Ghosting - Not just for Tinder dates

We’ve all been there. Scrolling through, you find something that catches your eye – and, ooh, you’re a match – you learn more, get excited about the connection, all the things you have in common, all the possibilities ahead and then…nothing. N.O.T.H.I.N.G. ‘Chill out, they’re probably busy’ slowly gives way to ‘what the hell did I say’ and panicked review of every word, every time stamp. Something that looked so good, that you spent all that time on, just…disappears. Was it even real? Have I just been catfished?!

While this is a well-trodden path through Tinder, I’m not talking about that kind of rejection. I’m talking fake jobs, disingenuous HR teams, data-phishing and the general time suck that is the job application process. Applying for jobs in this context sucks. Sucks big time.

On average, we spend about 40 minutes on each job application we send. With the rise in AI tools used by HR teams the world over, we’re required to tweak CVs in order to  navigate through Applicant Tracking System settings, mirroring the language of the job ad while all the time wondering if our careers are entirely at the mercy of an algorithm. Stats show that job seekers have more success working through recruiters than applying direct to employers, but with recruitment agencies being flooded with applications and increasingly relying on ATS tools to screen candidates, it’s harder than ever to stand out, especially if you’re changing career or just starting out. Even if you have all the relevant experience and more, the auto bots can boot you out just because you’ve missed a relevant word, or used an unusual font. So, with recruiters inundated, direct applications completely ignored, a rise in the number of fake job postings, and the ever-changing demands of the AI botniks, the focus has to be on old-fashioned networking, it’s who you know, right? But how the hell do you network in an industry that’s defined by people constantly on the move. If only there was an app that could help with that…