Before AI invaded offices like an overexcited intern, HR managers actually worked, at least for a few days each month. They used to read CVs, interview humans, and occasionally make decisions. But now? Thanks to ChatGPT and its robotic cousins, the HR world has turned into an algorithmic circus.
All an HR manager has to do is post a vacancy and vanish. The AI does the rest; shortlisting, screening, even rejecting people without breaking a sweat. Out of a thousand talented applicants, 999 are ready to work, but guess who gets shortlisted? The one candidate who wrote their resume like a secret code for the ATS gods. Congratulations, we just hired a PDF file with a LinkedIn account.
Meanwhile, capable people are freelancing, self-employing, or losing hope, while resume manipulators stroll into six-figure jobs. Companies say they’re “inclusive,” but job applications still ask for your ethnicity, gender, and date of birth, as if your birth year determines how well you can manage an Excel sheet. Inclusivity apparently means “we include everyone… but only if our form allows it.”
Here’s a radical idea: strip the application down to basics. Phone number. Email. Qualification. Experience. That’s it. Stop asking for personal details that have no bearing on competence. And while we’re at it, can someone tell the CROs to remove the “What’s your sexual orientation?” question? It’s a job, not a matchmaking app.
AI was supposed to simplify hiring, but it has turned the job market into a never-ending obstacle course. Job seekers now create profiles on multiple portals, answer hundreds of repetitive questions, and re-upload the same resume 500 times, only to be ghosted by “Dear Applicant” auto-replies.
Once upon a time, Indeed and LinkedIn were revolutionary. You applied, and employers actually contacted you. Now, you need a PhD in patience to get past “Thank you for your interest.”
It’s time to stop this nonsense. Let there be one honest, government-run job portal; simple, direct, and transparent. Employers should pay to access qualified candidates instead of job seekers paying with their time, effort, and mental health.
Until then, dear employers, hire me now, or you’ll regret it. Because unlike your AI, I can actually think.