Jobseeker Trends Report: 2,000 Jobseekers Weigh in on the Job Search

Nearly half of workers (36.2%) searched for a new role in the past year, while 27% of full-time employees plan to start searching in the new year. On top of that, 36.7% are continuing their search for a role that began in the last year. 

Despite the strong appetite for a new career, 68.4% of job seekers say the job searching process has hurt their mental health, and nearly two-thirds (64.8%) believe getting hired is tougher now than before. 

What we did

Drawing on the experiences of 2,000 full-time U.S. workers (both current and prospective job seekers), this report brings together data and sentiment to form a clear-eyed view of today’s hiring landscape, what motivates career change, what frustrates it, and how job seekers can navigate it more confidently.

The Motivations Behind Job Searching

From salary concerns and limited career progression to a desire for better work-life balance and job security, professionals are motivated by a range of factors both now and in the year ahead when deciding to explore new opportunities.

What’s pushing professionals to hit ‘apply’?

Money matters, but it’s not the only reason people are changing careers. Around 21% of professionals say poor pay or a lack of raises has pushed them to look for a new role. Beyond salary, 9% were searching after being laid off, 9% did so after being frustrated with little to no career progression at their current company, and 8% were chasing a change of industry. 

What’s behind the next surge of job searching?

As the new year approaches, plenty of workers are still on the move. About 27% of full-time employees plan to start their job search, while 36.7% are continuing to look after months of trying to find the right role. 

The biggest motivator, like in the last year, is still seeking higher pay. Others are chasing a better work-life balance (53.8%) or remote or hybrid options for work (34.3%). Job security is also top of mind for 39.5%, as economic uncertainty and layoffs push workers to look for roles that feel more stable. 

The biggest motivators for looking for a new job in 2026:

• Higher salary - 67.2%

• Better work-life balance/more flexibility - 53.8% 

• Job security or more stability - 39.5% 

• Remote or hybrid work - 34.3% 

• Career progression or promotion opportunities - 34.1% 

• More meaningful work - 30.2% 

• A desire to change industry - 21.1% 

• Relocation or lifestyle reasons - 15%

The Emotional and Practical Weight of Job Hunting

Job seekers are not just battling with the emotional drain while attempting to secure interviews; it’s become more challenging and often longer than expected.

The emotional weight of the job search weighs heavily on job seekers

The job search isn’t just time-consuming for professionals; it’s emotionally draining. Around two-thirds of job seekers said the process had a negative impact on their mental health: 

• 31.7% shared that it had a serious impact on their mental health, with feelings of anxiety and a loss of confidence alongside symptoms of job search burnout 

• 33.2% said it was stressful, leading to them overthinking, experiencing frustration, and a loss of motivation to continue

• 18.7% found some parts of the job search more draining than others

• 10.2% stated it didn’t affect them much, whereas just 6% found the job search a motivating and positive experience

Today’s job market feels tougher than years past, say workers

Part of the mental strain of the job search is due to the fact that the job search feels tougher than it used to. More than 1 in 3 workers say that they find job seeking now to be much harder than they’ve experienced previously, with 29.5% saying it’s somewhat more difficult to land a job. Just 5.7% state they find job searching in the current market easier than it has been previously.

From application to offer: 26% of job seekers are spending longer than 16 weeks to land a job

It’s not just tougher to find a job in the current market, but it’s slower, too. More than 26% of Americans who successfully landed a job in the last year stated it took longer than 16 weeks to search, interview, and start in their new role. However, it’s not a lengthy process for all, as 20.1% of job seekers did so for less than four weeks, and 22.2% did so in under two months.

Job Search Methods: How Are Candidates Standing Out? With job search methods evolving from traditional applications to AI-assisted tools, how are candidates tailoring their resumes and strategies to stand out — and how do these approaches differ across generations?

Gen Z are now using AI to search for open roles

When it comes to landing a new role, most Americans are sticking with tried-and-true methods. Sixty-three percent of job seekers apply directly through company websites, making it the most common route, while half use major job boards. 

Nowadays, new tools also have a part to play in the way we apply for jobs, as more than 1 in 10 candidates (11.4%) are using ChatGPT to discover job opportunities.

While traditional approaches to job applications remain strong across all age groups, younger workers are approaching the traditional job hunt by using different technologies. 14.7% apply to jobs using social media, almost twice the rate of Gen X. The use of AI tools to show available jobs is also more common among younger candidates: 12.8% of Gen Z report using ChatGPT to find opportunities, compared with just 10.6% of Gen X and no Baby Boomers.

Less than one-third of job seekers tailor their resume for every application

Tailoring your resume as per the job description helps job seekers show recruiters that they have exactly what the company is looking for, and 28.5% of job seekers do so for every job application they submit.  1 in 3 (29.7%) tailor their resume for most applications. However, about a quarter of candidates (25.6%) either rarely adjust their resume or don’t do it at all.With hiring managers spending only about six seconds scanning a resume, failing to tailor it could be costing candidates the role. 

Generation Z are leaving the one-size-fits-all resume behind:

• Gen Z: 17.6% of job seekers didn’t tailor their resume – younger professionals are facing fewer open roles than previous generations, making them more likely to customize resumes to stand out.

• Millennials: 25.6% don’t customize their resume

• Gen X: 29.3% skip tailoring their resume

• Baby Boomers: 33.2% don’t adjust their resume for specific applications

61.3% of job seekers admit to embellishing their resume

From polished job titles to conveniently “forgotten” career gaps, the truth is often bent in the application process, as 61.3% admit to having lied on a resume in the last year. 

Half of job seekers admit to hiding an employment gap, while 43.9% have inflated their job titles or responsibilities. Another 39.7% overstate achievements or results, and a third (33%) list skills or certifications they don’t actually have.

Some generations are more willing to blur the lines than others, too. 68.3% of Gen Z admit to exaggerating on their resume, compared to 66.3% of millennials. In contrast, only half of Gen Xers admit to doing the same, and just 1 in 5 (20%) Baby Boomers have ever stretched the truth on paper.

From AI Tools to Ghosting: What Job Seekers Face in Interviews

Today’s job seekers are navigating a hiring landscape shaped by both technological and human frustrations, from AI systems that screen resumes and run interviews to the ongoing issue of ghosting that leaves many candidates in the dark.

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82% of AI users worry their resumes are being rejected by ATS systems

When looking for jobs, 38.2% of job seekers use artificial intelligence for all or most job applications, using the tool to draft resumes or write their cover letters. However, of those who used AI to help craft their resume, 82% encountered problems with ATS systems where they suspected their resume was automatically rejected or overlooked. 

Not only do job seekers have ATS systems to challenge, but new technologies such as AI interview assistants are also another factor for job seekers to battle with: 

• 42.6% of job seekers experienced an AI interview in the last year 

• Of those who partook in an interview ran by an AI assistant, 58.1% stated it took them extra effort to prepare or adapt during the interview to ensure it performed well 

• 13.6% of job seekers found it challenging, feeling the AI interview cannibalized their efforts to be successful in the interview. 

Despite these challenges, AI remains a key tool for job seekers looking ahead. Many candidates plan to continue leveraging AI in 2026 to streamline and strengthen their applications: 

• 50.6% plan to use it to improve or edit their resumes, 

• 23.5% to write a resume from scratch, and roughly one-third will use it to craft cover letters or tailor applications to specific roles. 

• AI will also play a role in interview preparation, with 37.7% planning to practice with AI-generated mock interviews, 36.1% intending to use AI to research companies and roles before applying. 

• Only 18.5% of job seekers say they won’t use AI at all, underscoring the growing expectation that technology is now an essential part of the job hunt.

Gen Z spends the most time prepping for job interviews  

When it comes to interviews, most job seekers keep their interview prep short and sweet. Around one in four (25%) of candidates spend less than an hour prepping for job interviews, while 35.8% spend less than an hour preparing. A smaller share (18.6%) dedicates more time, spending three to four hours getting ready. 

But even with all that preparation, landing a role takes persistence. The majority of job seekers attend around 10 interviews before getting an offer, showing that success rarely comes from the first few tries. 

Generationally, prep habits vary. Gen Z candidates are slightly more likely to underprepare, with 20.1% spending under an hour and 5.8% skipping prep altogether. Older generations aren’t immune either; 32.4% of Gen X and 33.3% of Boomers prep for under an hour, and one in five Boomers admit to not preparing at all.

Job seekers are doing their homework on companies they want to work for

As part of that interview prep, job seekers conduct vigorous research into companies they’re applying for. Nearly every candidate does at least some research, as just 0.8% admit they skip it: 

• More than half (58.9%) explore the company’s website

• 49.7% study the job description to understand what the employer values 

• Many (34.7%) go beyond the basics, searching Glassdoor for culture insights and salary data

• 37.5% look up current employees on social media 

• Nearly a quarter (22.3%) take it a step further and reach out to current or former staff to get a sense of what working there is like

Ghosting after interviews is still common 

Once candidates have had an interview, they’re facing another challenge: ghosting. More than 7 in 10 (71.3%) job seekers say they’ve been ghosted by an employer in the past year, often left hanging after interviews with no response. 

Even when faced with a lack of roles open to them, younger workers are the most likely to experience being ghosted by an employer, with a staggering 83.1% of Gen Z and 71.8% of millennials sharing they’ve been left in the dark. Comparatively, 65.7% of Gen X and less than half (46.7%) of Baby Boomers have also been ghosted. 

The silence isn’t one-sided, as nearly half of job seekers (46.7%) admit to ghosting employers themselves. Gen Z and Millennials are most likely to ghost a recruiter or employer after taking an interview, with around half of both groups admitting to cutting off communication, compared to 40.8% of Gen X and just 26.6% of Boomers. 

The most common reasons that job seekers ghost companies

The top reasons for disappearing candidates echo the frustrations job searchers on the other side of the process: 

• 41% say poor communication or slow responses pushed them to disengage

• 39.8% simply lost interest in the role or company

• 37.7% felt the role wasn’t a good fit for them after the interview

• 36.5% had already accepted a better offer by the time the company reached out

• 21.2% weren’t sure how to decline professionally

• 14.1% said they ghosted due to feeling overwhelmed by too many applications

The Tug-of-War Between Remote Work and Return-to-Office Policies

The debate over remote work is far from settled. While many employers push for a return to office, workers continue to prioritize flexibility, with some even walking away from higher pay to keep their remote setup.

Despite return-to-office mandates, flexibility remains a dealbreaker for many job seekers

Mandatory return to office policies disrupted many workers in the last year, as 60% of job seekers were served with return to office policies. Our survey found that these mandates pushed 8.2% of workers to start looking for new roles last year, due to no longer being able to work from home. 

When looking into the future, flexibility is still something that workers are seeking: 21.9% of those planning to search for a job in the coming year say they wouldn’t consider a role, even with a higher salary, if it meant being fully in the office with no flexibility.

However, remote work isn’t a one-size-fits-all preference. Among job seekers in 2025, 39.5% only considered remote roles, while 21.6% said an open role having remote work would influence their decision to take the role, but wasn’t a dealbreaker. Meanwhile, 38.8% weren’t focused on remote work at all or said it didn’t matter to them.

Remote roles are few and far between, and those that are on offer are forcing job seekers to compromise

Finding remote roles hasn’t been easy. Of those actively seeking them, 42% reported struggling to find opportunities that matched their expectations, especially amid the wider push for office returns. 

With remote roles being both hard to find and a high priority for many, they don’t come without strings attached. Those who accepted a remote role in the last year had to make some form of compromise:

• 26.6% accepted a lower salary to secure a remote position

• 23% took a role knowing it could slow their career progression or limit promotion opportunities

• 17.5% chose a job that was less interesting than their ideal role

• 16.9% accepted fewer benefits just to stay remote

• 15.1% took on longer hours or a heavier workload in exchange for working remotely

The tug-of-war between remote work and office mandates shows no signs of slowing, suggesting that flexibility will remain one of the most influential factors in career decisions heading into 2026.

Conclusion

Between technological challenges nd human frustrations, from automated rejections to being ghosted after interviews, the path to employment has become all the more challenging in recent months. Add to that the growing difficulty of finding flexible work in a return-to-office era, and today’s job seekers are facing a uniquely demanding landscape. Even so, they’re proving resourceful, embracing AI tools and even embellishing the truth in order to land a role. 

Services like GetHiredNow provide targeted support for professionals and executives, offering personalized job matching, resume optimization, and interview coaching to help candidates turn uncertainty into an opportunity to secure roles in a difficult market. 

Methodology:

This survey was commissioned by TopResume and conducted via Pollfish on October 7, 2025. A total of 2,000 U.S. job seekers aged 18 and older in full-time employment completed the survey. Respondents either had searched for a job in 2025 or planned to search for a job in 2026, providing insights into their experiences across various stages of the job search.

Survey responses were further analyzed to ensure balanced representation across generations and to mitigate potential bias in weighting. The findings offer a comprehensive view of trends, motivations, and challenges facing job seekers in today’s evolving employment landscape.