Is AI Rejecting Your Job Application? We Asked Australian Recruiters
TapInCareers was created to give job seekers practical insights from the people who recruit - the professionals who review applications, interview candidates and make hiring decisions every day.
There is so much advice online about how recruitment works, but not all of it reflects what is actually happening inside organisations. That is why I decided to ask the people in Australia who recruit every day.
One of the hottest topics right now is the use of artificial intelligence in recruitment. LinkedIn posts, Instagram Reels and media reports often suggest that AI is scanning CVs, rejecting applicants and preventing job seekers from ever reaching a real person.
After seeing these claims repeatedly, I started wondering: how widely is AI actually being used to screen candidates in Australia?
Following several conversations with my Talent Acquisition peers, one of my colleagues launched a survey asking Australia-based recruiters about their use of AI, particularly at the CV-screening stage.
We asked a straightforward question:
Do you use AI to filter out candidates?
A total of 208 recruiters responded, and the results were very interesting.
Only 18% reported using AI
Only 18% of respondents said they use AI tools during the initial stages of recruitment. This means that around 80% do not currently use AI to screen applications.
Some respondents contacted us afterwards to explain how the technology works in their organisations.
They told us that AI functionality is often already built into an Applicant Tracking System or another recruitment solution. However, these systems do not necessarily reject candidates. In most cases, they provide an assessment or recommendation to support the recruiter.
Many recruiters also said they double-check the results and review applications themselves. They do not trust the technology 100% and want to ensure that a suitable candidate has not been overlooked.
An ATS is not necessarily AI
It is important to understand that an Applicant Tracking System is not automatically an AI screening tool.
Most medium-sized and large organisations use an ATS to receive applications, store candidate information and manage the recruitment process. However, in many companies, recruiters still personally review the CVs and decide who progresses.
Technology may help organise or prioritise applications, but that does not always mean it makes the final decision.
What did we learn from those who recruit?
Around 80% of respondents still do not use AI to screen applications.
Where AI is used, it generally provides recommendations rather than automatically rejecting candidates.
Many recruiters double-check the results and still review applications themselves because they do not rely on the technology completely.
So, why was your application rejected?
If you receive a rejection, it does not automatically mean that an algorithm rejected you.
There may have been strong competition, another applicant may have had more relevant experience, or your CV may not have clearly demonstrated how you met the role requirements.
Work rights, location, qualifications and salary expectations can also influence the decision.
AI use in recruitment will undoubtedly continue to grow, and transparency, fairness and human oversight remain extremely important.
However, our survey suggests that AI is not currently filtering out candidates as widely as social media may lead job seekers to believe.
Instead of focusing only on how to “beat the AI,” focus on applying for well-matched roles and clearly communicating your relevant skills, experience and achievements.
Because, in most cases, there is still a person on the other side of your application.
Do these findings surprise you?
Does every vacancy need AI screening?
In my experience recruiting in Australia, many vacancies do not receive hundreds of applications. Compared with larger international markets, Australia has a smaller candidate pool, and for many employers it would not be reasonable or commercially worthwhile - to introduce AI screening for every role.
There are also positions for which this technology may add little value. Specialist, senior and hard-to-fill roles often attract a smaller number of applicants and require careful consideration of each person’s specific experience. In these cases, reviewing candidates individually remains both practical and important.
AI-assisted screening is most likely to be adopted first in high-volume recruitment, including graduate programs, customer service, administration and other entry-level roles with broad eligibility criteria. These vacancies can attract hundreds - or sometimes thousands - of applications.
These high-volume recruitment areas are likely to be among the first to adopt AI-assisted screening because employers need a practical way to manage large numbers of applications.
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