"Got Rejected In 3 Minutes": Applicant Says Bot Sent Instant Email

A job applicant in the UK has sparked outrage online after receiving an automated rejection email from National Grid just three minutes after submitting their application.

The candidate, who shared their experience on Reddit, said they spent a significant amount of time tailoring a cover letter for the position.They then received an initial email confirmation from National Grid thanking them for their interest and stating applications would be reviewed within 14 days.

However, just three minutes later, they received a follow-up email informing them their application had been unsuccessful.

The user shared the screenshot of the trail mail with a caption that reads, "Got rejected 3 minutes after applying for a role. I spent a few hours writing a cover letter to be automatically rejected by a bot. I love the current job market in the UK,".

The event has brought attention to the increasing reliance on automated screening tools in job hiring. Some individuals online suggested that the applicant's cover letter might have lacked certain keywords needed to pass the first stage of screening.

While National Grid declined to comment on the specific case, they confirmed that pre-screening questions are used to shortlist candidates before interviews. The system can automatically reject applicants who answer certain questions negatively.