Why we’re losing faith in recruiters, job descriptions, and hiring managers

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

At one time, the path from job seeker to employee was fairly straightforward: find a job listing, apply, interview, and (if all went well) get hired. These days, however, that road feels riddled with potholes of doubt. Across the professional world, many people are expressing growing distrust in the hiring process. Job seekers second-guess recruiters, side-eyeing job descriptions, and question whether hiring managers have their best interests — or even their qualifications — in mind.

So, how did we get here? Let’s break it down.

The glossy façade of job descriptions

Job descriptions have always been a company’s pitch to attract talent, but in recent years, they’ve begun to feel more like smoke and mirrors. You’ve probably seen some of the most egregious offenders:

• The “unicorn” role: A junior-level job demanding five years of experience, mastery of every tool under the sun, and superhuman productivity.
• The vague posting: Buzzwords like “rockstar” or “ninja” replace clear responsibilities descriptions.
• The bait-and-switch: A job description touting flexibility and great perks, only for the role to resemble nothing of the sort once hired.

Job seekers have caught on. According to a recent study by Jobvite, nearly 40% of job seekers feel job descriptions are misleading. The result? People are now taking every word of a job posting with a grain of salt, assuming the role described is far more fantasy than reality.

Recruiters losing trust one cold email at a time

Once upon a time, recruiters were the helpful guides connecting candidates with their dream jobs. Today, they’re often seen as transactional middlemen, driven by quotas and commissions over meaningful connections. This isn’t entirely their fault — recruiters are under immense pressure to fill roles quickly. But the disconnect is growing:

• Overly aggressive outreach: We’ve all received LinkedIn messages touting “an amazing opportunity,” only to find out it’s a job far below our qualifications — or worse, unrelated to our skills altogether.
• Ghosting culture: Job seekers submit resumes, attend interviews, and never hear back. A LinkedIn survey found that over 90% of candidates have experienced ghosting during their job hunt.
• A lack of transparency: Whether it’s withholding salary ranges or being cagey about the company, many recruiters leave candidates feeling in the dark.

The result? Job seekers increasingly feel like recruiters aren’t allies in their career journey but obstacles to navigate.

The hiring manager mystery

Hiring managers have become another point of frustration for job seekers. On the surface, they should be advocates for their future team members. In practice, their actions (or inactions) often contribute to the mounting distrust.

• Unprepared interviews: Candidates spend hours preparing for interviews, only to be met with hiring managers who don’t seem to have read their resumes or fully understand the role they’re hiring for.
• Inconsistent processes: From unclear timelines to changing expectations mid-interview, candidates are often left wondering if the goalposts are moving on purpose.
• Fishing for free ideas: One of the most troubling trends is companies using interviews as free consulting sessions. Candidates are asked to outline detailed strategies, propose solutions to hypothetical problems, or present work samples, only to later discover the company had no intention of hiring anyone. Instead, they were simply mining candidates for ideas they could implement themselves.

This particular practice stings. It not only wastes a job seeker’s time but erodes trust entirely. If candidates feel like interviews are being weaponized for corporate gain, how can they approach any job opportunity in good faith?

• Bias in decision-making: Ageism, sexism, and other biases — unconscious or not — make it hard for job seekers to feel like they’re being evaluated fairly.

At a time when transparency and communication should be at the forefront of hiring practices, these gaps make job seekers feel like they’re playing a rigged game.

Why this matters more than ever

The stakes are higher than ever for job seekers. Inflation, economic uncertainty, and an increasingly competitive job market make the hiring process feel like a high-pressure arena. But instead of building bridges between companies and candidates, these cracks in the system are widening the gap.

Companies often forget this: the hiring process is their first impression of potential employees. A bad experience during recruiting or interviewing doesn’t just discourage one candidate — it harms the company’s reputation in the long term. According to Glassdoor, 75% of job seekers won’t apply to a company with negative interview reviews.

For organizations struggling to find talent, the message is clear: distrust in the hiring process isn’t just a candidate problem — it’s a business problem.

A path forward: Rebuilding trust

If companies want to regain trust, they need to rethink their approach to hiring. Here’s where they can start:

• Be honest in job descriptions. Clearly outline what the role entails, along with realistic expectations for skills, experience, and pay.
• Prioritize communication. Candidates shouldn’t be left wondering where they stand. Consistent updates, even rejections, go a long way in showing respect.
• Train hiring managers. They’re not just decision-makers — they’re brand ambassadors. Equip them with the tools to lead fair, empathetic, and effective interviews.
• End exploitative practices. If candidates are asked to present strategies or solutions, companies must fairly compensate them for their time. Ideas shouldn’t be treated as free commodities.
• Foster accountability for recruiters. Shift the focus from simply filling seats to finding the right fit for both parties.

Job seekers, too, can take steps to protect themselves: researching companies, setting boundaries with recruiters, and asking direct questions during the hiring process.

Conclusion: Is trust salvageable?

The hiring process is broken, but it’s not beyond repair. Companies that embrace transparency, accountability, and empathy will stand out in a job market riddled with doubt. Meanwhile, candidates will continue to demand better — because at the end of the day, trust isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” It’s essential for creating meaningful, long-term professional relationships.

What’s your take? Have you experienced growing distrust in the hiring process, or found companies that are doing things right? Share your stories below — I’d love to hear them.