As Mental Health Awareness Month puts a spotlight on the everyday stressors weighing on Americans, new data from Resume Genius’s 2026 Job Seeker Insights Report points to one source of strain often left out of the conversation: job hunting.
Based on a survey of 1,000 active U.S. job seekers, the report reveals how today’s job market is taking a toll on candidates’ mental health.
“It’s telling that ghosting—both after applying and after interviewing—ranks above AI rejection messages as a top frustration,” Eva Chan, career expert at resume-building platform Resume Genius, said in a statement. “A rejection, even an automated one, at least confirms that someone reviewed your application. What’s really shaking candidates’ confidence right now is the silence. The job market has been unpredictable, layoffs have been widespread, and competition for roles is fierce—so when job seekers don’t hear back, they’re left wondering: was I outcompeted, or did my application never get seen at all? That unanswered question makes the emotional toll much harder to shake than a straightforward rejection would.”
Employer ghosting is the No. 1 hiring frustration
The hiring process is leaving applicants on read. More than half of job seekers say their biggest frustration is never hearing back after applying, while others cite post-interview ghosting, long delays between interview rounds, and the growing presence of AI in hiring.
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Here are the top hiring frustrations reported by job seekers:
- Not receiving a response after submitting a job application (55%)
- Not hearing back after completing one or more interviews (44%)
- Having long delays between interview stages (37%)
- Being put through too many interview rounds (31%)
- Applying to jobs where the salary isn’t listed (31%)
- Being asked to complete unpaid assignments or tests (25%)
- Receiving automated or AI-generated rejection messages (24%)
- Discovering the role differs significantly from the job posting during the hiring process (22%)
- Being required to complete one-way video or AI-recorded interviews (19%)
Rejection and employer silence are the top stressors
Rejection during the hiring process and a lack of response from employers stand out as the most damaging aspects of the job search. Financial pressure and the struggle to stay motivated are close behind.
Here is the full breakdown of what’s hurting job seekers’ mental health most:
- Rejections (47%)
- Not hearing back from employers (46%)
- Financial pressure (45%)
- Trying to stay motivated (45%)
- Feeling unqualified (35%)
- None of the above (12%)
Half of job seekers say the search is hurting their mental health
When asked how job hunting has affected their mental health, nearly half of job seekers reported a negative impact, while only a small minority said the experience has been positive.
Here is the general breakdown:
- Negative impact (49%)
- No impact (38%)
- Positive impact (13%)
Methodology: This report is based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. job seekers conducted by Pollfish. Respondents were screened to confirm they were actively searching for a job at the time of the survey.
Photo credit: Matheus Lara/Pexels
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