Whats Wrong With Modern Day Recruitment Processes

Newsletter: The Hiring Mirage – Why the Recruitment Process Needs a Reboot

February 20, 2025 | Unnanu

Welcome to this month’s deep dive into a topic that affects millions globally: the modern recruitment process. What looks like a streamlined, opportunity-rich system often hides flaws that frustrate both employers and job seekers. From the illusion of choice in hiring to performative diversity efforts, today we’re unpacking six critical issues—and why they matter. Let’s explore how these cracks in the system create a mirage of fairness and opportunity, and what could be done to fix them.

1. The Illusion of Choice in Hiring: Everyone is worried about experience, and finding the Perfect Fit. IT is more important, Cultural Fit

Picture this: You’re scrolling through a job board, eyes lighting up at dozens of postings from your dream company. It feels like the world is your oyster—until you apply and hear crickets. The truth?

The modern recruitment process flaws often start with an illusion of choice on both sides.

Candidates invest time crafting applications, only to discover that many roles are pre-decided or filtered through outdated requirements like “10 years of experience in a 5-year-old technology.” Employers, are missing out on fresh talent because their processes prioritize 'perfect' over potential.

The result? A incredibly tight hiring mirage where choice exists on paper but not in practice.

To fix this, companies could adopt transparent job postings and rethink inflexible criteria—giving both sides a fairer shot.

2. Searching for the Perfect Experience

Here’s a common occurence: A job listing demands a laundry list of certifications and years of experience, sidelining candidates who could thrive with a bit of training. This overemphasis on experience over cultural fit is one of the biggest modern recruitment process flaws.

It’s a double-edged sword—excluding talented individuals who lack the “perfect” resume while locking companies into stagnant talent pools that stifle innovation.

Why does this happen? Employers fear risk. Hiring someone with a proven track record feels safe, even if that person doesn’t mesh with the team or bring new ideas. But let me ask you this in 2025, what does a perfect track record event mean ? College Degree, job for 10 years?

No,no,no I would argue someone who is ambitious and hard working is actually more qualified, wouldn't you agree. But how do you source these candidates...

3. ATS and Algorithmic Filtering: The Silent Gatekeepers

Ever wonder why your meticulously crafted resume gets no response?

Meet Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), the algorithmic gatekeepers of the hiring world.

Employers think they’re running a fair process, but the reality is a system that punishes creativity and nuance. A graphic designer with a stellar portfolio might get filtered out for missing “5+ years in Adobe Suite,”.

These tools promise efficiency by scanning for keywords, but they’re a cornerstone of candidate experience issues and only use Exact Match. That is why the Unnanu Hiring system is using proptery technology and LLMs to actually read canidates profiles and resumes give hiring managers, recuiters and companies, who use our platfrom an edge on hiring.

4. Interview Overload and Candidate Experience Issues: Who has experienced this recently ??

Imagine acing three interviews, only to face four more—with no end in sight. Excessive interview rounds are a growing pain point in the modern recruitment process flaws list. Some companies stretch candidates through 5-7 rounds, draining them mentally and emotionally. Add in ghosting—where employers vanish without feedback—and you’ve got a recipe for frustration.

This isn’t just bad for candidates; it hurts employers too. Top talent drops out when the process feels like a marathon, leaving companies with a shallower pool. Poor candidate experience issues signal a lack of respect, damaging employer brands in a competitive market. Streamlining interviews to 2-3 meaningful touchpoints and committing to timely feedback could turn this around—benefiting everyone involved.

5. Performative DEI Efforts: Diversity in Name Only

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a buzzword plastered across corporate websites—but too often, it’s performative. Companies tout inclusive hiring, yet their practices reveal a different story. True diversity isn’t a checkbox—it’s a mindset.

6. Passive Candidates Over Active Job Seekers: A Misplaced Priority

Here’s a perplexing trend: Recruiters chase passive candidates—those not actively job-hunting—while ignoring motivated active job seekers.

Passive candidates are seen as “in-demand,” a shiny prize to woo. But this ignores the reality: Active seekers often bring enthusiasm and readiness that passive ones lack.

The Path Forward: Unnanu

The modern recruitment process isn’t broken beyond repair—it’s just misaligned. Employers and candidates alike suffer under illusions of choice, outdated priorities, and systems that favor efficiency over humanity. But change is possible. Companies can start by:

• Embracing transparency: Be upfront about hiring realities and internal preferences.
• Rethinking requirements: Value potential and fit alongside experience.
• Humanizing tech: Use ATS as a tool, not a dictator, and prioritize human judgment.
• Respecting candidates: Limit interviews, communicate clearly, and follow through.
• Living DEI: Match actions to words with inclusive, bias-aware hiring.
• Balancing talent pools: Engage active and passive candidates equally.

The hiring mirage doesn’t have to persist. By addressing these flaws, companies can build processes that truly serve both sides—unlocking innovation, loyalty, and growth.

What’s Your Take? Have you faced these modern recruitment process flaws as a candidate or employer? Reply to this newsletter or tag us on Linkedin with your story—we’d love to hear how the hiring landscape looks from your corner.

Until next time, stay curious and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

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