Paper Figures

A true incident, although the names have been changed.

It’s a chilly Monday night in Minneapolis. Prince’s “computer blue” plays softly from the bar's PA system, sparking faint echoes of 1984’s Purple Rain days. The muted TV shows a CNN anchor hyping the latest news, and a couple of die-hard fans are debating Vikings football. There's no big crowd tonight, just Luke and Bob, two middle-aged regulars at the bar, nursing beers.

“Hey Luke, how’s that new app-controlled recliner of yours?” Bob asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Oh, it’s amazing,” Luke replies, tapping his phone. “Total AI—suggests the best postures to prevent back pain. All on my phone.”

“Really?” Bob raises an eyebrow, clearly entertained.

“Speaking of comfort, any luck with the job search?” Bob presses.

Luke shakes his head with a sigh. “Sixteen applications—no responses. It's like throwing stones into a river, man. Feels like my resume’s a total flop.”

“No kidding.” Bob winces, then suggests, “You talk to that headhunter? They say there’s loads of openings right now.”

Luke smirks, “Maybe we need a drone to drop resumes straight into hiring managers' hands.”

Both of them laugh, imagining the scene.

“You know,” Bob says as a large plate of nachos lands on their table, “it’s ironic—sometimes, tech feels like the worst thing to happen to job hunting.”

“Wait, you’re talking about resume drones?” Luke teases, munching a cheese-laden nacho.

Bob shakes his head, chuckling. “Not quite. Guess again.”

“E-cigarettes?”

“Nope.” Bob grins. “Getting warmer, though.”

Luke raises an eyebrow. “My AI-powered recliner?”

Bob laughs but then leans in, dropping his voice. “No, Luke. I’m talking about those automated recruiting tools.”

“Come on,” Luke says, intrigued. “What’s so bad about them?”

Bob sighs. “Those tools, the ones you used to apply—they’re brutal. They work on ‘keyword matching.’ You don’t have the right words? Forget it. Your resume is dead on arrival. It’s the worst use of technology, right up there with... well, you get the picture.”

Luke frowns. “So I’m just some ‘paper figure’ to a machine?”

“Exactly,” Bob says, voice tinged with frustration. “These tools don’t see you. They see keywords—nothing else. And if your resume doesn’t have the right flavor, it’s tossed out without a second glance.”

The Reality Stings. Automated recruiting tools—impersonal, rigid, and relentless—have changed the game. Candidates now have to be experts not just in their field but in guessing which keywords to sprinkle through their resumes. And even if you make it through, the whole process is painfully detached.

“Companies talk about ‘humanity’ and ‘team spirit’ on their career pages,” Bob says, shaking his head. “But let you slip past their algorithm, and half the time, they don’t even give you a real response. Just a robotic rejection email: ‘Thanks for applying, good luck.’ No feedback. No closure. Just more prayers to the Keyword God.”

Luke stares at his nachos, contemplative. "So all this technology—and here we are, paper figures at the mercy of algorithms.”

Bob nods. “Exactly. The irony? The tech that should help is making it all worse. It’s stripping the ‘human’ out of human resources, leaving qualified people like you lost in the void.” Until companies rethink these hiring tools and bring real human connection back into the process, job seekers are left in the lurch. Automated hiring might be convenient for recruiters, but it’s come at a cost—candidates reduced to “paper figures,” mere data points with no faces, no stories, just keywords.

It’s a harsh misuse of technology. And for now, Luke—and job seekers everywhere—are just paper figures, waiting for real change, in the background we hear the - song "When Dove Cries" by Prince.

-- The End.

If you've made it this far, you’re probably wondering: So, what’s the solution? We’ve all thought about it, and we know the problem all too well. Agreed, and thank you for reading so far. Here is a suggestion.

The Open House Model: I call it "Bring Your Own Talent" - BYOT.

Imagine a monthly open house. Every month on a particular day, say the 3rd Saturday, businesses open their doors for candidates to demonstrate their talents, while the candidates can also learn and get a firsthand look at the work, the culture, and the people.

An open house where candidates walk-in or pre-register and show up to demo their talent. There are no strings attached or consent attached. It is just an audition for your skill. You are selling yourself directly. This open house format goes beyond conventional interview applications or a job fair, offering a dynamic space for potential employees to demonstrate their skills in real-time.

Further, in this open house model, candidates set their agenda. When registering, they describe what they would showcase. This approach gives candidates control, allowing them to explore areas that truly interest them and align with their strengths.

With the candidates’ consent, the sales pitch/demos are video recorded. Now, AI-powered video tagging and cataloging can transform recorded candidate demos into a dynamic talent resource. AI tools analyze videos to automatically tag skills, competencies, and keywords, creating a searchable archive. This system categorizes content—such as technical skills, leadership qualities, or customer interaction—so HR teams can quickly locate candidates based on specific needs.

Further, Advanced AI can analyze beyond technical skills, evaluating body language, tone, and emotional responses to provide a more complete view of each candidate. AI can assess confidence, engagement, and even comfort levels. Speech analysis further reveals communication style, adaptability, and emotional intelligence as AI observes how candidates respond to challenging questions or feedback. This subtle insight helps HR teams understand qualities like resilience, authenticity, and stress management, offering a well-rounded profile that combines both technical abilities and interpersonal traits essential for cultural and role fit.

Both parties receive constructive feedback. Candidates would get valuable feedback instead of a "mechanical" email, while HR teams would know issues around their hiring process. The open house approach could transform hiring into a meaningful, collaborative experience. It’s a two-way discovery where candidates and companies connect through action, values, and shared challenges.

For open houses to work, HR and team members need to be committed to consistent involvement. HR must handle planning and logistics, which can add to their workload.?There is a cost involved, but could be lesser than paying these old fashioned job portals. For the candidates, there is a level of privacy issues to consider. What happens if the video gets out to their current employers? It is complex.

Maybe, its time for a change and move away from paper resumes, platforms like Linked-in instead of being a static dump of profile data, can offer video profiles, creating a culture of showcasing your talent regardless of the need. I am suggesting a dynamic video pitch part of the profile about anything you want to sell as part of your talent. This will also help current employers to understand their people better.

To conclude, I am unsure if this will work, but it is far better than having a bunch of keywords determine a candidate's fate.

Good luck.