Recruitment should be about connecting the right talent with the right opportunity. Yet, despite advances in technology and access to a global talent pool, hiring often breaks down. The result? Talented candidates face rejection after rejection, while organizations complain about a “talent shortage.”
Here are the three major spoilers that derail recruitment — and how to fix them.
- Unclear & Generic Job Specifications
Vague or copy-pasted job descriptions create confusion for both candidates and recruiters.
- A LinkedIn survey found that 52% of job seekers say the quality of a job description directly affects whether they apply.
- Yet, more than 60% of postings use generic buzzwords like “self-starter” or “team player,” without clarifying what’s truly needed.
📌 Fix:
- Use structured job descriptions (responsibilities, must-have skills, success metrics).
- Avoid jargon and focus on outcomes.
- Collaborate with the hiring manager to ensure alignment.
- The Resume Trap
Resumes are still the primary filter in recruitment, but they’re unreliable.
- 78% of resumes contain some form of misrepresentation.
- Recruiters spend just 6–8 seconds scanning them, relying heavily on keywords and formatting.
Resumes tell you what someone has done, not what they can do. Worse, they encourage candidates to tailor narratives to fit the job spec rather than reveal authentic skills and aspirations.
📌 Fix:
- Supplement resumes with work samples, portfolios, or case challenges.
- Use structured interviews to assess problem-solving and potential.
- Focus on transferable skills and growth mindset rather than just history.
- Excessive Use of Technology (Losing the Human Touch)
Automation and AI are powerful, but over-reliance dehumanizes hiring.
- A Harvard Business School study found that 88% of employers believe qualified candidates are filtered out by automated systems simply because their resumes don’t match keyword patterns.
- Many candidates describe the experience as applying into a “black hole” — no response, no acknowledgment, no feedback.
📌 Fix:
- Use ATS as a support tool, not the decision-maker.
- Add human checkpoints at key stages (shortlisting, feedback, final interviews).
- Train recruiters to look beyond keyword matches.
The Cat Analogy 🐱
Recruitment today is like trying to judge a cat by how well it barks. The job specs don’t match reality, the resume misleads, and the tech filters out the very qualities that make the candidate valuable.
Talent isn’t missing — the process is broken.
By rewriting job specs with clarity, rethinking the resume as just one input, and balancing technology with empathy, organizations can finally start hiring the right people for the right reasons.
