This actually happened at a Series B startup we'll call "TechCorp" (because every startup is called TechCorp in these stories).

David Chen built TechCorp from his garage six years ago. He's now a successful CEO with 200 employees, venture funding, and all the confidence of a man who's never been told "no" by his own software. Until last Tuesday.

His son, Brandon, just graduated from college—not a fancy one, just a regular state school—with a degree in marketing. David decides it's time for Brandon to "learn the business from the ground up." Translation: get a marketing coordinator job that definitely wasn't created just for him. To keep things "proper," David insists Brandon apply through the normal channels.

Brandon applies online like everyone else. The job posting says "2-3 years experience required."

The AI Doesn't Do Family Discounts

TechCorp recently implemented an AI-powered ATS that screens resumes for keywords, experience requirements, and cultural fit indicators. David approved the purchase himself, bragging at the board meeting about how it would "eliminate bias and find the best talent objectively."

Objective, indeed.

Brandon's resume—complete with: one internship (unpaid), a 3.1 GPA, and a skills section that lists "Microsoft Office" and "Social Media (Instagram, TikTok)"—gets fed into the AI screening system.

The AI takes approximately 0.4 seconds to decide Brandon is not qualified. Rejection email sent automatically. "Thank you for your interest in TechCorp. While your background is impressive, we've decided to move forward with candidates whose experience more closely aligns with our current needs."

Brandon shows his dad the email at dinner. David's face does something faces aren't supposed to do.

The Emergency All-Hands

Monday morning, David storms into HR. "Why was my son rejected?"

The talent acquisition lead, Emily, pulls up the ATS dashboard. "Well, he doesn't meet the minimum requirements. No marketing experience, no relevant campaigns, and the AI flagged his resume for having too many generic—"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT THE AI THINKS. IT'S MY COMPANY."

"Sir, you specifically told us the AI would 'remove personal bias from hiring decisions' last quarter."

There's a pause. David realizes he's about to either admit the system he championed is flawed, or admit he wants to override it for nepotism. Both options taste like humble pie.

The Plot Twist

Emily, who's been waiting for this moment her entire career, asks sweetly: "Would you like me to override the AI's decision? I can do that. I'll just need you to explain the business justification in writing for our compliance records."

David stares at his shoes. "What if... what if Brandon got some experience first? Maybe at another company?"

Brandon is now a marketing coordinator at a mid-sized agency. He's actually pretty good at it. The TechCorp AI screening system remains undefeated against unqualified candidates, regardless of parentage.

The Recruiting Wisdom: If you're going to implement objective hiring systems, you have to actually let them be objective. Either you want meritocracy or you want nepotism—pick one. Also, maybe give your kid some actual experience before assuming they're ready for your company. The AI was right on this one.

David still brings it up at board meetings. "Our ATS is so good, it even rejected my own son!" Everyone laughs. Emily knows the truth.