The influx can result in candidates missing key details of job postings or failing to tailor their applications to the role. Also, employers are seeing a higher rate of applications that miss key experience or skills requirements.

“Employers are receiving more applications than ever before, but they’re spending more time sifting through unsuitable candidates,” says Martin Fox, managing director of Robert Walters Canada. “It’s a challenging situation because hiring managers don’t want to miss out on great talent, but they are also struggling to manage the volume effectively.”

Thirty-seven percent of employers manually review and manage applications in their applicant tracking systems (ATS), but the sheer volume has led to some qualified candidates slipping through the net and being overlooked.

Meanwhile, nearly nine in 10 (87%) jobseekers in Canada feel that their job applications are being ignored, according to the report. 

More than half of workers (57%) lose interest in a job if they don’t hear back from employers within 10 business days, according to a previous survey.