A graduate who applied for 400 jobs and only got three interviews has told how she was “scammed” by numerous employers.
Karyna Lohvynenko, 21, is studying for a master’s degree in governance and her resume includes work at the United Nations and on councils across the UK and US.
Although she once dreamed of becoming president of her native Ukraine, she applied for positions in politics, business and as a junior barista, but didn’t even hear back from most employers.
The term “ghosting” is used in the dating world to mean suddenly cutting off contact with someone, but recruitment consultant Michael Jones believes the situation is becoming increasingly common for job seekers.
In a competitive market, he speaks to graduates like Karina who have applied for hundreds of jobs every week and believes AI screening means many people are dropped before they are even considered by a human.
Karyna, 21, said: “If I apply to about 70 jobs a week and only hear back from three of them, the rest is complete silence, not even a rejection email.”
“The uncertainty is worse than rejection…it feels like a blank slate. Like your application disappears before anyone can see it.
“The ghosting of the employer creates confusion, anxiety, and makes the entire process feel dehumanizing.”
She is currently studying for an MSc in Governance and Decentralization at Cardiff University and graduated from Cardiff Metropolitan University with a degree in Business and Management with a route to law.
In addition to academic work, Karina’s CV includes international policy work, volunteering and business experience – working in the Office of the First Lady of Ukraine, the United Nations, working with the UK and US parliaments, and as an Ambassador for the King’s Trust.
“I’ve done everything that’s expected of a graduate…experience alone doesn’t open doors,” she added.
Karyna has sent over 400 job applications but has only been called for 3 interviews [Oksana Lohvynenko]
Karina was accepted into six American universities and received scholarships.
But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 changed everything, and she eventually moved to Wales.
While Karina remains determined to find work, she knows she’s not the only one in despair.
She remembers a careers fair at Cardiff University, adding: “It was overwhelming to see hundreds of students – many of them from very strong backgrounds – asking for any job.
“That’s when the pain really hits.”
Karina became interested in politics as a child and set her sights on leading her native Ukraine.
“That goal has never left me,” she said.
For now, however, her focus remains on securing her first steps into the labor market.
Karyna has been applying for jobs every day since the end of February, usually around 20 a day, while balancing school, work and running a small business upcycling vintage blazers.
She has given up on searching for her “dream job” and now wants any kind of job, but has been turned down for positions ranging from politics and business to entry-level barista.
Karina added: “I know I will succeed. It’s just a difficult phase and very much out of my control.
“For now, all I can do is keep applying until someone sees my potential.”
[Oksana Lohvynenko]
Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) earlier this year showed that the UK unemployment rate has risen to its highest level in almost five years, reaching 5.2% in the three months to December 2025.
Young people in particular have borne the brunt, with the unemployment rate among those aged 16 to 24 rising to 16.1%, the highest level in more than a decade.
The latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday were more encouraging, with an unexpected fall in the three months to February 2026.
Online platform LinkedIn reports that competition for jobs among young people is fierce, and Chief Economic Opportunity Officer Aneesh Raman has some advice for job seekers on resumes.
AI literacy is important, he says—knowing what it is and what it does, as well as focusing on your people skills and showing off your accomplishments rather than getting obsessed with long-term plans.
Michael Jones, Wales country manager for Sanderson Recruitment, said “ghost” experiences like Karina’s were common [Sanderson Recruitment]
“I speak to graduates every week who have applied for hundreds of positions but are still struggling to break through and, unfortunately, that’s [ghosting] Be the norm rather than the exception,” says recruitment consultant Michael Jones.
“The reality is that entry-level positions are currently massively oversubscribed and even the best graduates are getting lost in the numbers.”
Jones said many applications never reach the hands of human decision-makers.
“I completely understand the frustration when candidates say it feels like their resume disappears without a trace, as we see many applications that never reach human hands,” he said.
“It’s incredibly frustrating not to hear back, but in most cases it’s down to automated systems and sheer number of applicants rather than a lack of ability or effort.”
Jones believes automated recruiting systems may also be shaping the prospects of many applicants.
He said: “We are seeing an increasing reliance on AI screening and one-way video interviews, especially in the early stages, which can feel very impersonal to candidates.
“The danger is that AI looks for patterns, not potential. If your experience or communication style doesn’t match the system’s expectations, you could be filtered out before anyone can actually meet you.”
This is something Karyna has experienced in multiple AI-led interviews.
“You’re essentially talking to the screen, like a chatbot interface,” she added.
“There’s usually a strict time cap…that’s not enough to account for your full experience.
“Until you can represent yourself properly, you feel isolated.”