Application Flood 2026: We Buried the Candidate Experience. And Everyone Acts Surprised.
I’ve been in recruiting for many years. I remember the time when we were desperately searching for every candidate who could get the buzzwords right.
Back then, it was all about:
- Lowering barriers
- “Easy Apply”
- Maximum candidate experience
- Every application is a gift
Today?
- 300 applications per role
- AI-generated résumés
- Automated pre-screening
- Standard rejections – sent before anyone has actually read the application
And everyone acts surprised.
The economy is weakening. Fewer positions are being advertised. At the same time, application numbers are increasing rapidly – platforms report far more applications per posting than just a few years ago.
In my daily work, I see:
- Applications that clearly don’t fit the role
- Profiles optimized for every buzzword
- Cover letters that are perfectly written – and completely replaceable
Sometimes, I want to reply honestly:
"You weren’t rejected because you’re unqualified. You were rejected because you applied for something you clearly didn’t even read."
Of course, I still send the standard rejection.
So what’s really happening?
- Candidates use AI to analyze job postings, extract keywords, generate applications – and send them in bulk.
- Companies use AI to analyze résumés, check keywords – and automatically filter them in bulk.
This is no longer recruiting.
This is an algorithmic arms race.
Both sides act rationally. Together, they generate maximum inefficiency.
I use AI tools myself. I love them, even.
But I always check what they deliver.
I know that a single prompt can’t fully understand a role.
What increasingly bothers me:
The belief that more filters, more automation, and more speed automatically lead to better decisions.
Often, the opposite is true.
If you dump 20 “must-have” criteria into the system, you get exactly what you programmed – and lose everything that doesn’t fit the grid perfectly.
My personal appeal – from real-world experience:
- Candidates: Use AI as an assistant, not as an autopilot. Apply deliberately. Quality beats quantity.
- Companies: Review your filters. More automation does not replace judgment.
Less volume.
More genuine engagement.
More responsibility on both sides.
Otherwise, soon we won’t talk about candidate experience anymore –
we’ll only talk about why it disappeared for good.