The common causes
| Cause | What the data says | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| The resume does not match the posting | Tailored resumes were marked as getting interviews 5.71% of the time against 3.09% without (Huntr users, Oct. 2024 to June 2026; a link, not proof of cause) | Rewrite it for each job, in the posting's words |
| Software screens it out first | 63% of employers surveyed used hiring software (75% in the U.S.), and 94% of those used it to filter or rank middle-skill candidates (Harvard Business School and Accenture, 2020 survey, 2021 report) | Use the job title and skills from the posting, plain formatting |
| A work gap | Almost half of employers surveyed screened out gaps over six months (Harvard Business School, 2021); in Huntr users' data from July 2025 to June 2026, 4 of 5 gap groups had interview rates above people with a current job; gaps of 6 to 12 months were a little lower | Say what you did in the gap: training, caregiving, other work |
| Applying to the same company again and again | 1.85% interview rate at 8+ applications to one company, against 6.14% applying once (Huntr, Q2 2026) | Pick the one job that fits best there |
| Remote-only jobs | Lowest interview rate in Huntr's Q2 2026 data, 3.53% | Add local and on-site jobs |
Sources: Huntr Q2 2026; Harvard Business School and Accenture, Hidden Workers (2021); Jobscan Fortune 500 ATS report (2026).
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