After making use of for 400 jobs and getting simply three interviews, a graduate described how she has been “ghosted” by numerous employers.
Karyna Lohvynenko, 21, is finishing a masters diploma in governance and has a CV that features work on the United Nations and councils across the UK and US.
Whereas she as soon as dreamed of being president of her native Ukraine, she has utilized for roles in politics, enterprise and as an entry-level barista, however not even heard again from most employers.
The time period ghosting is used within the relationship world, and means to instantly lower off contact with somebody – however recruitment advisor Michael Jones believes it is turning into more and more widespread for job candidates.
In a fiercely aggressive market, he speaks to graduates like Karyna each week who’ve utilized for a whole lot of jobs, and believes AI screening means many are ditched earlier than even being thought-about by a human.
“If I apply to round 70 jobs per week and solely hear again from three, the remaining is full silence – not even a rejection e-mail,” stated Karyna, 21.
“That uncertainty is worse than rejection… it looks like a void. Like your software disappears earlier than anybody even sees it.
“The ghosting from employers creates confusion, anxiousness, and makes the entire course of really feel dehumanising.”
She is presently finishing a masters at Cardiff College in governance and devolution, having graduated from Cardiff Met with a level in enterprise and administration with a regulation pathway.
In addition to her tutorial work, Karyna’s CV consists of worldwide coverage work, volunteering and enterprise expertise – within the first girl of Ukraine’s workplace, on the United Nations, working with British and American councils, and as an envoy for the King’s Belief.
“I accomplished every little thing anticipated from a graduate… expertise alone would not open doorways,” she added.
Karyna has despatched greater than 400 job purposes, however been requested for simply three interviews [Oksana Lohvynenko]
Karyna was accepted to 6 US universities with scholarships.
However Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 modified every little thing, and he or she ended up transferring to Wales.
Whereas Karyna stays decided to seek out work, she is aware of she will not be alone in her desperation.
She remembers a jobs truthful at Cardiff College, including: “Seeing a whole lot of scholars – many with sturdy backgrounds – asking for any job was overwhelming.
“That is when it felt actually distressing.”
As a toddler, Karyna grew to become fascinated about politics and set her sights on main her residence nation – Ukraine.
“That purpose has by no means left me,” she stated.
For now, nonetheless, her focus stays on securing a primary step into the workforce.
Since late February, Karyna has been making use of each day, usually to round 20 roles a day, whereas balancing research, work and working a small enterprise upcycling classic blazers.
She has given up on securing a “dream job”, and now desires any sort of labor, however has been rejected for roles starting from politics, enterprise to an entry-level barista.
Karyna added: “I do know I’ll succeed. That is only a tough part, one which’s largely exterior my management.
“For now, all I can do is hold making use of till somebody sees my potential.”
[Oksana Lohvynenko]
Figures from the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS), launched earlier this 12 months, confirmed that unemployment within the UK had risen to its highest degree in nearly 5 years, with the speed reaching 5.2% within the three months to December 2025.
Younger folks, notably, have been bearing the brunt, with unemployment amongst these aged 16 to 24 rising to 16.1% – its highest degree in additional than a decade.
The most recent ONS figures out on Tuesday had been extra encouraging, with an surprising drop within the three months to February 2026.
On-line platform LinkedIn reported competitors for roles is fierce amongst younger folks, with chief financial alternative officer Aneesh Raman providing some tricks to job seekers on CVs.
He stated AI literacy is essential – figuring out what it’s and does, in addition to focusing in your folks expertise, displaying your achievements, and never obsessing over long-term plans.
Michael Jones, Wales’ regional supervisor for Sanderson Recruitment, stated experiences like Karyna’s of being “ghosted” are widespread [Sanderson Recruitment]
“I communicate to graduates each week who’ve utilized for a whole lot of roles and are nonetheless struggling to interrupt via and sadly, that is [ghosting] change into the norm fairly than the exception,” stated recruitment advisor Michael Jones.
“The fact is that entry degree roles are massively oversubscribed proper now, and even sturdy graduates are getting misplaced within the quantity.”
Jones stated many purposes by no means attain a human decision-maker.
“When candidates say it looks like their CV disappears right into a void, I utterly perceive that frustration as we see many purposes by no means reaching a human,” he stated.
“Not listening to again is extremely disheartening, however normally it is right down to automated methods and sheer applicant numbers, not a scarcity of potential or effort.”
Automated hiring methods might also be shaping the prospects of many candidates, believes Jones.
He stated: “We’re seeing a rising reliance on AI screening and one-way video interviews, notably on the early phases, and that may really feel very impersonal for candidates.
“The hazard is that AI seems for patterns, not potential. In case your expertise or communication model would not match what the system expects, you could be filtered out earlier than anybody really meets you.”
That is one thing Karyna has skilled in quite a few AI-led interviews.
“You are primarily talking to a display, like a chatbot interface,” she added.
“There’s often a strict time cap… which isn’t sufficient to elucidate your full expertise.
“You are feeling lower off earlier than you’ll be able to correctly current your self.”