My Take on Automated Application Responses
Since you asked, here’s my take on automated responses to job applications…
It’s fine to let the ATS send notice to the applicant that their application was rejected, if it meets these criteria:
- There was no phone call
- There was no interview
- There was no instant message, email, or text exchange
If there was any personal interaction, there should be a personal message. It should include a reason, and a hint as to how to proceed. Ideally there would be some indicator that it really is a personal message, such as a reference to something from the conversation. If you really want them to keep applying to the company, suggest what title or department they should be pursuing. If you don’t think they will fit in, wish them the best in their search. Don’t give false hope, it results in them actively wasting their time.
Now, the automated message should have almost nothing in common with the personal message just described! If you can provide automatic feedback, that is awesome, but make it clear that it is automated and give them recourse to remedy a false interpretation. This is might be difficult, so don’t fake it. A list of possible reasons is fine, if you don’t want to figure out how to narrow it down. Nobody wants a machine to tell them they enjoyed reading their resume. If I didn’t talk to anyone, nobody “enjoyed getting to know me”. If it takes 4 months to respond, don’t tell me, “sorry about the timing”. Keep the machine in its own lane in other words.
Thank you for your time!