Are you 'doomjobbing' while looking for work? Know the signs - and do this instead.

By Weston Blasi

'It was soul-crushing,' says one job hunter, who only found work once she stopped making this popular application mistake

"Doomjobbing" - or mass-applying to jobs with little hope of success - has become a buzzword during this challenging job market.

You've heard of doomscrolling on your phone to pass the time - but what about "doomjobbing" while looking for work?

Doomjobbing is a new term picking up buzz this spring that describes mass-applying to job postings - anything that even remotely fits your preferences and qualifications - without putting much thought into each application, and often with little real hope of landing a gig.

This mass-application process often leads to rejection, or worse: no response at all.

"It was soul-crushing every single day," said Kristen Haskell, a 56-year-old mechanical engineer living in Maine, who spent five months doomjobbing after she was let go from her job last February. She started mass-applying almost immediately to several hundred new positions, but her efforts yielded little results.

"Between ghost jobs and being ghosted, it was infuriating," she said - referring to "ghost job" listings for positions that are either already filled or don't really exist. "It was so bad for my mental health."

'It was soul-crushing every single day.'Kristen Haskell, who spent several months "doomjobbing" to find work

Job seekers might think Haskell had the right idea: send out as many applications as possible, as fast as you can. And now that job hunting has gone mostly online, it's never been easier to apply for a job. Oftentimes, job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed let you upload your profile to the platform, where you can apply to dozens - or even hundreds - of jobs with a single click. But employment experts disagree with this approach.

"While it may be tempting to hit 'Easy Apply' on everything that catches your eye on websites like LinkedIn, it's not the best way to go about job hunting," Peter Duris, CEO and co-founder of Kickresume, a career and resume-building platform, told MarketWatch. He added that doomjobbing and mass applications often "leads to more disappointment than success."

Just look at the data: Approximately 37% of job seekers are applying to more jobs than ever, but they are hearing back less from those companies, according to Linkedin. The total number of job applications submitted on LinkedIn spiked more than 45% from 2024 to 2025, a figure first reported by the New York Times - likely aided by the website's Easy Apply feature and the rise in using AI in job applications. LinkedIn is receiving an average of 11,000 applications per minute.

"It's rational that doing more feels good in the short term," said Andres Lares, CEO of Shapiro Negotiations Institute. "But if [it's] not productive, it's worse in the long term when you don't land anything."

So if it's not about how many applications you send out, then what is most important?

Quality over quantity

"It's best to be intentional with your job search," Duris said. "Take your time applying to relevant roles and check multiple job boards."

Here are a few best practices:

-- Narrow your job search. Set filters so you're only seeing and applying to jobs with relevant job titles that fit within your desired salary range and location. That can also include the dream companies you want to work for.

-- Tailor your application. This is the complete opposite of doomjobbing, and improves your chances for an interview. "You don't need to completely rewrite your resume for every role, but make sure it focuses on the skills and experience [that is] most relevant to the job you're applying for," Duris said. "If a cover letter is required, it should be personalized to the role and company."

-- Tap specific keywords and alerts. Make sure your resume is tailored to applicant-tracking systems (software tools that filter resumes for recruiters) by utilizing keywords that pertain to the position, and turn on alerts on job boards for posts that fit your criteria. The latter feature is free for nearly every major job board.

Being more intentional about your job search accomplishes two goals. For one, it's likely to increase your chances of landing a job you want, because recruiters can see your experience fits the position more precisely. But this method also keeps your spirits high, as your inbox is less likely to be flooded with hundreds of rejection emails for a job that you maybe weren't a good fit for to begin with.

'Don't fall into the trap of clicking 'apply' to every job you come across'Peter Duris, CEO and co-founder of Kickresume

"Don't fall into the trap of clicking 'apply' to every job you come across where you vaguely meet the criteria, as this can become discouraging," said Duris.

See: Opinion: Your 3-6 months of emergency savings won't cut it - why the job market now demands an 18-month cash cushion

Haskell didn't get another job until she stopped doomjobbing, and instead created a worksheet for herself to create more targeted applications. (Check it out below.)

The worksheet Haskell used to craft more targeted job applications, which led to landing her current gig.

She also began applying directly to companies' career pages instead of through the big job platforms, and narrowed her search by role, company and her preference to work remotely.

"I had way more focus on targeted buckets," Haskell said.

But keep in mind that there does come a point of diminishing returns. If you are spending eight hours on a single application, for example, then you might be taking too much time and over-tinkering. Finding the right blend is key.

How many applications should you be sending?

Indeed's Career Guide recommends applying to about 10 to 15 jobs per week, which breaks down to spending some extra time on just a few applications a day.

"With two or three applications each day, you can make sure that you're able to customize each job application based on the specific company and position," Indeed's Sabina Macari wrote on the company's blog.

The doomjobbing trend comes at an uncertain time in the labor market, when unemployment is low but workers without jobs are hurting - especially new college graduates. The Federal Reserve Board on Wednesday released its Economic Well-Being of the U.S. Households in 2025 report, which showed a stable but softening labor market. An estimated 42% of adults said "finding or keeping a job" was either a minor or major concern, up from 37% in 2024.

Haskell's pivot to a more intentional approach to job hunting led to her current role managing construction projects for the state of Maine. She hopes her experience can motivate others to rethink their job search in a tough market.

"It is really bad out there, and we the people need help," she said.

You can start to help yourself by not hopelessly mass-applying to jobs. Here are some more guides to navigating this job market:

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-Weston Blasi

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