Job seekers across the United States are increasingly finding themselves ghosted by potential employers, a trend that career experts say stems from a combination of unrealistic applications and overwhelmed hiring teams. The frustration is mounting in an era of artificial intelligence and persistent layoffs, with many applicants questioning whether their degrees and career choices were mistakes.
According to a survey, 39% of college graduates say they would not choose the same major again if given the chance. Another 22% said they would leave their field entirely or skip the four-year degree path. One Reddit user voiced the sentiment bluntly: «I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, but I honestly feel it isn’t worth that much in the ‘real’ world. At least judging by the meager job offers I’ve gotten in the past 6 months.»
Stacie Haller, chief career advisor at, says the first step for frustrated applicants is to examine their own job search strategy. She advises that candidates should have about 80% of the qualifications a job requires before applying. «If you’re not qualified for a job, you’re going to get ghosted. Period. End of story,» Haller says. Timing also matters. Applying weeks after a job is posted can make it harder to get noticed, especially when employers are already dealing with large applicant pools. «If you’re applying for a job that’s already been posted for even two weeks, you’re going to get ghosted,» she says. «They’re not even going to get to you.»
But Haller draws a clear line when ghosting happens after an interview. «Now, if they’re ghosted after an interview, that’s just unforgivable,» she says. «That is all on the organization. There is absolutely no excuse for that.»
Jillian Phelan, a 25-year HR veteran and chief people officer at Criteria, a talent signal platform, says candidates often get caught in delays as employers move other applicants through the hiring process. «Oftentimes we go through a process before making candidates aware that they weren’t selected,» Phelan says. But for applicants, especially younger ones desperate to break into their industry, «many companies are no longer articulating or reaching out to say you did not get the job,» she says.
The experience can be demoralizing. One worker, Bill, who asked to use only his first name to avoid harming his job search, went through several rounds of interviews and followed up with the company but never heard back. It took six weeks for someone to finally tell him the position had been filled. «When an interview process has gone that far, ghosting really diminishes everything about the process,» he says. «Ghosting is the sort of thing that happens in junior high school group chats. It shouldn’t be happening in a professional context.»
Despite the overwhelming number of applicants, Haller says employers have fewer excuses than ever for failing to communicate, especially as artificial intelligence makes it easier to automate parts of recruiting. «AI is helping companies get responses out when they need to,» she says. «There’s no excuse anymore.»
For those repeatedly hitting a wall, experts suggest considering other types of roles or entirely different industries where their background could be useful. «Focus more on how you can translate the skills to another industry or a job,» Haller explains. «Let’s look at what types of positions require those skills.»
One worker, Russ, who also withheld his last name to protect future job prospects, spent 25 years in journalism before being laid off. He spent 18 months trying to make ends meet before moving into banking, taking an entry-level job in a more stable industry. Ghosting played a role in his departure from media, but he says broader factors mattered too. «I don’t think my reputation or the quality of my work is why I was ghosted, but the business realities of an industry in distress,» he says. Still, he has «no regrets, not for a moment» about his original field: «I got to do the job I dreamed of as a kid.»
Phelan says the goal for applicants is not to let a difficult job search convince them that their education, background, or passion have no value. Haller recommends staying open and willing to pivot, and not limiting yourself to your current field. «Don’t anchor yourself there,» she says. Your skills «will unequivocally translate» somewhere else. It’s a tough market, but a difficult job search doesn’t necessarily mean the four years spent earning a degree were a mistake.