I’m very disappointed to find so many job listings on Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter. I submitted over 100 applications in total for the month of September, yet nobody calls back. Often, I am immediately denied even when my qualifications match the job descriptions. What is going on? Is AI taking over and simply filing applications?

Some companies are using AI as the first level of screening. What you might try is reading the job description and tailoring your resume to match the verbiage in the Job Requirements as posted. Meaning: If you have the skills that are required as mentioned in the Job Posting, make sure your resume lists those skills using the same verbiage as you see in the Job Requirements.. There are usually Key words AI is set up to look for.

Yes a lot of places are using ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) and AI resume screening tools for applications now to look for specific things in peoples resumes. But you can actually use AI’s like ChatGPT to help you get around this though or at least increase your chances of it choosing your resume to get through to an actual person.

Go to the AI you like best and ask it to help you make an AI-optimized resume, tell it the exact job title and employer (if you have one) or the type of job you’re applying for. Then share the job description or posting text (or just paste the important requirements/qualifications). If you have one already, provide your current resume (or if not then provide, at least, your experience, education, certifications, and skills in plain text). Finally, ask it to rewrite or restructure your resume so it:
1) Uses the keywords from the job posting (without keyword stuffing).
2) Matches the skills and qualifications the employer highlights.
3) Is ATS-friendly (simple formatting, no images/tables that confuse scanners).
4) Shows measurable impact (numbers, outcomes, improvements) where possible.

Jobs are the same way where I live right now and I think it’s like that all over the US right now honestly, but this is exactly what I did and on day 1 of my job search using my new AI-Optimized resume built from my original resume I applied to 10 jobs, by day 2 I had received texts, emails and calls from 9 out of the 10 places asking to set up an interview. Some of those texts were automated but with some of those I also received an additional 1-2 texts or emails (one automated and one from an actual recruiter or hr manager/director). All interviews I actually went through with setting up (I couldn’t go to all of them as quickly as they wanted me to) were real and wanted to see me within 1-2 days after I put in the initial application, on the same day as the interviews, I got multiple offers from those and was able to accept a job with one of them. I know how insanely hard it is for everyone to find jobs right now as I struggled for monthsss looking for one before I tried this (a professional resume maker told me what to do). So I’m posting this in no way shape or form to be “bragging” or anything like that, because as I said I also struggled for months and know it’s not easy, but in hoping this can help people secure a job as quickly as possible. It’s rough out here and we all need all the help we can get. I really hope this info helps somebody here out as much as it did me. Because it can’t be a coincidence that for months I had what was happening to you, happening to me, then on the first day of using this new resume to apply I get actual interview requests and job offers after those interviews from 90% of the places… that’s too much of a coincidence for me ignore. I can’t promise it will work for everyone or work that quickly, but it’s definitely worth trying, that’s what I told myself because atp what did I have to lose, right?

Also some are "hiring" on paper only ghost jobs.

Same here also! I'm very qualified and fire most jobs, I've gotten 25-30 years of experience🤷🏼‍♀️ and no one has even called for an interview. I really think it's my age... They aren't going to say it.. But I know it is. Plus they want a bachelor's degree and I don't have that. Although I do have a certificate. Guess we will see...

I have experienced the exact same thing, and when they bother to send a reply it is always the same type "although we were impressed with your qualifications, we have decided to move forward with another candidate".

Apply directly to company

There have been articles proving there are tons of ghost jobs posted.
Yes, a lot of companies are resume gathering to prove to their employees they are replaceable--despicable! --or in anticipation of an opening "soon."
Yes, AI is filtering out great candidates because companies do not realize how much it is killing their true potential for getting the right candidate (straight from several recruiter mouths).
Utilize your connections and get in front of people--not machines--to prove you are a fit for their companies. Utilize your 6-degrees of separation and find the openings before they are openings--aka the hidden job market.

Over 1000+ resumes over a year with no callbacks for marketing positions. Had to pivot and started applying for customer service, admin, well pretty much anything. Finally started getting calls.

It's definitely what you say.
Artificial intelligence will affect all jobs, both physical and administrative, because it will no longer ask you for your salary on the first of the month.
In my opinion, to escape this, get acquainted with blockchain technology and its job opportunities. I also got acquainted with it while escaping these events.

I have the same problem. I graduated with my BSW in 12/2024 and I’m still without a job I went to college for. I work as a home healthcare aide to get bills paid.

These Job boards make it look as if there are plenty of jobs out there but CNBC tells a different story. Jobs report after jobs report the job creation numbers are dismal. This morning the discussion indicated that companies have roles to fill but are holding off on pulling the trigger due to the uncertainty in the economy and are holding off until 2026 to start hiring.

It’s a disgrace that AI dominates decision making. Skills are being left behind, replaced by automation that’s rarely better. Businesses are choosing to employ on the cheap and successful applicants are those who cheat the system by using AI to improve their CV. The situation will worsen and genuinely skilled and experienced people will fall by the wayside just because a computer decided a lesser experienced person used a computer to boost their resume. Sad times.

Just to add to what Certified Nursing Assistant CMA1 mentioned below about LLMs

You can use LLMs to help in a lot of ways (if you're comfortable with it) you can upload your resumes you have tailored until now and then use prompts like the following:

"Based on this job description, which of my resumes is the best fit?"


Then follow that up with a prompt like:

"Based on the job description which areas of the specific resume you recommended need updating to make me a better match?"

Then take the advice from the LLM and *write those updates yourself!!*

Using these 2 prompts has cut a TON of the time consuming footwork out of tailoring each resume from my base resume and hoping I am focusing on the right areas.

Now you do need to watch our for hallucinations and other areas where the LLM gets "creative." If the LLM comes back with something like the a resume title you don't recognize, just ask it to be more specific and ask it to use the actual file name, paste in the text of the file you think it means and ask if that was the correct file.

If you don't trust the online LLMs you can download an LLM to your local PC and set it up with a Python script to do the same thing, but it takes some skill (OR . . . use and online LLM to help you with the installation and configuration).

Good luck!

Use AI to counter AI. When you apply for a job, copy the ad into Claude Sonnet 4.5 (claude.ai) and say:

"I am applying for this job. Look at the ad, research tje company, and optimize my CV and cover letter to align with the company's needs. Help me brainstorm unique ways to stand out among other candidates."

That conversation with create a more competitive presentation of your profile.

I'm experiencing the same issues. And I completely understand & agree with you.

So, a secret is to get yourself known to every recruiter you can contact. Let them sort out the chaff.

I've watched a lot of videos done by recruiters on this subject and I followed their advice. I wasn't applying for many jobs but I knew if I found a position I was interested in, I would apply for it. I recently applied for two jobs and got 4 interviews with each and landed a position that offered me 50k more in pay and many more perks I wasn't getting. I could really dig deep into this subject and write a book about it, but in short I can say people need to stop mass submitting hundreds of applications for positions they are not qualified for because all this does is prevent other that qualify to get them. This is one reason why most of the times recruiters are not even reviewing them and rather start calling people that are currently employed at their competition.
I suggest using your network, reach out to people you know and used to work with. Reach out to people on LinkedIn that work for organizations where you would like to work. Don't apply on LinkedIn or other sites like this but rather go directly to the company website and apply there. Then send an email to the hiring manager regarding your application, attach your resume and in the subject type the position, your name and years of experience (Customer Specialist position - J.Smith- 15 years of experience). You can get the name of recruiter or hiring manager when you have a Premium LinkedIn account. Every time you apply for a job, your resume must include some key words that are listed in the job description, no exceptions. Funding a job is a job, the more effort you put into each submission the higher the chance you will land an interview.
Don't forget to send Thank you emails within two days to everyone you spoke with. Let them know that you are interested and how your experience aligns with the job.
It worked for me and hope these few suggestions will help you at least land an interview.

I highly recommend following the job listing link to the original company website, and applying directly in that way. It’s not worth just sending your CV via LinkedIn quick apply, unless you have tailored you LinkedIn profile to the specific core requirements of the job you are applying for - it will likely not make the shortlist. Also Indeed and other agency driven Websites (with some exceptions) have a lot of ghost job ads to attract applicants and create a database for future roles and employers - so I would spend less time on those.

Do
I would recommend tailoring your CV using Ai and encompassing the content of the job description. Also create a tailored Cover letter for each job listing you apply for.

Don’t
Don’t send bulk applications to a 100 jobs in one go, they just doesn’t work. You would rather do 1 targeted application per day, rather than send a 100 to a 100 links and hope for the best.

There is more AI in use now at various stages of recruitment process. But in my view, that just means that authenticity is the new currency and it is important to stand out. Networking is another key component, so talk to people in your network and post on linked in about your job search. All the best.

I just started the search but had fun building my job tracker. Don’t know how I would track 500 applications otherwise

AI is taking over. Some applications I applied for they ask are you okay with AI reviewing your resume, if not they want show your resume to the recruiters. I think this is crazy