The trust gap between employers and job applicants is straining the hiring process and causing “concerns on both sides of the hiring equation,” according to iHire, which surveyed more than 1,000 job seekers and more than 300 employers across the U.S. for its eighth annual report.

The biggest overall challenge for employers for the fourth straight year was receiving too many applications from unqualified candidates, a problem cited by 55.7% of respondents and followed by “ghosting or unresponsive candidates,” which was cited by 51.6%.

However, candidates also cited ghosting and unresponsiveness, with 57.5% of applicants saying that one of their biggest frustrations was applying for a position and not hearing back. Trust also came into play in other ways, with 60.7% of applicants reporting that they would not apply for a job that didn’t list salary information and 70.4% saying they visited a company’s website before applying.

The trust gap may have been exacerbated in part because so much of the application process is conducted without human intervention. Nearly 40% of employers said their reliance on job platforms grew over the past year, and 33% said they expected to rely even more on these platforms next year.

“Our research shows that trust, transparency, and human connection matter more than ever in recruiting,” Steve Flook, president and CEO of iHire, said in a statement. “Employers are receiving unqualified and sometimes fraudulent applicants, and job seekers are questioning whether opportunities are legitimate and if they’ll hear back after applying. Moving forward, companies that blend the human touch with technology, promote a strong employer brand, and provide a positive candidate experience will be best positioned to find the right talent.”

That may explain why the use of artificial intelligence in recruiting is beginning to plateau, according to the report, which found that 24% of employers currently use AI in their hiring process, compared with close to 26% who reported using AI in 2025 and nearly 15% who said that in 2024.

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