If I Have to Create One More Workday Account, I’m Going to Lose It

5 awful application trends giving job seekers the “ick” right now (and the software doing it right).

Over the last 6 months, I have applied for 200+ jobs online. I cannot stress enough how crazy the job market is right now but I am also shook over how many companies have horrible, decrepit job application management software. We are in 2024 and you are telling me I need to upload my resume AND basically rewrite everything in the boxes you provide. Oh no no no honey! Nobody has got time for that. Since this job search has been tough, I wanted to take a moment to call out some awful application trends I have noticed and some that are just chef’s kiss.

Number #1: Outdated software? Yikes!

When applying for a job, if I see a company is using a SUPER old, outdated job application management system, I just get the “ick”. Like when was the last time you updated your system? 2001? These systems almost always require you to re-enter your job history entirely, ask for references (which in 2026 are outdated in itself), or require you to make an account (no thank you). My favorite is when you spend all this time entering the information, and then the page does not load and you lose it all. I LOVE it when that happens eye roll.

Sometimes I understand that they are a government company that does not have the funding for a new job application software, but for others what is your excuse?

Number #2: Why so many jobs??

Have you ever viewed a company’s career page that has over 100+ job postings? And you are just like how do I even begin to see what job would be a good fit for me? Yea, this happens a ton during job searches. Most sites have filters where you can narrow down the results by country, job type, department, and more but still it is soooo overwhelming and daunting.

Plus some of the postings are 6+ months old. So how are we supposed to know what they are actively recruiting for and which ones are just forgotten posts that were either filled internally or never taken back down. Isn’t it the recruiting team’s job to keep the careers page cleaned up and ensure only current jobs are posted? Or is the company really hiring for all these roles? It just does not make sense to me!

Number #3: The intrusive personal questions

Most applications now have basic demographic questions such as gender, race, ethnicity, and more. Those I don’t mind. But some companies ask very invasive questions! For example, I filled out an application the other day that wanted to know if I was below 40 years old, if I had been unemployed over 27 weeks, and if I was ever on welfare??? Like sorry, how do any of those questions help you determine if I am a good fit for a content coordinator writing blog posts for your company???

And let’s not forget the big red flag question, asking for your Social Security Number (SSN). NEVER EVER GIVE A COMPANY YOUR SSN UNTIL YOU SIGN THE JOB OFFER. There is absolutely no reason an employer needs this during the initial application process. Run baby run if a job asks for any of this information.

Number #4 — LinkedIn Easy Apply/3rd Party sites

Now, this is supposed to be helpful and make applying to jobs super easy. But, question to any recruiters, are you actually viewing anyone that comes through these?? I swear if you apply through LinkedIn, your resume gets lost in the abyss, never to be found again. Same goes for other 3rd party sites like Indeed or Glassdoor.

I think the best workaround is using LinkedIn or these 3rd party sites to find jobs, then searching the company and applying online directly. This also helps as you can see if the company is actually hiring for the role still as they are more likely to update their direct website than a 3rd party.

Number #5: the bane of my existence — Workday

I saved the best for last as I could go on for hours about this one. First, what is the freaking point???? For every company that has Workday, you have to make an account? Then, basically rewrite your ENTIRE resume since their resume scanner never parses it right. Plus the amount of steps you need to do is ridiculous!

In my opinion, Workday should let you make 1 account with them, allow you to set up your resume once, and use it at MULTIPLE companies across the board. Then, you can log in to check the progress of all those resumes in 1 area. Not make 20 different Workday accounts and need to log into each one to check the progress. That is INSANE behavior.

Honestly, if I see a company that uses Workday for job applications, I really contemplate applying cause I know it will take about 30+ minutes. Maybe that is their plan to keep people from applying willy-nilly but GOSH it is annoying.

Now that we have covered the pain points, let’s get into the AMAZING job application trends that make me want to cry with joy when I see a company use them.

Number #1: Greenhouse/Lever

The ease of use, the simplicity of the questions, and the application is right below the job description, I could go on and on. When a company uses software like Greenhouse or Lever, I immediately trust them and know they are tech-savvy people. They are a no-muss, no-fuss group and I want to be a part of their team.

I also love that they ask the basic questions — Name, Phone, Email, Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn URL. Super easy to complete and no extra work is required! This allows you to really focus on making sure your resume is perfect and gives you time to rewrite your cover letter to fit the role. No need to do a ton of extra work/questions and you can focus on what matters. 10000000/10 if a company uses these systems.

Honorable mention to Ashby as well as they are SUPER similar and easy to use!

Number #2: No cover letter required

Can we please just eliminate cover letters?? I genuinely think no recruiters or hiring managers read these. It is essentially a rewriting of our resume anyway and is just filled with unnecessary fluff in hopes that you will read it and automatically pick us. Or it is filled with random jargon about why we want to work at your company. News flash — I just want a job. I do not really care about your company’s mission to provide software to other software companies blah blah blah.

If I am completing an application and the company does not ask for a cover letter, I praise the heavens! Saves me time and the cringe-y BS I have to type up.

Closing Thoughts

At the end of the day, looking for a job is already a full-time, exhausting gig, and the software companies choose to use says a lot about their internal culture. If you want top-tier talent to apply to your roles, please stop making us jump through prehistoric hoops just to get our resumes in front of you. To all the recruiters out there: treat your applicants like human beings, upgrade your tech, and for the love of God, ditch Workday!