Delhi Founder Harshit Srivastava Hires Candidate After Automated ATS Rejection
A Delhi-based startup founder, Harshit Srivastava, recently hired a job candidate who had been automatically filtered out by his company's Applicant Tracking System (ATS). The hiring decision occurred after the candidate bypassed the automated software to reach out to Srivastava directly on LinkedIn, explaining his severe financial difficulties.
According to Srivastava's viral social media post, the unnamed applicant sent him a direct message three days after being rejected by the automated system. The message read, "Please help me. My financial condition is not good. I am an immediate joiner."
The direct appeal prompted Srivastava to manually review the candidate's profile and resume. Srivastava explained that he did not conduct the review out of pity, but rather to ensure his company had not missed a candidate who was worth interviewing.
After the manual screening, the company interviewed the candidate and ultimately offered him the position. Srivastava recalled sending a one-word message, "Congratulations," to deliver the news. The candidate later called the founder, stating that the job offer saved him from unpaid EMIs and helped cover his parents' medical expenses.
Srivastava shared the experience to highlight the limitations of automated hiring systems, writing that technology should assist in hiring faster but should never stop employers from looking twice at candidates. He noted that while an ATS filters resumes, it cannot understand human struggles.
The post sparked widespread discussion online about the role of AI in recruitment. One job seeker commented that they had spent six months facing automated rejections despite having over a decade of IT experience. Another social media user noted that automated screening tools, which were designed to reduce hiring friction, have instead become an obstacle between good talent and employers.
