my number 5.

It falls into two camps: ones that are so direct, and so cavalier, that you almost have to respect their audacity (or arrogance); and ones that are so passive that it seems like even they don't know how the decision was made: it just sort of happened. Passive and/or aggressive rejections are two sides of the same blunt coin.

• We have reviewed your background and qualifications and are sorry to let you know that we will not be considering you further for this role.

The statement above is actually muted a bit by the inclusion of "sorry." But make no mistake, this is a blatant rejection. Also, considering that there were none of the typical clichés (e.g. you're great, we'll be in touch, etc.) accompanying this statement, they may as well just have emailed "No, thanks, mate".

But it's the passive ones that make me chuckle a little…

• After careful consideration of your?application,?we have concluded that we cannot proceed with your candidacy for the?position at this time.
• In the spirit of transparency,?we wanted to?let you know that we have had a number of qualified applicants, and we won't be able to continue with your candidacy at this time.

These rejection messages are mysterious forces of nature that prevent them from doing what they would otherwise like to do (namely, hire the applicant.) Spirit of transparency.. if we are talking about transparency in the spirit realm- tell me why I didn't get onto the next stage, give me constructive feedback and we both just SPIRITUALLY DID A GOOD DEED RIGHT!?

"We have concluded that we cannot proceed" sounds like an announcement made at Heathrow T3 for the Teatime special. I mean, what conclusion did you come up with!? Conclusion of seeing the amazing skills I have, and reading about the achievements I successfully delivered/made. YOU'VE CONCLUDED I AM NOT A GREAT FIT, RIGHT CHEERIO.

While "We won't be able to continue" is a direct message to say, ‘Why did you even apply for the role!?"

How the power of rejection can impact you

There are no easy answers to rejecting candidates. Especially for roles that receive hundreds (if not thousands) of applications, there's little more that can be done than run the CV through an AI-fuelled database and cross your fingers that only the right candidates pop out. And rejection sucks no matter how you cut it, even if for every qualified candidate there are 10 who are unqualified: they all get the same email. So, next time you spend endless hours conducting a cover letter, personal statement, 500 words of why you want the job… and you end up receiving the rejection email.

Don’t be too hard on yourself, I know it sucks your soul having to jump back on the job market and spend hours updating your CV, personal statement etc..

But remember there’s a job, the right job, and a good FIT for all jobs out there for you.

We amazing humans are very versatile but emotionally fragile. If you want to release your emotions, why not, practice playing Tetris and Snakes so you can dodge the next rejection email with your head up high.

P.S. That company missed out on you instead of you missing out on the company.

Disclaimer, no offense to Robot Robert or any of the hiring managers out there. We all know it's a tough role and world so a bit of love and appreciation goes a long way in life when sending feedback.

In Love, Peace, and Harmony, stay strong readers! & see you at Level 155 on the Tetris game!

Chandni Patel, Make a Difference

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