In today's challenging job market, finding employment is already difficult enough without the added complication of automated rejections. Like many job seekers, I have personally experienced the frustration of being turned down by potential employers even before my applications were genuinely reviewed. Recently, I was rejected by three different companies within only four hours after submitting my applications—bafflingly, these decisions came when none of the offices were even open. The final blow came when I received a rejection just ten minutes after submitting another application.

These experiences underscore a rapidly growing concern: the use of AI in hiring processes. While technology can indeed enhance efficiency, in this context, it creates a barrier between qualified candidates and potential employers. Qualified individuals are often eliminated from consideration due to impersonal algorithms that filter resumes based on rigid criteria, potentially overlooking candidates’ unique strengths and capabilities that a human reviewer would appreciate.

Studies reveal that AI hiring systems can inadvertently perpetuate biases and discrimination, rather than eliminate them. For instance, these systems have been known to disproportionately dismiss candidates from minority backgrounds or with unconventional professional trajectories, severely limiting diversity in the workplace. According to a 2019 Harvard Business Review study, over 90% of large companies and 60% of mid-sized companies are using recruitment software to screen resumes, which increases the risk of such biases.

Additionally, AI lacks the capability to assess the holistic attributes of a candidate, such as creativity, problem-solving abilities, and interpersonal skills. These are crucial elements that a resume may not fully represent but are vital for a successful hire.

Before AI entered the hiring landscape, employers successfully recruited by evaluating applications on a case-by-case basis, allowing for a comprehensive consideration of each candidate. We must advocate for a return to these more equitable methods that do not substitute human judgment with algorithms that can unfairly judge candidates.

This petition urges employers, policymakers, and human resource professionals to ban the use of AI in recruitment practices and reinstate a more personal and inclusive approach to hiring. By doing so, we will foster a job market that truly values human potential and diversity.

Please sign this petition to help protect job seekers from automated rejections and to promote fair and just hiring practices for all.