Lost in the Algorithm

The Hiring System - Broken by Design

For anyone searching for an entry-level job today, the process feels less like an opportunity and more like torture. People who want to work—who need to work—are stuck navigating a system that seems built to waste their time and erode hope.

The cycle typically starts online. Job seekers scour platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, or whatever aggregator claims to have the “most up‑to‑date postings.” They craft resumes, tweak cover letters, and submit applications at a volume that would be comical if it weren’t so demoralizing. Twenty to thirty applications a day isn’t unusual. It’s often the only way to feel like progress is being made.

And then… Silence.

A system that automates everything—from resume screening to follow‑up emails—somehow can’t manage a simple acknowledgement that a human being applied. For many applicants, days turn into weeks with no response, not even a “thanks but no thanks.” The experience is so common it’s practically expected. We've normalized being ignored.

So, the brave job seeker eventually switches tactics. They print off resumes, head into stores, restaurants, and offices, and try the human route. They talk to people face‑to‑face, hoping to make a personal impression the algorithms can’t filter out.

In response to their proactive courage…  “You have to apply online.”

It’s a response that closes the loop in a painfully ironic way. Employers want “motivated, hardworking team players”—but when a motivated, hardworking person shows up in person, ready to work, the system pushes them back to the digital abyss. The very act of initiative is rejected.

This isn’t just inefficient. It’s dehumanizing.

The hiring process for entry level roles has become so automated, so detached, and so corporate that people are treated more like data points than potential employees. Each resume is just another entry in a database, scanned for keywords before a human ever looks at it - if a human looks at all.

And it creates real harm:

• People burn through hours each day submitting applications that seem to disappear into the void.

• Businesses complain about not being able to hire “good” people while their own systems filter out qualified humans.

• Candidates who want to bring their personality and initiative to the process are told not to bother.

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Personally, I know several people who have been slogging in this job-seeking swamp for weeks and months. These are people who truly want to work and would be great employees if they were given a chance.

We say we value work ethic. We say we want people who show up. But hiring practices send the opposite message.

This system needs more than minor adjustments - it needs a reckoning. We can’t keep pretending this digital maze is an acceptable gateway to work when it leaves real people exhausted, invisible, and discouraged. And I just don’t believe more AI is the answer. If employers truly want committed, resilient workers, then they need to show the same commitment and respect in return. It’s time to stop hiding behind algorithms and start treating human beings like they matter - because right now, the hiring process is sending a clear message: the system isn’t broken by accident. It’s broken by design, and we’ve decided to tolerate it.