Introduction

You’ve got mail. It’s from a company you applied to. Before even opening it, you can tell it’s a rejection email from the snippet in your inbox. It usually begins with, “Dear [Applicant], thank you for submitting an application…” Then it moves on to, “Unfortunately, after careful review, we will not be progressing your application any further in the recruitment process for this specific role.” Finally, it ends with a patronizing, “Thank you again, and we wish you all the best in your job search.” A template email lacking any value. Their well-wishes mean nothing. They don’t even bother to explain why they rejected you. And if you try to respond, most of the time, you can’t—because it was sent from a “no-reply” address. Insights that could help improve your future applications are replaced with the hollow sentiment of “we wish you all the best.” You’re qualified. You’ve spent hours updating your resume, refining your work history, and tailoring a cover letter specifically for this company. All of that effort, only to receive a rejection email—or worse, silence. Ghosting. Getting an interview is rare, and even when you do, it’s often followed by yet another generic rejection email. It’s become normal to apply to hundreds, even thousands, of jobs and still not land one. You are not alone, I know this frustration all too well. So, what’s going on? Why is finding a job so difficult on a global scale?

‍

Companies are looking for a unicorn

Job postings on platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor often read more like a wish list to Santa Claus than realistic job descriptions. Employers seem to be searching for a mythical “perfect candidate”—a unicorn. Gone are the days of hiring teachable, trainable candidates with potential. Companies now demand that applicants tick every box before stepping through the door. They want someone who can hit the ground running. Why? Training takes time, money, and resources—commodities that businesses are reluctant to spend. Let’s break it down:

‍

• A recent business graduate with no experience applying for a sales position might require training in Customer Relationship Management (CRM). A bootcamp for CRM could cost between $2,000 and $5,000 per employee.
• In-house training costs even more, with sales trainers charging $50–$100 per hour for an 80-hour program.
• Add in software licenses, training facilities, and technology, raises the total costs by an additional $1,000–$3,000 per employee.

‍

That’s not all. During the trial period, the employee isn’t fully productive, potentially costing the company $20,000–$40,000 in lost productivity. Factoring the additional total cost of training, one new hire can cost between $25,000 and $60,000. For businesses, it’s a significant gamble, no fresh candidate is worth that. What if that freshly trained employee jumps ship for a better offer? The company would face the costs of rehiring and retraining all over again. So, rather than investing in potential, companies cling to the hope of finding a unicorn—someone so exceptional that they don’t even exist. As a result, they keep vacancies open for months, crush the hopes of thousands of qualified applicants, and even if a company eventually hires someone, that person often falls short of expectations. They might be inefficient or worse—a self-important and entitled jerk who sours the workplace environment.

‍

‍

Candidates are in competition with the world

I remember applying for a role, only to realize it had ten thousand applicants, likely from across five continents. It made me wonder—how could my voice ever stand out in such a crowd? While some roles are limited to local applicants, many are open to global talent pools. Using the post office or travelling to personally deliver an application inside of an envelope is a thing of the past. This means a job that once attracted dozens of applicants can now receive thousands. For popular fields like technology, business, or healthcare, the competition is especially fierce. Experienced professionals are vying for the same roles, leaving fewer opportunities for recent graduates or career switchers.

‍

A mismatch between the labor force and jobs available

My home country is Mozambique. It is a less developed nation in East Africa that has only 7.3% of its population enrolled in tertiary education. Yet 54.2% of Mozambicans are of working age—17.2 million people. However, only 700,000 formal sector jobs exist. The rest—13.3 million people—work in the informal sector, engaging in small-scale agriculture, street vending, or unregistered businesses. Most of them struggle to make ends meet. Meanwhile, 21% of Mozambique’s working-age population is economically inactive. This includes people pursuing education, managing households, or discouraged by the lack of job opportunities. This imbalance isn’t unique to Mozambique. Across West and Central Africa, many countries report informal employment rates exceeding 90%. Across Latin America, over 50% of the workforce is in informal employment, with Bolivia topping the chart at 84.3%. Let’s contrast this with the number of people completing post-secondary in a few key developed countries. Consider the following data from key developed countries, according to the OECD and Statista:

‍

• United States: The tertiary education rate for individuals aged 25–64 increased from 38% in 2000 to 50% in 2022
• Australia: From 27% to 56%
• Germany: From 29% to 33%
• Japan: From 36% to 66%

‍

Clearly, post-secondary education rates have skyrocketed since the turn of the century. But while more people are pursuing higher education, the number of available jobs has not kept pace. In the U.S., for example, 50% of adults with tertiary education translates to approximately 91.58 million people—around 4 million of whom graduate each year. But there are nowhere near 4 million new jobs created annually to match their qualifications. Even in a strong economy, which wasn’t 2024, the U.S. typically creates between 2 and 2.5 million jobs per year. And not all of these positions require tertiary education, meaning that college graduates often find fewer opportunities directly relevant to their degrees. So even the most powerful nation on the planet cannot match job creation with the labor force. It’s a global problem, despite the push for higher education, there simply aren’t enough formal jobs being created to match the labor force.

‍

‍‍

Ghost jobs

Ghost jobs are fake job postings companies use to gather resumes for questionable reasons. These can be jobs that have already been filled, expired, or never existed at all. In the U.S. alone, 1.7 million potential ghost job openings were found on LinkedIn. In the U.K., over a third of job listings in 2023 were ghost jobs, according to StandOut, a London-based career resources company. Shockingly, in a survey of 1,000 hiring managers across the U.S. and Canada, half admitted to posting fake jobs, with many claiming, “We’re always open to new people.” Another 37% said they do it to stockpile resumes for future turnover—basically window shopping for employees. The other reasons are more unsettling. Forty-three percent of managers said they post ghost jobs to “motivate employees.” It’s hard to see how fake job postings inspire anything but fear—like tricking workers into thinking their jobs are at risk. Similarly, another 43% admitted to faking job posts to give the illusion of company growth. It’s not just deceptive; it might even be illegal.

‍

‍

Applicant tracking systems

If you’ve ever gotten a rejection email moments after submitting your application, it’s likely no human ever saw it. That’s because most major companies now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes. An ATS helps companies streamline the hiring process. Using technologies like natural language processing (NLP), which helps computers understand and analyze text, and machine learning (ML), which allows the system to improve its accuracy over time by learning from patterns. ATS’s scan resumes for specific keywords to rank candidates based on how well they match the job description. Unfortunately, this approach often prioritizes keyword optimization over actual qualifications. For example, a nurse with extensive experience in “pediatric care” applies to a hospital seeking expertise in "child healthcare." The ATS searches for "child healthcare" as a keyword. The resume doesn't contain this specific term, resulting in the candidate being overlooked despite their relevant experience. Similarly, ATS penalizes gaps in employment, failing to account for candidates who’ve struggled in a brutal job market. They don’t understand that looking for a job has become your job. ATS cannot assess potential either. It’s great at finding candidates with exact skills or years of experience but lacks the ability to evaluate soft skills like communication, adaptability or leadership—qualities that ATS cannot assess through easily quantifiable data, yet are essential for long-term success. The result? A hiring process devoid of the human touch, literally.

‍

‍

As a job seeker what can you do about it?

It’s exhausting to constantly put yourself out there, especially when every rejection feels personal. But every small step you take is progress—even if it doesn’t feel like it now. Share your expertise by creating blogs or vlogs in your field and post them on social media or professional platforms. You don’t need to be an expert—engage in conversations, comment on posts by industry leaders, and position yourself as a contributor. This might get you noticed by recruiters or added to their database. If you lack experience, consider internships or pro bono work. Although, pro bono is only common for industries that don’t have professional training systems such as design, tech, legal services, consulting and business. While unpaid, these opportunities can help you build your portfolio. Mind you, these days you can still be rejected from these for the same reasons. Networking is equally important. Attend local or virtual events through platforms like Meetup or Eventbrite to connect with professionals in your field. While none of these steps guarantee a job, they can help you get noticed.

‍

Closing thoughts

It’s a dire job market out there. No matter how skilled or educated you are, the odds feel stacked against you. There aren't enough jobs, many postings are fake, hiring managers are looking for unicorns, machines are filtering you out, and the competition is cutthroat. Hiring processes reduce people to numbers, missing the nuance of human potential. It is mentally crushing and financially stressful. Your family members and acquaintances who themselves have been working for decades see you from a distance and think you are a bum. They have no idea that you've been knocking on hundreds of doors, only to be ignored or having them open and shut in your face before you could even take a step in. You’ve considered switching careers but you know it would be daunting, and seeking a job down a different path would be the same uphill battle. Like many of you, I’ve sent out hundreds of applications, spent countless hours tailoring my portfolio, resumes and cover letters, only to be met with silence or rejection, either shortly after applying or after the interviews that I was sure to have nailed. I’ve wrestled with the doubts and I’ve felt the weight of an uncertain future pressing down. Job seekers, you are driving at night, down a freeway, there are no signals, intersections or crossings, there is no illumination. The land around you is barren. All you can do is keep driving and hopefully one day you’ll reach your destination.

‍

‍

‍