---
title: "Registry"
lang: en
registry: 2026.08.2
canonical: https://hoba.work/registry
json: https://hoba.work/data/latest/registry.json
---

# Registry

Every entry in the atlas — 65 of them, across six kinds: observations, barriers, mechanisms, patterns, loops and interventions.

## Observations

- [A-001](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-001) **Complete silence after submission** — No automated receipt, acknowledgement, rejection, or recruiter outreach is received following application submission.
- [A-002](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-002) **Generic "closer alignment" rejection template** — Standard automated email stating the team decided to proceed with candidates whose profiles more closely match role requirements.
- [A-003](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-003) **Position closed after final interview without hire** — Candidate completes all interview rounds, but is informed that the requisition has been cancelled, frozen, or closed.
- [A-004](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-004) **Materially similar role reposted shortly after rejection** — Candidate observes the same or near-identical job listing reposted or refreshed on job boards within 1–8 weeks of rejection.
- [A-005](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-005) **Compensation band reduced or altered mid-process** — Offered or discussed compensation band is revised downward from previously agreed or advertised range.
- [A-006](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-006) **Take-home assignment exceeding reasonable stated scope** — Take-home assignment requires building complex production-grade features demanding 20+ hours instead of stated 2–4 hours.
- [A-007](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-007) **Multiple interview reschedulings or interviewer no-show** — Interviews are repeatedly postponed, delayed at short notice, or interviewer fails to join scheduled call.
- [A-008](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-008) **Explicit feedback citing skill-depth shortfall** — Interviewer or recruiter provides structured notes citing a specific deficit in algorithmic complexity, architecture, or tool mastery.
- [A-009](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-009) **Rejection within minutes of application submission** — Automated rejection email arrives within 2 to 30 minutes of form submission, outside human business hours.
- [A-010](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-010) **Communication mismatch or tone friction in panel** — Noticeable divergence in communication style, pacing, or terminology during live panel discussions.
- [A-011](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-011) **Offer rescinded or delayed due to internal freeze** — Candidate is verbally offered a role or receives written offer which is subsequently delayed or retracted before start date.
- [A-012](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-012) **Unsolicited recruiter outreach followed by ghosting** — Recruiter initiates direct outreach expressing strong interest, but ceases communication after candidate responds with availability.
- [A-013](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-013) **Feedback stating candidate is overqualified for the grade** — Candidate is rejected on the grounds that their experience, seniority, or previous scope exceeds the open position tier.
- [A-014](https://hoba.work/artifacts/A-014) **Conflicting feedback across different interviewers** — Feedback from one round praises architectural depth while another round claims insufficient technical background.

## Barriers

- [B-013](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-013) **Requisition Approval & Public Posting** — The gate that exists before any candidate does: headcount is authorized, the job description is written, and the requisition is published (or quietly kept open) on careers pages and job boards.
- [B-014](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-014) **Outbound Sourcing & Talent Pool Contact** — Recruiter-initiated outreach to passive candidates and talent-pool building, independent of any inbound application.
- [B-001](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-001) **Application Ingestion** — The initial ingestion gate where candidate CV and structured application fields enter the talent acquisition database / ATS.
- [B-002](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-002) **Automated Filter & Parser Threshold** — Algorithmic text extraction, keyword scoring, compliance screening (location/work authorization), and knockout question evaluations.
- [B-003](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-003) **Inbound Screening & Triage** — Recruiter or sourcing coordinator manual review of parsed inbound applications vs active outbound talent pipelines.
- [B-004](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-004) **Recruiter Screening Call** — Initial conversational interview evaluating salary expectations, timeline, communication, English fluency, and high-level role alignment.
- [B-005](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-005) **Technical Screen / Live Assessment** — Synchronous technical evaluation assessing core technical competencies, problem-solving speed, and system architecture fundamentals.
- [B-006](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-006) **Take-Home / Work Sample Evaluation** — Asynchronous technical assignment or project artifact reviewed by engineering peers against quality benchmarks.
- [B-007](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-007) **Hiring Manager In-Depth Review** — Detailed evaluation of candidate seniority, project ownership history, trade-off reasoning, and team-specific mission fit.
- [B-008](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-008) **Team & Cross-Functional Panel** — Multi-interviewer round assessing collaborative problem solving, code review etiquette, cross-functional communication, and cultural norms.
- [B-009](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-009) **Compensation & Leveling Reconciliation** — Internal alignment between candidate expected compensation/level and company pay bands / leveling grid.
- [B-010](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-010) **Headcount & Executive Budget Approval** — Formal sign-off by department leadership, finance, and talent committee to commit budget for the written offer.
- [B-011](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-011) **Reference & Background Verification** — Third-party or internal verification of past employment records, academic degrees, and professional references.
- [B-012](https://hoba.work/barriers/B-012) **Offer Closing & Contract Execution** — Final mutual execution of the formal employment agreement and start-date confirmation.

## Mechanisms

- [M-001](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-001) **Genuine Technical Skill Shortfall** — The candidate’s verified technical execution or domain depth does not meet the established baseline for the role level.
- [M-002](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-002) **Stronger Competing Candidate in Final Cohort** — Candidate cleared all passing bars, but another applicant in the same pipeline demonstrated superior domain overlap or lower onboarding overhead.
- [M-003](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-003) **ATS Parser Extraction Failure** — Multi-column formatting, graphics, custom fonts, or unsupported document layouts cause ATS parser to corrupt or omit critical work history.
- [M-004](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-004) **Unstated Compensation Band Discrepancy** — Candidate market rate exceeds budgeted compensation for the requisition, but salary band was never published or clarified early.
- [M-005](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-005) **Pre-Selected Internal Candidate** — Requisition was publicly advertised to satisfy corporate policy or legal compliance while an internal employee was already earmarked for the role.
- [M-006](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-006) **Stale or Orphaned Job Requisition** — Job posting remains active on careers page and aggregator portals despite the team having ceased active hiring or closed headcount.
- [M-007](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-007) **Headcount Freeze or Budget Cancellation** — Executive leadership or finance halts all new hires across division due to macroeconomic factors or revenue shifts mid-interview process.
- [M-008](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-008) **Automated Keyword / Qualification Filter** — Deterministic filter rejecting applications missing exact acronyms, certifications, or specific years-of-experience thresholds.
- [M-009](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-009) **Recruiter Volume & Quota Incentive Distortion** — Recruiters optimize for pipeline velocity and superficial pattern-matching due to overwhelming applicant volume (500+ per req).
- [M-010](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-010) **Hidden Evaluation Rubric or Undisclosed Priority** — The interview team grades candidate against specific undisclosed architectural dogmas, internal frameworks, or unwritten biases.
- [M-011](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-011) **Employment Gap Downranking Bias** — Automated ranking algorithms or human screeners discount candidates with recent career breaks regardless of verified project history.
- [M-012](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-012) **Interview Resource & Scheduling Saturation** — Engineering interviewers are overwhelmed with sprint commitments, leading to calendar fragmentation, rush reviews, or dropped loops.
- [M-013](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-013) **Mid-Process Role Requirement Redefinition** — Team changes tech stack, seniority requirements, or project scope mid-funnel, invalidating previous interview assessments.
- [M-014](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-014) **Location or Timezone Compliance Constraint** — Company legal or tax entity cannot support remote employment contracts in candidate physical residency jurisdiction.
- [M-015](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-015) **Communication or Working Style Friction** — Candidate demonstrated abrasive tone, defensive reactions to critique, or inability to listen during collaborative interview problem solving.
- [M-016](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-016) **Speculative Sourcing / Talent Pooling Without Opening** — Recruiters proactively gather candidate pools for future anticipated headcount that is not yet authorized or funded.
- [M-017](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-017) **Experience-Age Grading Mismatch** — Candidate with 10+ years applied for mid/senior role, triggering fears of boredom, rapid churn, or salary dissatisfaction.
- [M-018](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-018) **Domain Specificity Over-Weighting** — Interviewer requires exact vertical experience (e.g. adtech, crypto, specific payment processor) over deep transferable systems fundamentals.
- [M-019](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-019) **Take-Home Evaluation Fatigue & Asymmetry** — Reviewers perform hurried 5-minute scans of complex 15-hour take-home projects, missing subtle architectural patterns and tests.
- [M-020](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-020) **Automated Application Expiration Timeout** — ATS configuration automatically issues bulk rejections to all pending unreviewed applications after 45 or 60 days.
- [M-021](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-021) **Reference Check Discrepancy or Regulatory Ineligibility** — Third-party check reveals unverified employment dates, unconfirmed degrees, or direct conflict of interest.
- [M-022](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-022) **Hiring Manager Consensus Impasse** — The interview panel splits 50/50 without an executive tiebreaker, defaulting conservatively to a "no-hire" decision.
- [M-023](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-023) **Portfolio / Work Artifact Misinterpretation** — Screeners overlook candidate role architecture due to non-standard repository layout or unindexed open-source contributions.
- [M-024](https://hoba.work/mechanisms/M-024) **Inflated Requisition Requirements vs Actual Team Needs** — Job description demands 10+ niche technologies and Staff-level qualifications for a straightforward feature engineering role.

## Patterns

- [P-001](https://hoba.work/patterns/P-001) **Seniority Double Bind** — Candidate is simultaneously rejected as overqualified for junior/mid roles and underqualified (or insufficiently specialized) for staff/leadership roles.
- [P-002](https://hoba.work/patterns/P-002) **Closed-Then-Reposted Requisition Motif** — A candidate completes multiple late-stage interviews, is rejected with a generic message, and sees the identical role reposted weeks later.
- [P-003](https://hoba.work/patterns/P-003) **Experience-Age Impossibility** — Requisition requires more years of hands-on experience in a specific framework or tool than that technology has existed in the open-source ecosystem.
- [P-004](https://hoba.work/patterns/P-004) **Compensation Double Bind** — Candidate is required to state salary expectation first; quoting high triggers immediate rejection, while quoting low triggers leveling downranking.

## Loops

- [L-001](https://hoba.work/loops/L-001) **Employment Gap Penalty Loop** — An employment gap triggers automated downranking (M-011), which pushes the profile below keyword and qualification filters (M-008); fewer interview invitations lengthen the gap, which in turn strengthens the downranking.
- [L-002](https://hoba.work/loops/L-002) **Take-Home Opportunity-Cost Saturation Loop** — Candidates invest heavy hours into unbounded take-home assignments, reducing bandwidth for applications, while reviewers suffer evaluation fatigue.
- [L-003](https://hoba.work/loops/L-003) **Inflated-Requirements Search Saturation Loop** — Teams write inflated requirements, filtering out strong generalists, prolonging open search, causing recruiter fatigue and mid-process role redefinitions.

## Interventions

- [I-001](https://hoba.work/interventions/I-001) **Auto-Close Stale Job Requisitions** — Implement automated ATS policy to expire public listings when headcount authorization lapses or no interview activity occurs within 60 days.
- [I-002](https://hoba.work/interventions/I-002) **Upfront Compensation Band Disclosure** — Publish verified salary and equity bands directly in job descriptions or disclose them prior to scheduling technical interview rounds.
- [I-003](https://hoba.work/interventions/I-003) **Standardized Late-Stage Rejection Feedback Taxonomy** — Provide candidates reaching technical or panel stages with structured, rubric-based feedback categories rather than generic templates.
- [I-004](https://hoba.work/interventions/I-004) **Remove Career Gap Feature from Automated Ranking Models** — Disable employment duration gap penalties in recruitment AI algorithms and screening models.
- [I-005](https://hoba.work/interventions/I-005) **Candidate ATS Parser Conformance Test Utility** — Provide candidates with an open-source parsing validation tool to verify CV machine-readability before submission.
- [I-006](https://hoba.work/interventions/I-006) **Strict Take-Home Timebox & Blinded Evaluation Rubric** — Enforce strict 3-hour scope limits on take-homes, compensate candidates for extended samples, and grade submissions blind.

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hoba — a public, versioned atlas of hiring obstacles. Content CC BY-SA 4.0. This document is generated from the registry; the canonical page is linked above.