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There’s a growing belief among candidates that AI is standing between them and a job.
You hear it all the time “My CV never even got seen” “The ATS filtered me out” “AI rejected me before a human could”
I regularly hear this, but in my opinion, it's not quite the reality.
Here is what I believe is actually happening.
AI in hiring: widely used, often misunderstood
Yes, AI is being used more in recruitment.
Most studios and hiring teams now use some form of tooling to help manage applications. But the key point is this:
AI is supporting hiring decisions, not making them.
In most cases, systems are there to:
- Organise large volumes of applications
- Highlight relevant experience
- Help recruiters prioritise who to review first
They are not sitting there rejecting strong candidates automatically.
The real issue isn’t AI. It’s volume.
If you apply for a role today, you’re often competing with:
- Hundreds, sometimes thousands of applicants
- A high percentage of candidates who don’t match the brief
- Increasing numbers of AI-assisted applications
Even without AI, no hiring team can manually deep-review every single CV.
So what actually happens?
Applications get prioritised.
Not blocked by a robot. Just filtered by time and relevance. This isn’t anything new in the process, whether it’s a human or AI.
The part no one talks about: candidates are using AI too
Here’s the bit that often gets overlooked.
Candidates are now:
- Using AI to write CVs and cover letters
- Tailoring applications at scale
- Applying to dozens or hundreds of roles in minutes
So it’s worth asking:
If candidates are using AI to get applications out faster, should companies be expected not to use tools to manage that volume?
AI has streamlined both sides of the process.
More applications are being submitted than ever before.
But that doesn’t mean they’re better applications.
The real problem: “spray and pray” applications
What we’re seeing across the market is simple:
A huge number of applications that just don’t match the role.
Wrong discipline. Wrong level. Wrong location.
No amount of AI fixes that.
In fact, it makes it worse.
Because it becomes easier than ever to apply for roles that aren’t a fit.
And that creates noise.
More noise means:
- Strong candidates get harder to spot
- Recruiters have less time per application
- Prioritisation becomes essential
The reality is the job market is tough right now, and that’s understood. But mass applying doesn’t improve your chances, it just adds to the noise and makes it harder for the right opportunities to find you.
Our perspective at Skillsearch
We don’t use AI to filter out candidates.
Every shortlist we deliver is built through human judgement, not automated rejection.
But we’re not immune to the same market reality:
Volume is higher than it’s ever been.
So the job isn’t about relying on AI.
It’s about:
- Cutting through the noise
- Understanding what “good” actually looks like
- Delivering a tight, relevant shortlist quickly
That’s where real value sits.
So, is AI blocking you?
In most cases, no.
What’s actually happening is:
- Your application isn’t closely aligned to the role
- It’s getting lost in a high volume of submissions
- Or it’s being outcompeted by more relevant candidates
That’s not a system failure.
It’s a relevance problem.
What actually improves your chances
If you want to stand out, the focus should be simple:
- Apply for roles that genuinely match your experience
- Be clear and specific about what you’ve done
- Make your CV easy to scan quickly
- Avoid mass applying
- Follow up with a short, relevant message to a hiring manager or recruiter on LinkedIn. Done well, this will get you noticed
Because ultimately:
The strongest, most relevant candidates still get seen.
Final thought
AI is part of recruitment now. That’s not changing.
It absolutely helps streamline processes on both sides.
But it’s not the fix-all people think it is. And it’s definitely not silently rejecting great candidates at scale.
The bigger shift is this:
More applications. More noise. More competition for attention.
And in that environment, relevance beats volume every time.
Where Skillsearch fits in
This is exactly where we add value on both sides.
For candidates, it’s not about getting lost in a pile of applications or trying to second guess an ATS. We make sure your profile is positioned properly and, more importantly, put directly in front of hiring managers who are actively looking for your skill set.
For studios, it removes the noise completely.
Instead of reviewing hundreds of irrelevant applications, you get a focused, detailed shortlist of candidates who genuinely match the brief, both technically and culturally.
No shortcuts. No over reliance on automation.
Just the right people, put in front of the right teams.
Skillsearch, the leading Global Games, XR and Immersive Technology Recruiter
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