Emily Shulman, a 22-year-old graduate from Goldsmiths University in London, has applied to over 100 jobs since finishing her master’s degree in journalism but remains unemployed. She has a background in criminology and sociology from the University of Nottingham and has completed several internships. Despite her qualifications and experience, she has faced rejections and instances of being "ghosted" by employers—meaning companies have stopped responding to her applications. She noted that many job advertisements require several years of experience for junior roles, and the job market is "oversaturated," making it difficult for new graduates to find work. Recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the number of job vacancies in the UK fell to a five-year low in the three months ending July. Small firms, in particular, may not be recruiting due to rising labor costs and other business expenses. Economic uncertainty, partly driven by the war in the Middle East, has led to higher living costs, which have especially affected young people. Statistics indicate that nearly one million people aged between 16 and 24 are not in employment, education, or training. Shulman mentioned that many of her peers from her master’s program are also unemployed. She has taken on unpaid internships to gain work experience, but the job market remains challenging. The issue of "ghost jobs"—where employers advertise roles that may not exist or are already filled—has been reported by job seekers. A City Hall report highlighted that artificial intelligence threatens at least a million jobs in London, mainly in administrative roles and areas like IT and data analysis. Women, young people, and those with higher educational levels are among the most affected groups. Spencer Stern, a 44-year-old former senior data analyst, has applied to over 200 jobs since leaving his role last summer. He criticized the current job application process for being overly complicated, involving multiple stages such as cover letters, questionnaires, one-way video interviews, tests, and take-home tasks. Stern is developing a venture called ChatbotCV to help employers filter CVs more effectively. The ONS reported that there were around 6,000 fewer vacancies between May and July compared to February to April, bringing the total number of vacancies down to 707,000—the lowest in more than five years. A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stated that efforts are being made to reform Jobcentres to better support graduates and young people seeking employment. These include a £2.5 billion investment aimed at creating opportunities for almost one million young people and unlocking up to 500,000 jobs and training opportunities.