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Job seekers have faced a challenging year in 2025, with hiring systems driven by new artificial intelligence tools and complex application processes, according to a November report from LiveCareer.
In fact, automation and AI tools have reshaped the hiring landscape so much that some job seekers appear to be disengaging and dropping out of the hiring process, LiveCareer found.
“From automated screenings to impersonal follow-ups, job seekers are more likely to ghost hiring managers when they feel disconnected from the process or are uncertain whether they are interacting with a human,” Jasmine Escalera, a career expert for LiveCareer, wrote in the report.
Hiring appears to be stuck in an “AI doom loop,” where employers deploy automation tools and candidates respond by using AI hacks to get attention, according to a Greenhouse report. Instead, a more human hiring process could “allow people’s true selves to come through,” Greenhouse’s CEO said.
In a LiveCareer survey of more than 900 U.S. HR pros, 88% reported being ghosted by candidates midway through the hiring process. In addition, 71% said it happened more this year than last year, and 65% said AI has “definitely” contributed to the increase in candidate ghosting.
Job seekers have also grown increasingly frustrated by complex hiring processes and lengthy applications, the report found. In another LiveCareer survey of more than 500 job seekers, 57% said they abandoned an application midway due to complicated or time-consuming requirements, and 41% said they believed fewer than a quarter of their applications were seen by a real person.
“Overly time-consuming and complicated job applications have become the norm, turning the job search into an endurance test,” Escalera wrote. “Many candidates walk away from opportunities that demand too much before they even reach the interview stage.”
These challenges lead to job search burnout, which employers can address by simplifying the hiring process and making it more transparent, the report found. Otherwise, motivated candidates may feel discouraged or disconnected, resulting in the loss of top talent and talent pipelines.
Nearly three-quarters of workers say being interviewed by an AI agent would change their perception of the company, according to a report from SHL. Although most workers said they’re open to interacting with an AI interviewer, they still want human involvement and accountability in the process, the firm found.
More than half of job seekers also said they’d consider not applying to companies that rely on generative AI, according to an Express Employment Professionals report. Candidates said meeting with a human matters, because AI can’t vet for soft skills such as attitude and cultural fit.
