It’s Not You, It’s Them: Unemployment in 2025

I want to speak to something that’s really been weighing on me on behalf of everyone out there who’s navigating the exhausting reality of job searching right now.

Lately, I’ve seen so many posts from so-called experts telling the masses how to “optimize” our LinkedIn profiles or “fix” our résumés to catch a recruiter’s eye. And sure, those tweaks can help.

But let’s be real: this isn’t a job market—this the Job Olympics.

I was recently selected along with 8 others for a role where I was one of 900 applicants. And that’s not unusual. It doesn’t matter how many keywords you stuff into your profile, how expert your experience is, how tailored your cover letter reads, or if you’ve had the lived experience –sometimes, it’s luck. Sometimes, it’s timing. And too often, it’s neither.

Even when you do get noticed, the system is still broken. I had five rounds of interviews for a position–one with the CEO, one with the team I’d manage, and completion of reference checks. I was so sure I was going to get the job, I booked my first haircut in a year to look fresh for the first day (this is my new haircut).

And then? They decided to reopen the search. I didn't cry at the birth of my daughter, but I cried all day after receiving this email.

I’m not sharing this to discourage anyone. I’m sharing it to say: this is not your fault.

If you haven’t landed the job yet, it’s not because you’re lacking. It’s because the system is overwhelmed, imperfect, and broken.

So to everyone in this together: What’s one word you’d use to describe your job search right now?