I have a growing suspicion that modern AI-driven hiring processes are filtering out something compan

Written: April 6, 2026

I have a growing suspicion that modern AI-driven hiring processes are filtering out something companies actually need: real-world internet instinct.
How do you communicate “30 years of internet street smarts” on a resume? And more importantly, how does a company even recognize that it needs that kind of experience?
Let me offer a simple thought experiment.
Your analytics show a sudden spike in traffic from devices with screens 640px and smaller.
What’s happening, and what do you do next?
Most systems will flag this as increased mobile usage and move on.
But if you’ve spent enough time on the internet like I have, you can easiliy recognize a different possibility: that traffic could be coming from smuggled phones inside correctional facilities. Small screens, inconsistent usage patterns, odd engagement behavior… it’s a known real phenomenon.
Now your response isn’t just “optimize for mobile.”
It becomes: What are they doing on the site? Are there risks? Do we need to involve legal or compliance?
That’s the difference between textbook knowledge and lived experience!
Not everything valuable fits neatly into a resume or gets picked up by an AI filter. Some of it comes from years of seeing how people actually use technology, including in places most people never think about.
As you companies lean further into automated hiring: Are you filtering for qualifications, or filtering out perspective?