The Job Market Has Changed: Here's Why Good People Aren't Getting Hired

I'm going to tell you something that might surprise you.  The way you were taught to find a job doesn't work anymore. If you've been out of the workforce for years raising children, caring for aging parents, or for whatever reason, you've probably been told to update your resume, search job boards, tailor every application, and keep applying until someone says yes.

That used to be good advice.  But today, it isn't.

I’m coaching women who are following that exact process. They’re working hard, applying for jobs, and hearing nothing back.  After a while, it’s hard not to wonder if something is wrong with you.

But you are not the problem.  The system is broken.

Some studies estimate that your chances of getting hired from a single online application are around 0.4%.  If someone told you there was only a 0.4% chance something would work, would you keep doing it?

Yet that's exactly what millions of job seekers do every day.  They fill out applications, rewrite resumes, draft cover letters, and wait.  Most never hear back.

That doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified.  It means the hiring process has changed.

Why the Old System Isn't Working

Recruiters are overwhelmed.  A single job posting can receive hundreds of applications, and some receive more than 1,000 in the first day.  Many of those applications are created with AI and aren't even from real people.  As a result, recruiters are spending more time sorting through fake resumes than talking to qualified candidates.

What's even worse, is not every job posting is real.  Some companies post roles they aren't actively hiring for, and others leave old listings online.  This may seem strange,  but often, companies post jobs to gather resumes for the future, or to look like they're growing.

The result?  Companies are a lot more cautious about who they trust, and their looking for better ways to find candidates.  

The Good News: There's a Better Way

This is where you may have an advantage.  Instead of posting every opening online, many recruiters search for candidates before a job is ever published.

They use LinkedIn to find candidates who are active, knowledgeable, and engaged.  These opportunities often never appear on job boards. That means the person getting hired may not be the one who submitted the perfect application.

It may be the person who was found.

Where to start

A lot of moms tell me:

"I don't have enough connections."

"I haven't been on LinkedIn very long."

"No one wants to hear from me."

Here's what I've learned.  LinkedIn's algorithm has changed.  It's paying a lot more attention to people who actively participate than people who just watch from the sidelines.  That doesn't mean you have to become an influencer.  It means you need to become visible.

Comment on posts.

Share what you're learning.

Celebrate other people's successes.

Ask thoughtful questions.

Talk about your experiences.

Every time you do, you're showing recruiters there's a real person behind your profile.  And the more value you give, the more opportunities come back to you.  People begin to recognize your name.  Recruiters notice you.  Hiring managers remember you.  Conversations start.  And conversations can lead to opportunities that applications never will.

Three Steps to Take This Week

Don't spend another five hours sending applications into the void.  Instead, spend 30 minutes on LinkedIn.

1. Comment on five posts.

2. Connect with three people in your industry or the industry you want to enter.

3. Share one lesson you've learned.

That's it.  Small actions repeated over time build visibility.  Visibility builds trust.  And trust creates opportunities.  The job market has changed. The good news is you can change with it.

If you want help figuring out what that looks like for you specifically, that's exactly what we built Elavare for.  The door you've been knocking on was never the only one.