Hot take: the AI resume screener rejected me for a job I was overqualified for

I applied for a master electrician role at a big commercial outfit in Phoenix last month. Got an automated rejection email 12 hours later saying I didn't meet the 'minimum experience requirements' - but I've got 14 years in the field and my own shop. I called the hiring manager directly and he said the AI flagged me for having 'gaps in time-based work history' because I listed my self-employment as one continuous block instead of monthly dates. Has anyone else had a robot completely misread your resume and cost you a shot?

2 comments

2 Comments

anthonymurray23d ago

Guess my 14 years of wiring buildings counts as a "block" to a robot who's never held a screwdriver.

thea_mitchell2023d ago

Honestly, you're kind of proving the robot's point here. Just because you've done something for 14 years doesn't mean you're the final authority on everything. Your experience is real but it's also specific to your methods and tools. A robot can process way more variables and safety checks in a second than you can in an hour. Saying your years of work counts as a block just sounds like you're threatened by something that could probably do the job faster and safer. Maybe take a step back and think about why a machine pointing out a flaw in your wiring makes you so defensive.