If you’re looking for a job or know someone who is searching for a job, you already know it’s a tough job market. In November, an ASA Workforce Monitor report conducted by The Harris Poll found 40% of unemployed job seekers report not having a single job interview in 2024 – not one.
A rocky economy coupled with historic interest rate hikes is placing the American job seeker in a precarious spot with 45% planning to look for a new job in 2025.
Human versus Machine
- 72% of Americans say that applying for jobs feels like sending a résumé into a “black box.”
- 60% say the job search process is too impersonal.
- 42% of unemployed Americans have applied to 10 or more job openings in the past year.
- 50% of likely job seekers would not accept a job without a remote or hybrid policy in place.
- 31% of Americans would not apply for a job opening that required a cover letter
ASA Workforce Monitor
Hiring Roller Coaster
LinkedIn is filled with stories of job seekers applying to an astronomical number of roles and hearing nothing. Ghosting is also rising on both sides of the hiring desk, leaving many with little faith in the system.
“Far too many job seekers are feeling lost when it comes to effectively navigating the process of finding new employment,” said Richard Wahlquist, chief executive officer at ASA. There’s clearly a disconnect between the expectations of candidates and their understanding of current labor market conditions and of understanding what employers are looking for. If you want to get hired in today’s environment, you need to stand out from the competition and be flexible.
But the report also found those surveyed share a positive view of the staffing industry, with two-thirds of Americans overall and of likely job seekers (67% each) saying staffing agencies help make the search easier.
A job recruiter acts as both a career coach and a talent agent, working closely with job candidates to create relevant and impactful resumes. Most importantly, a recruiter should understand the needs of its clients to create a much better match for the role and the culture of the company.
“Staffing agency recruiters are employment specialists who, without any charge to candidates, will act as a career coach and talent agent—creating relevant and impactful résumés, securing interviews, and helping job seekers gain access to opportunities that they could not find on their own,” Wahlquist continued. “If job seekers feel like their résumés are going into a black hole, it may be because they’re posting the same generic one-click résumé, over and over.”
The recruiting ability of the Staffing Kansas City Team helps connect skilled professionals with the right opportunities. Contact us for help in getting that interview in 2025!
