- Exclusive: Job-seekers are applying to twice as many jobs this year as they did in 2024, as “ghost jobs,” AI agents, and a fiercely competitive labor market throw a wrench in the American Dream. And those with master’s degrees are having a rough go of it, as they’re sending out up to 60 applications per month, compared with bachelor’s degree holders, who are applying to around 38 roles a month. With graduates frozen out of the workforce, many are left questioning if their degrees were a “waste of money.”
Going to college and getting a degree was once a ticket to white-collar success—but now graduates are up against “ghost jobs,” AI agents, and a fiercely competitive labor market. Job-seekers are sending out large numbers of applications to try to land a gig, and even people with multiple degrees are having a hard time.
