AI-polished applications no longer distinguish candidates, the article argues, making trusted referrals more valuable. Ashby’s 2021–24 analysis of 38 million applications found 40% of referred candidates reached interviews, versus 3% of inbound applicants.
LinkedIn recorded job applications rising more than 45% year over year, at 11,000 applications per minute as of June 2025. The article says roughly 74% of U.S. job seekers use AI to polish applications. It also cites surveys in which 65% of hiring managers said they had caught applicants using AI deceptively, while 8% of job seekers said AI makes hiring fairer.
Ashby found referrals made up roughly 1% of applications; among candidates who reached interviews, 16% of referred candidates went on to receive offers, compared with 6% of inbound applicants. The data covered 93,000 jobs and predated the AI surge. The author cautions that relying on relationships built over time may favor people with spare time and disadvantage those balancing caregiving or demanding work.
