A third of managers rely on applicant tracking systems to screen out applications, report finds

Over a third of hiring managers said some job applications are fully screened out by applicant tracking systems (ATS), according to a report by Resume Genius.

The Resume Genius 2026 Hiring Insights Report, based on a survey of 1,000 hiring managers, found that while 71% of organisations use ATS software, most resumes are still reviewed by humans at some stage of the process.

Nearly half (49%) of hiring managers said they use ATS tools to organise, rank and flag applications while personally reviewing most resumes, whereas 37% rely on the systems to automatically screen out candidates based on preset criteria.

Adoption of ATS technology was highest among younger hiring managers, with usage reported by 85% of Gen Z respondents, compared with 75% of Millennials, 67% of Gen X and 35% of Baby Boomers.

Hiring managers said the systems are primarily used to speed up early-stage recruitment and manage high application volumes.

Common uses included reviewing applications more quickly (60%), handling large volumes (50%) and identifying candidates who do not meet basic requirements (49%).

However, respondents also highlighted drawbacks.

One-third said ATS use makes hiring feel less personal, and the same proportion said the systems place too much emphasis on keyword matching rather than overall suitability.