Mount Royal University’s Leda Stawnychko and University of Calgary’s Mehnaz Rafi discuss what’s true or false about the job search in 2026.
Job searching has never been easier – or more confusing. Similar platforms LinkedIn, Indeed and employer job pages that allow candidates to submit applications with just a few clicks. What happens after you click ‘submit’, however, has become a fertile ground for misinformation.
Social media full’career influencers‘, resume writers, those who hire again companies promising insider knowledge of how recruiting really works. Many of these advisories focus on anonymous claims about applicant tracking systems (ATS) and artificial intelligence.
These services profit from the uncertainty of job seekers and convince people that they need specialized services, tools and products to ‘hit’ ATS and secure chats.
The result is that many job seekers waste time and money following unsubstantiated advice. Here are four common myths about the job application process and what research actually entails.
Myth 1: 75pc of resumes are rejected
Perhaps the most repeated claim on the internet is that 75pc of resumes are automatically rejected by the ATS before the human guard even sees them.
Mathematics was launched in 2012 by Preptela redevelopment company that went out of business the following year. No method has ever been published, yet the value has been widely circulated.
In fact, ATS is software that helps employers manage applications, and its capabilities vary greatly. Some programs act like digital filing cabinets, which simply store and organize applications.
Others automatically check basic requirements, such as mandatory eligibility questions. At the more complex end, systems are used AI to rate applicants, recommend candidates and analyze inconsistent video interviews.
Advanced AI-powered tools are often found in large organizations, including many Fortune 500 companieswhich receives the most requests. Canada, many employers are not using AI in hiringagain small businesses – which employ more than 60pc of staff – it is almost impossible to rely on ATS.
Small businesses often lack both the volume of requests that make an ATS suitable and the procurement infrastructure to receive and store them.
For many Canadian job seekers, a better strategy is to focus on clearly communicating how their skills and experience match the role, too building relationships in their work.
Myth 2: AI can write an effective resume
A typical message that appears career influencers that AI can generate a tailored resume or cover letter that greatly improves your chances of getting hired. While AI can help candidates prepare application materials more effectively, it is not a shortcut to a powerful application.
Like many nominees rely on the same tools and informationapplications they are becoming more and more alike and employers are aware.
Far from providing a competitive advantage, AI-generated applications may have the opposite effect. 74pc of hiring managers report identifying them, and 80pc view them negatively.
The best way is to use AI to amplify your voice. That means using it to refine and hone your draft, not instead of it.
Research on employment in Canada suggests that candidates secure more interviews if their applications contain more details, clarity and structure. As today’s employers review dozens of apps that look and feel the sametend to answer those that stand out by talking about qualifications in an authentic voice.
Myth 3: Use ‘ATS-friendly’ resume templates
Resume writers and career advocates say that using the An ‘ATS-friendly’ template it is important to ‘beat’ the ATS. Some even sell templates that promise to ‘and increase‘ reboot to protect chats.
In fact, there is no universal ATS-friendly resume because the software employers use varies greatly from one company to another. Additionally, a modern ATS can extract information from a standard resume design, including columns or tables.
Their biggest limitation is that they are designed for text processing, not images, graphics or icons. That means a clean, readable resume should be the real deal, not a template bought online.
If the ATS does not automatically refuse to restart in the way that the economy of the promoters wants, then preparing the system that does not work in this way solves the wrong problem. The real audience for your resume is a person, not an algorithm.
The best way is to document both systems and people. Use clear headings, relevant keywords and concrete examples that show how your experience matches the role.
Myth 4: More applications, more conversations
Another myth is that, with the right encouragement, job search can be done automaticallywhich allows candidates to submit hundreds of applications with minimal effort. More requests should lead to more conversations, the logic goes.
Of course, this approach often comes at a cost Looking for a job is what you are thinkingsuch as identifying positions and employers that truly match your skills and interests, and creating applications that reflect that fit.
AI is most effective when it enhances, rather than replaces, the work of a chosen human, helping to avoid what has come to be known as ‘work‘- name for AI-generated content.
Candidates are better served by using AI to brainstorm and polish over time to ensure that the final version accurately and truthfully reflects your knowledge, achievements and voice.
The fundamentals have not changed
Today’s job market may look different, but the basics of a successful job search haven’t changed much. In that sense, the best thing job seekers can do would be to ignore most of what is being sold to them.
I very strong requests they are those that clearly connect the candidate’s experience to the role, provide tangible evidence of their skills and communicate in an authentic voice.
Technology can help employers manage applications, however Hiring decisions are ultimately made by people. That does professional networks, reliable transmission, strong connection again leadership skills are more important than ever.
Invest the time you’ll spend creating a template into one good conversation with someone in your field. Research suggests it will move forward.
Written by Leda Stawnychko and Mehnaz Rafi
Leda Stawnychko is an associate professor of strategy and organizational theory at Mount Royal University. He also holds academic appointments at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business and the Cumming School of Medicine. With over twenty years of leadership experience in all sectors of the international community, private and non-profit, he is dedicated to developing effective, flexible and transformative leaders.
Mehnaz Rafi is a PhD student and tenured professor at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. Before pursuing his PhD in the field of behaviour, received his MSc in management from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University. He is interested in using his ten years of research experience in quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods designs to create a meaningful impact on the world.
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