Surveys show many job seekers are rejected without speaking to anyone

In short: Many job seekers report getting rejected without ever talking to a person, but that alone does not prove AI made the decision.

What's going on

Job hunting is leaving many people frustrated. Some candidates say that after sending hundreds of applications, even a rejection that seems written by a real person feels like a small win.

A 2026 survey by Greenhouse asked 2,832 job seekers in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Germany, and Australia about their experiences. In the U.S. and U.K., 81% said they had been rejected in the past year without speaking to anyone at the employer. About 31% said this happened often or almost always.

These numbers show a lack of contact, not proof that a computer rejected them. A silent rejection could happen for many reasons, including high numbers of applicants and limited time for recruiters to respond.

Other evidence suggests a mixed picture. In a separate 2026 survey of 25 U.S. recruiters, most said their applicant tracking systems, meaning software used to store and sort applications (like a digital filing cabinet), did not automatically reject resumes. The sample was small, so it cannot represent all employers.

Researchers at Stanford also studied millions of applications processed by one hiring tool. They found patterns that raised concerns, including racial disparities and repeated rejection behavior. But those findings apply to that specific system, not every company.

What to watch

More companies may be pushed to explain how they screen applications, including when automated tools are used and how people can appeal decisions. For job seekers, the key question is not just whether AI is involved, but whether anyone is accountable when the process feels like a black box.

Source: NYTimes