Harvard study: Online applicant tracking systems contributing to hiring woes

[jmbar2]

While employers complain about not being able to hire qualified workers, an estimated 27 million workers in the U.S. are available to fill those jobs.

Called "hidden workers" in the study, they are "hidden" from the gaze of recruiters and employers for not meeting very restrictive criteria for hiring.

Hidden workers fall into three main groups
1. Working one or more part-time jobs, but interested in full time work.
2. Have been out of the workforce for awhile due to retirement, child- or eldercare, etc.
3. Missing from the workplace, but willing to return for the right job or situation.

They are a diverse group, including

...caregivers, veterans, immigrants and refugees, those with physical disabilities, and relocating partners and spouses. They also include people with mental health or developmental/neurodiversity challenges, those from less-advantaged populations, people who were previously incarcerated, and those without traditional qualifications.

Applicant Tracking Systems/Recruiting Management Systems contribute to the mismatch
More than 90% of businesses surveyed utilized online application systems where all applicants first complete an online application and submit their credentials.

The systems

...hone in on candidates, using very specific parameters, in order to minimize the number of applicants that are actively considered. For example, most use proxies (such as a college degree or possession of precisely described skills) for attributes such as skills, work ethic, and self-efficacy.

Most also use a failure to meet certain criteria (such as a gap in full-time employment) as a basis for excluding a candidate from consideration irrespective of their other qualifications. As a result, they exclude from consideration viable candidates whose resumes do not match the criteria but who could perform at a high level with training.

The implied promise of those technologies was that they could sift through a mass of applications and identify only that small percentage of candidates who most closely fit a job’s specified requirements. With 250 applicants on average applying for corporate positions, companies sought to winnow down the pool of candidates to a manageable number. Companies typically interviewed four to six candidates.64

https://www.hbs.edu/managing-the-future-of-work/Documents/research/hiddenworkers09032021.pdf

The more you know...

[Midnight Writer]

1. I feel like a number.

[jmbar2]

2. Know how you feel...

I want to go back to work after retiring early. But I know that my chances of making through the ATS are pretty remote because of the employment gap, and the fact that I was a contract worker before. No employers, just clients.

The study says that a lot of folks have given up on filing out the online applications. I'm pretty much sure it's a dead end for me.

[Lisa0825]

3. I am a recruiter for a large employer (13,000 employees)...

...and while we use an ATS, we only use the automatic screening to rule out people who do not meet mandatory minimum qualifications most of the time, like a position requiring a specific license or certification or degree. And even then, I use screening questions that allow for those who respond that they will be certified/graduated within 3 months or 6 months, so I can "pipeline" them for the next opening. I can only speak for healthcare, but for most of my jobs, if I hired someone who does not meet the minimums, and it is found during a routine audit by regulatory agencies, we'd be facing serious consequences, so it is not about just giving someone a chance to get training. You need that training first, to qualify.

The only people I want to sift out are those who in no way remotely meet the qualifications. In my industry in my region (greater Houston area), fellow recruiters from other orgs work the same.

I hate that people feel the systems won't let them through for minor reasons. It is truly not the case for my employer and many others I am familiar with.

However, once we send qualified applicants to the hiring managers, it is up to them to decide who to interview, and I can tell you, many of them have unrealistic expectations - they want the proverbial purple squirrel.

My advice to everyone is to try to connect with a recruiter for the company of interest. Search LinkedIn and send a connection request. I reply to everyone other than pushy agency vendors, salespeople, etc. And if I don't recruit for the type of job you are inquiring about, I will get you the email addy for my teammate who does. Not every recruiter does that, but many of us do try to keep the personal touch in our job.

If anyone out there is looking for a job in allied health in the Galveston County area (clinical labs, PT/OT, radiology or pharmacy), hit me up!!!

[Hoyt]

4. Thanks for some real insight.

[jmbar2]

6. Thank you! I was really hoping someone like you would read this and respond

I'm not in your region or field, so no connection there, but I would like to ask some questions.

I worked for many years as an independent contractor/consultant-- a mix of 1099s, W-2s, and straight self-employment. These folks weren't employers, but my clients, so in most cases, I won't appear in their personnel records, but as a vendor.

Then I retired early. But I've been seeing some positions that I'd really enjoy, and for which I would be highly qualified.

How would I fill out the ATS questions about past employers? I thought about just listing my business name and lumping my projects under it. But I have been out of business for a few years now, so it would be hard to confirm.

And would the ATS screen me out for having retired early, seeking to reenter the workforce after a 5 year gap? Would it make sense to contact the employers directly? I have a great portfolio of work, just not a traditional employee history.

Your ideas would be greatly appreciated.

[Lisa0825]

7. For self-employment...

... yes, I would recommend listing your company name and then detailing the projects and clients. I have had hires for which we could only verify employment via tax forms.

Having been retired for several years... it depends on what your line of work is, as to whether or not it would matter. Some jobs may have changed a LOT in 5 years due to how quickly technology changes, but other jobs - especially people-oriented ones or maybe artistic ones - would not be so different. That is a perfect example of a situation in which making a contact would be very helpful, via LinkedIn or other networking.

As far as the ATS goes, I don't even think the one we use has an option to screen out on gaps in employment. That would more likely be up to who is reading your resume - recruiter or manager - so if you are able to get that networking contact it would be great. If I communicate with someone either by phone, email, or social media, and they impress me, I will definitely pass that information along to my hiring managers.

If you have your portfolio online, it is great to provide the link on your resume and LinkedIn profiles. Also, in your email signature! You never know if some one-off email you send will pique the interest of someone by chance.

Also, while I know many people do encounter age discrimination, with many employers including my own, returning retirees are valuable for supplemental work, filling in, as needed, etc.

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions I can help with

[MoonlitKnight]

5. I don't waste my time with those long, outdated and irrelevant applications.

They take too long to fill out. My resume should be sufficient.