66% Of Americans Feel The Job Market Is Nearly Impossible

Forbes

15-07-2025

Gen Z is grappling with the challenges of today's competitive job market.
Welcome to the Hunger Games! Now, I know that the job market is far from the terror of Katniss Everdeen's bleak reality. However, for many, the entire hiring process can feel like trying to survive a fight to the finish with a glued-on smile and unyielding optimism that something, anything, will give you a glimpse of hope. Because let's face it: nothing feels more hopeless than trying to secure a job in 2025.
In fact, according to the 2025 Workforce and Hiring Report by the leading hiring platform Greenhouse, despite continued confidence, nearly 7 in 10 candidates across all markets say the job market is extremely or very competitive (US: 66%, UK: 68%, Ireland: 63%), with more candidates than available positions.
Why Is The Job Market So Challenging Today?
Let's take a closer look at what Greenhouse found after conducting a multi-market survey of more than 2,200 full-time workers and temporarily unemployed job seekers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
Interestingly, the study revealed that hiring automation, employer ghosting (or unresponsiveness), and bias have reshaped the hiring landscape as a whole. And in turn, this has led to a problematic response from candidates. What they found was that many job seekers were turning to multiple tools, such as AI agents and resume hacks. Some, (45%) were even going so far as to embellish their qualifications on resumes to improve their chances of getting noticed. In short, they were trying anything and everything to even have a shot.
The hiring process has become an outright mess. And it's only getting messier by the minute. So, how do we clean it up? Is there a way to create a level playing field where potential candidates feel they can be seen and allowed to stand out, while also safeguarding the system from AI hacks and cheating?
Several companies have already begun exploring various options. In fact, according to a recent article by CNBC, Google is considering moving away entirely from virtual interviews to prevent candidates from cheating with AI. But, is that even possible? Can we truly return to a time when Chat-GPT or Jasper AI did not influence applications and interviews?
Now, before we place all the blame on technology and try our luck at going back to churning butter and waiting for slow wifi to boot our 1989 computers, let's take a quick look at how this reality is impacting the psyche of Gen Z. Because, here's the thing: before we can fix the problem, we need to find out how this specific issue is impacting the mindset of potential hires. And believe me, this generation of recent graduates is not having it easy right now.
Why Does The Hiring Process Feel Like A Bad First Date?
Imagine being right out of college, sharpening up your resume, and feeling like there's absolutely no way you even have a chance at getting an initial interview. This is the reality for many Gen Zers right now.
They're having to put their best foot forward and try to win over an AI bot, before even securing a single human view of their CV. And, if that's not depressing enough, look at the recent trend noted by CBS.
Scammers are now creating deepfakes to apply for remote job postings. In addition to this finding, Gartner, a global research and advisory firm, suggested that by 2028, nearly one in four job applicants will be fake. So, not only is an entire generation fighting to stand out amongst their peers, they're also trying to prove their skills against AI bots.
AI is becoming one of the top tools utilized by candidates and employers during the hiring process. But that tool isn't always creating an ideal outcome for either. In fact, according to the BBC, AI hiring tools might be killing your chances at getting the best person for the job, especially when the sole evaluation process is built upon AI's detection and interpretation of how well someone responds to prompts.
Absolutely! And Daniel Chait, CEO and Co-founder of Greenhouse, has some ideas on where to start. In a statement on the Greenhouse blog, he suggested, 'We don't need more friction or hoops to jump through; we need a hiring process that allows people's true selves to come through more clearly and more completely.' Chait went on to state, 'A more human and three-dimensional hiring process that helps candidates showcase their skills and focus their job search is the only way to cut through the chaos and connect the right people with the right roles.'
Anggie Salazar, partner and brand strategist at CROING, a global creative agency, also suggested that creating spaces where applicants can show you their humanity is ideal. She revealed that at her company, 'our approach is deeply human—we're more likely to hire someone who sends a voice note or video with their application than someone who blends in with an AI-written cover letter.'
So, is the job market a mess? Absolutely. But, is there hope of making it human again? I think so. To attract the best candidates, we should do everything possible to create environments where AI and humanity can coexist and collaborate to bring us exceptional new hires.