Sitting at the kitchen table, tap, tap, tapping on a laptop, the job seeker patiently completes detailed online applications, clicking "next" and uploading resumes. He makes no personal contact with the company for which he wishes to work, as cautioned by the job posting. An electronically generated letter is sent, informing him that the resume was received (Do not reply to this email address).

The Human Resources recruiter boots up the computer in her office, logs in, and hundreds of new resumes flood into her Applicant Tracking System in-box for each job for which she's recruiting. The ATS system scores how well each candidate appears to match the criteria stored in its electronic brain.  (Continue)