How many times have you heard in the past 2-3 years that the hiring process is broken? That the ATS is auto rejecting you? That your resume isn’t ‘optimized’ for AI?
Probably way too many! You are exhausted, underworked or unemployed, feeling helpless and tired of the many conflicting ‘tips’ you see out there on how to get seen.
In this article, I don’t intend to answer those questions, I want to give insight on the hiring side.
Look, the job market moves in cycles. Sometimes it’s a candidate’s market — where opportunities are abundant and companies compete for talent. Other times, it’s an employer’s market — where organizations have the upper hand.
Right now, we’re in a hiring reset — a recalibration following one of the most candidate-friendly markets in history during the pandemic (often referred to as the “ZIRP era”). This was especially true for tech jobs.
During ZIRP, companies offered 20%+ raises, rich perks, remote-first flexibility, and lightning-fast hiring processes. Today, the environment looks very different: Companies are flooded with applicants. Budgets are tight — one wrong hire can mean losing future headcount. Many organizations are operating under “recession playbooks,” with slower hiring. Decision-making has become cautious and deliberate. The rise of AI has increased candidate volume, adding pressure on recruiters. This moment has been called “The Great Hesitation.” Fewer offers. More interviews. Longer timelines. Higher standards. For new graduates, the challenge is steep. You’re not only competing on skills — you’re competing on perceived risk.
Lately, what I have seen in the Calgary job market from the clients I work with, is a top down push for most companies for process optimization and automation, tools reevaluation and making sure that if you pay top dollar for a tool, that they are being used to it’s max capabilities. This also includes people optimization, companies are analyzing if they have the right talent to deliver what the business wants.
This changes what hiring teams evaluate when making a hiring decision. They’re asking themselves: Can this person work onsite or hybrid as needed? Do they want to build something long-term with us? Can they help solve a real problem we have right now? Will they integrate well with the team — or create challenges? Who can vouch for them? When hundreds of resumes look similar, the key question becomes: “Why you?”
Now, with all of that, what you are probably thinking is, ok, what can I do about it?
First of all, you have to remember, that unfortunately there is A LOT in this situation that is out of your hand. But the things that are within your control, you should master.
What is under your control?
1 – Make sure you are being intentional with your applications. What does this mean? Pick your top 10 companies you would like to work for and LASER focus your time on them. Network at events that they are presenting at, have coffees with people that work there, do side projects that are relevant to the product they have, if you know the tech stack they have, polish your skills around them. PS: this does not mean that you should not apply anywhere else, but your time outside of applying should be intentional. Otherwise you will get overwhelmed.
2 – Are you applying to jobs that you are actually a fit for? If you have heard of the ‘shoot your shot’ mindset, or ‘if you meet 60% of the requirements, apply’. This is true in a candidate market. In a market where the company has hundreds, if not thousands of options, they can be picky and wait until they find the perfect fit.
3 – Are you connecting with the right recruiters? Not all recruiters are the same — knowing who to focus on can make a big difference.
Agency Recruiters
External firms hired by companies to find specialized talent. Typically focus on mid-to-senior roles, not new grads or interns.
In-House / Corporate Recruiters:
Employees of a company who hire across multiple departments. They often know the culture well and can be a valuable connection.
Early Career/ University / New Grad Recruiters:
Found in larger organizations (e.g., Meta, Amazon). These recruiters specialize in hiring students and recent graduates — and they’re your best bet if you are new to the job market.
4 – Are you getting information from credible people and communities that understand your niche?
New grads – check out communities that focus on helping new grads and early-career talent, for example, BobaTalks— a supportive community with events, resources, and job-hunting guidance.
Want information on hiring and how it works? Find credible recruiters that speak on the topic.
Amy Miller – Posts on LinkedIn regularly with lots of intel for job seekers (she also has a YouTube channel with plenty of information).
Bonnie Dilber – Similar to Amy, always posts regarding the hiring process online.
Mike Peditto – Another one!
5 – Are you being nice to yourself? When we haven’t been successful securing a new role, we tend to think that we are the problem, we are doing something wrong and that we are a failure.
The truth is, there is a high chance you are doing everything right, but in a competitive market, this sometimes still fails.
Be kind, to yourself and others! Find your community to stay sane during this rough part of our history as a society.
Good luck out there! And here’s to a better 2026 for everyone.
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