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Alex Watson's avatar

There are some good points in here around positioning, interview preparation, and using AI as a thinking partner rather than a content generator.

That said, I think we're doing job seekers a disservice when we keep reinforcing ideas like "AI screening," "ATS filtering," and "writing resumes for software before humans."

ATS platforms are not rejecting candidates because they failed to hit a keyword threshold.

They're applicant databases.

The vast majority of hiring decisions still happen when a recruiter or hiring manager reviews a resume and asks a simple question:

"Can this person solve the problem I need solved?"

The bigger issue isn't ATS optimisation.

It's relevance optimisation.

Too many candidates spend hours trying to outsmart software while neglecting the fundamentals:

- Clear positioning

- Relevant evidence

- Strong achievements

- Targeted networking

- Understanding hiring manager priorities

Ironically, some of the best-performing resumes I've seen would score poorly on many so-called ATS tools because they prioritise storytelling, business impact, and readability over keyword density.

The job search absolutely requires a smarter strategy in 2026.

But that strategy isn't about beating algorithms.

It's about making your value obvious to the humans making decisions.

Focus less on ATS myths.

Focus more on becoming impossible for a recruiter to ignore.

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