The Great Disconnect: Why Hiring and Job Hunting in 2025 Feels Broken for Everyone

There is a fundamental disconnect in the world of hiring, and it has grown into a mountain of frustration for both job seekers and the leaders trying to fill open roles. On one side, hiring managers comment that they cannot find good people. They will tell you the best talent is already employed, that no one seems to have the right skills, or that candidates are simply not showing up. On the other side, qualified and eager job seekers are shouting into a void. They apply for roles that perfectly match their experience and never hear back. They see an ocean of "ghost jobs" that seem to stay open forever.

Both sides are right. Both are experiencing a valid, yet completely different, reality. Based on my experience, there is more to this than perception. There is a truly broken process that is full of friction and missed opportunities.

The View from the Hiring Manager's Desk

Let’s first step into the hiring manager’s shoes. As we explored in the first article, The State of Hiring and Finding Work in 2025, two-thirds of hiring managers say their biggest challenge is finding skilled candidates. They are often working with limited resources and stretched thin by their daily responsibilities. The pressure to make a good hire is immense. Most know that a wrong choice can cost a company significantly in both time and money (not to mention the real impact day to day). This leads to a risk-averse mindset, where managers are looking for a “perfect” candidate who checks every single box. They would rather wait for this unicorn than take a chance on someone who is a great fit, but maybe not a perfect one on paper.

The sheer volume of applications they receive, often inflated by AI-powered application tools, makes it nearly impossible to give each one personal attention. Both hiring managers and human resources teams increasingly rely on Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) for initial candidate screening. Unfortunately, these systems frequently eliminate qualified candidates for arbitrary reasons. The result is a paradox: managers are overwhelmed with applications, yet they feel like they have no one to interview.

The Experience from the Applicant's Side

Now, let’s cross over to the jobseeker’s perspective. As I recounted in my last article, I Didn’t Expect To Be Job Hunting At The Start Of This Year, the experience is defined by a lack of communication and transparency. Job seekers invest hours into each application, carefully crafting a resume and cover letter, only to be met with silence. It is frustrating and it feels disrespectful. It sends a message that their time and effort are not valued.

They see job postings that have been open for months, leaving them to wonder if the company is genuinely trying to fill the role. They get excited about a potential opportunity, only to have their hopes dashed by a process that seems designed to slow them down This experience can be incredibly demoralizing, leading to burnout and a sense of cynicism about the entire hiring process (been there). The lack of feedback also makes it impossible for them to improve. If they don't know why they were rejected, how can they do better next time?

What's Driving the Disconnect?

So what is driving this gap between two groups who ultimately need each other?

One of the biggest culprits is misaligned expectations. Companies often write job descriptions for an ideal candidate who may not exist in the real world. They list a dozen “must-have” skills when only a few are truly essential. Jobseekers, in turn, may apply for roles where they are not a strong fit, hoping to get a foot in the door. This creates a lot of noise in the system, making it harder for the right candidates and the right opportunities to find each other. As a real example, I have seen executive level positions posted on LinkedIn and within a couple of hours, there are multiple hundreds of applicants for a position that likely only has a small number of qualified candidates. Couple that with the number of those qualified people actively looking for a position, who happened to be on LinkedIn AND applied that quickly…it smacks of something else going on. We have application automation bots in the process and a system geared more towards quantity versus quality. Neither help candidates or hiring managers.

Communication, or the lack of it, is another major breakdown. The failure to communicate from the company side is a well-documented problem. But it can go both ways. Candidates who do not show up for interviews or who accept an offer and then disappear leave a lasting negative impression on hiring managers. These behaviors, while not representative of all jobseekers, contribute to the sense of distrust and frustration.

How We Can Start to Bridge the Gap

The gap between jobseekers and hiring managers is not unfixable. It requires a shared commitment to better communication, more realistic expectations, and a more human-centered approach.

For hiring managers, it is time to rethink the job description. Focus on the core competencies needed for the role, not a wish list of every possible skill. Be transparent about the salary range and the interview process.

(Yes, please. Can we just be honest and up front? This doesn’t have to be a game to see how little you can pay for the talent you want and need. And on the other side, during the process of applying for a job is not the time to try to oversell yourself and value on salary. We all believe we can offer a lot and should get paid more than we do, but business cannot always work that way. This needs to be a more fair and transparent process from the start.)

Most importantly, commit to communicating with every single applicant, even if it is just an automated email. This simple act of closure can make a world of difference. As leaders, we need to remember that empathy is not optional. It is a core part of building a positive employer brand and that starts during and throughout the posting and interviewing process.

For jobseekers, it is about being more targeted and strategic. Focus your energy on roles where you are (really) a strong match. Invest the time to write a compelling, customized application that speaks directly to the needs of the company. And when you do get into the interview process, be professional and responsive. Follow up, ask thoughtful questions, and treat every interaction as an opportunity to build a relationship.

In the next article, we will delve into the role that AI is playing in widening this gap and what we can do about it.

What other gaps have you seen on either side of this hiring equation?

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