{
  "id": 10080929,
  "title": "I Got Rejected 2 Minutes After Applying. So Much for 'Skills-Based Hiring.'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/i-got-rejected-2-minutes-after-applying-so-much-for-skills-based",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-26T22:36:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/mikachu/i-got-rejected-2-minutes-after-applying-so-much-for-skills-based-hiring-4315"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "I recently applied for a Junior Solutions Engineer position, despite lacking a STEM degree as required. The role demanded experience in solutions engineering, technical support, sales engineering, automation, AI-driven products, and B2B software. I had built an internal operations platform for a real business, handling API integrations, database work, deployment, troubleshooting, and user feedback. This work showcased my ability to solve actual business problems using Python, SQL, data tooling, automation, and AI-driven products. After submitting my tailored application, including a cover letter and explaining my hands-on experience, I was instantly notified of my rejection. The swift response felt insulting, especially with a human name attached to the rejection, suggesting limited human review. While I understand the need for filtering systems to manage overwhelming applicant numbers, consistently excluding candidates based solely on their degree status undermines the advertised skills-based hiring approach. I am committed to building open-source software, working with various technologies, and continuing to apply for roles where I can demonstrate my expertise and impact, regardless of pedigree.",
  "summary": "I applied for a Junior Solutions Engineer role today. Not a senior role. Not a staff role. Not some \"10 years of experience required\" fantasy posting. A junior role. The requirements were things like: Hands-on experience in solutions engineering, technical support, sales engineering, or automation-focused work Python SQL Data tooling Automation AI-driven products B2B software The right to work…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}