Why is it so hard to find a job now? Enter Ghost Jobs

A question I've had on my mind for a while now, watching this progression of fake or poisoned jobs, and miles of automatic systems to navigate:

At what point do people consider the well poisoned? Where they just check out and stop applying, to specific companies or in general, because its very very obvious that there isnt actually a valid hiring market at all.

I ask this question, because I've already passed this threshold, and have instead devoted the maximum of my time to personal ventures.

I am in this position.

In the last few months I've submitted dozens of job applications for positions where, as articulated by another commenter upthread, the person writing the JD could have been writing it based on my resume.

15+ YOE, interesting work, promotions with progression of responsibility and impact, deep experience working with executives on the business side, side projects, volunteering experience, I speak multiple natural languages (I even tried applying for some "international" roles), etc.

0 responses apart from "we're going with other candidates". Not even so much as a phone screen.

Inbound recruiting stream has dried up as well. In 2017-2018 I was getting a dozen or more emails from recruiters weekly. Now I get maybe one a month, typically for C2H or a full-time role w/ at least a 20% pay cut.

I've shifted my focus to entrepreneurial work and sharpening skills outside of tech.

Are you kind enough to share what kind of entrepreneurial work you're focusing on? Is it tech related in any way?

Yes and no.

Primarily working on growing a pressure washing business so I can be utterly done with (full-time, employee) tech work.

The other thing is an app / community for teaching meditation (a longtime passion of mine). I don't know if it will do well but if it nets me a half-dozen to a dozen students that I am instructing 1-1 via zoom for 20-30 minutes on a weekly basis when I FIRE here in the next five years I'll be happy.