Job seekers fret about the cold black hole that swallows their applications and limits any communication from returning to them.

But on the other side is a frenzied space of recruiters and human-resource departments racing at hyperspeed.

“There are just not enough hours in the day to respond to everyone. It’s just not practical. Plain and simple,” said Lara Makinen, a human-resources coordinator with the Denver office of PBS&J, a professional-services and engineering firm.

At a minimum, she gets 100 applications on any given job posting, with one listing generating more than 1,000.

Responding to each would be a full-time job in itself and detract from the goal of filling the position, she said.

Mary Kate Houk, a corporate recruiter with Crocs, said it is not uncommon for the Niwot shoemaker to have 450 to 600 responses to a job posting within a 24-hour period.

Typically, a resume will get 30 to 45 seconds of review.

“It is very rare that you do get a position from submitting your resume,” she said. “You need to do something above and beyond.”

That advice is especially true for people trying to transition into a new career field.

When companies and organizations downsize, as many have during this recession, among the first to go are those who do the hiring, said Andrew Hudson, a career adviser and president of AndrewHudsonsJobsList.com.

“Human-resource departments are also trying to do more with less,” he said.

Time constraints can generate these kinds of questions in a recruiter’s head: If 10 qualified interview candidates come from the first 150 applications, why go through the remaining 300?

Technology has made it easier to apply for a job but also tougher to actually land one.

“In a couple strokes of a key, you can apply to 20 jobs,” said Tom Elder, a recruiter for Slalom Consulting in Denver.

To remain eligible for unemployment benefits in Colorado, the unemployed must show they have applied for five jobs a week. That can up the number of applicants HR departments are dealing with.

Also, the average time people spend unemployed continues to lengthen — six months on average in the U.S.

“People are flailing and applying for anything,” said Kathleen Winsor-Games, an executive coach with the Winsor Group in Denver and past president of the Colorado Human Resource Association.

She said some employers write overly vague and even incorrect job descriptions.

Western Union writes a detailed, two-page description for every job, cutting down the average number of applications per listing to 28, said Chris Brabec, director of leadership talent acquisition at Western Union.

Fully aware that applicants are potential customers, Western Union also tries to tell every job seeker why he or she didn’t make the cut, he said.

Recruiters recommend that job hunters spend only a fraction rather than most of their time searching for jobs online. Their advice is to aggressively network.

“It is a crowded field, and you are going where there is a feeding frenzy and the waters are bloody,” Winsor-Games said. “Work your relationships.”

But job seekers also wish employers showed more basic courtesy, especially if they have made the first cut.

Lisa LaMunyon of Denver estimates that of the hundreds of jobs she has applied for in the nonprofit and accounting fields in the past two years, only 5 percent of employers have generated a response back letting her know she didn’t get the job.

Even after interviews, she has been left hanging, something she considers rude.

“A rejection gives you closure so you can go on to the next thing,” she said.

Jeff Barnes, once a high-ranking executive with First Data and Western Union, has had a similar experience.

He has cultivated more than 400 contacts and applied for more than 102 positions since January.

He has landed 10 interviews, a higher-than-average success rate. Two companies, however, didn’t bother contacting him after an interview.

“The ability to call in cold and get someone to chat is near impossible,” Barnes said. “To get into a company, you do need an actual person, one that you can add to your network.”

The goal should be to find what Winsor-Games calls “career angels,” or insiders who can deliver a resume to those hiring.

Going back to school for additional certifications or volunteering can help cover extended gaps in employment that might make a job hunter less attractive.

Hudson also warns against what he calls “stinking thinking,” or engaging in mental games that assign blame or create false cause-and-effect scenarios.

“The fact of the matter is you are who you are,” Hudson said. “You have to look at your personal brand and what value you bring to an employer.”

Aldo Svaldi: 303-954-1410 or asvaldi@denverpost.com

How to keep your application on top of the pile

Some tips from recruiters and career coaches on how to keep an application from disappearing into the void.

Stay focused: Target your applications to your skills and experience. Don’t grab onto any and every position available.

Applicant tracking systems: These software systems weed out resumes lacking the right words or applicants who answer screening questions incorrectly. The “code” words are typically in the job listing itself. Tailor the resume to the specific position.

Go to the source: As much as possible, apply for a position through an employer’s website rather than through a job board. Also, study the position offered and the employer offering it. Be strategic and informed.

Make that call: Some recruiters understand a resume may not tell the full story. Be ready to make your pitch quickly and precisely if you get a live person. And if not, avoid leaving messages that come across as demanding, whiny or otherwise rude.

Network: Often, finding a job comes down to whom you know, or whom you know who knows someone who can get you that job. Join industry and trade groups, attend professional events and volunteer. A good word from a trusted source can bring an application to the top of the pile.

Get LinkedIn: Recruiters increasingly rely on the professional social networking site to find and measure job candidates. LinkedIn can also help a job hunter connect to people on the inside of the company or organization he or she is trying to join.

Manage your career: Many talented people have found themselves unemployed for far longer than they imagined possible. Develop multiple skills, build your network and don’t get comfortable, no matter how safe or secure your job may seem now.

Stay positive: Don’t take the lack of response or a rejection personally. In a soft economy, a lot of qualified candidates are pursuing a limited number of positions. Stay positive and engaged.