Nearly three in five (59%) Australian professionals say they will look for a new job in 2025; however, new data reveals that 51% of respondents say they have been ghosted during their job search.
New research from LinkedIn reveals the process is getting harder, with over half of the candidates being ghosted – not hearing back from potential employers – after reaching out.
Around four in ten say they have been applying for more jobs than ever before, while 57% are hearing back less, according to the platform’s data.
This trend highlights the growing challenges job seekers face in the current market, with two-thirds (67%) of Aussies saying they are frustrated by the job search experience and 55% agreeing the process has gotten harder over the last year.
The biggest motivators for professionals looking to change jobs this year include the desire for higher wages (49%) and the wish for better work-life balance (36%).
Matching skillset to the role
For many, the job search has become a numbers game, and they are increasingly open to exploring new career paths. Aussie job seekers say they apply on average for seven roles a week, and 65% are seeking opportunities outside their current industry or role, up from 52% last year.
Hirers are also increasingly challenged by people applying for roles that don’t match their skills. Almost a fifth (17%) of HR professionals spend between 3-5 hours a day just reviewing applications, with 95% of HR professionals saying that the majority of job applications received do not meet the listed criteria.
“In today’s competitive job market, it’s tempting for job seekers to apply to as many roles as possible, hoping to increase their chances,” Cayla Dengate, LinkedIn Career Expert, said.
Cayla Dengate, LinkedIn
“However, casting a wide net often leads to disappointment and a lack of response from recruiters, rather than leading to a dream role.
“With more people looking for jobs this year, professionals should shift their approach and be more strategic in applying for roles that match their skillset so they stand out.”
LinkedIn’s new data shows that 41% of Australians don’t know how to match their skills to jobs. The platform’s new job match feature shows members how their skills and experience line up with open positions, helping them better focus their search on the opportunities where they’re more likely to hear back.
The platform has also unlocked free LinkedIn Learning courses to help professionals succeed in the job hunt, including Building Career Agility and Resilience in the Age of AI and Landing a Job as a Skills-First Candidate, available free until March 31, 2025.
Cayla Dengate’s top tips to nail job searching on LinkedIn and stand out in 2025:
• Be adaptable: Strictly linear career paths are now a thing of the past and career pivots can happen at any moment. To help navigate the fast-moving modern work landscape, it’s important to be adaptable to change and upskill in areas that are in high demand from employers – such as in soft skills like communication and leadership.
• Match your skills: Spending hours or days looking for a new job can be stressful, so try and match your skills to what recruiters are looking for in the job specs. This way, you can quickly see which roles are the best fit and where to focus your efforts. LinkedIn’s new job match feature can help make this process even smoother, helping professionals find the right opportunities faster
• Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date. More than ever, it’s important to keep your LinkedIn profile current, especially in today’s job market, as it’s often the first place hirers look to discover talent and learn more about candidates. To stand out, be sure to highlight your skills in the experience section – those who list five or more skills on their profile receive up to 5.6x more profile views from recruiters and 24x recruiter InMails.
• Search safely: Search for jobs that have verified information to help prioritise authentic job opportunities and apply with confidence.
• Tap into your network: Building and nurturing connections is key to opening doors. Regularly engage with your LinkedIn network and their posts to strengthen relationships, which can lead to job opportunities.
• Discover new opportunities: Explore the hottest jobs right now and the skills you need to get them in LinkedIn’s annual Jobs on the Rise list, with actionable info for job seekers, like current open positions, remote work availability, most common skills for each role and more, to help professionals land their next role.