We assume more candidates lead to better hires. In reality, the opposite is often true. As application volumes grow, decision-making breaks down, great candidates are missed, and meaningful feedback disappears. Here’s why too many candidates might be the real problem with hiring.

Feedback is often described as a gift. But in hiring, it’s a necessity. Candidates invest time, effort, and energy into every application, yet most receive little to no insight when rejected. The problem isn’t intent, it’s scale. When roles attract hundreds of applicants, meaningful feedback becomes impossible. If we want better feedback, we need a better system.

People aren’t just frustrated with hiring anymore, they’re losing faith in it. From ghosting and lack of feedback to opaque filtering and unrealistic expectations, trust in the process is eroding. Here’s why it matters, and what needs to change.