Why the same hiring algorithm rejects the same people everywhere

When a few algorithm vendors dominate hiring screening, the same applicants—particularly Black and Asian candidates—get rejected everywhere, even if they'd pass human review. Researchers analyzed 4 million applications processed by one vendor and found 26% of Black applicants submitted to positions where the algorithm adversely impacted them under U.S. discrimination law. Some applicants were rejected by the algorithm across all 10 positions they applied to, far more often than chance would predict. The deterministic nature of these systems creates a hidden barrier: applicants must apply to many positions to escape algorithmic gatekeeping.