Natalie Vellozzi has worked in banking for the last five years and has been finding it tough to find a job. (Source: Instagram/@natvellozzi)
An Aussie woman has opened up about just how tough the job market is for applicants right now. Natalie Vellozzi has two university degrees and five years of experience under her belt, but hasn’t been able to land a single interview in months.
The 30-year-old Sydney woman estimates she has applied for up to 300 roles since she started her job hunt in November, but has been met with “countless rejections”. Vellozzi studied Law and Commerce at university and has been working in the banking industry for the last five years.
“You’ll get rejected for things that you know you’re qualified for. I’m not just applying for anything and everything, but I’m applying for roles that I’m pretty much qualified for and then it’s just no response at all or instant rejection,” she told Yahoo Finance.
“It’s a bit demoralising. It’s a hit to the confidence, especially because I spent so long at uni as well.”
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Vellozzi was most recently employed as an anti-money laundering compliance specialist by one of the Big Four banks, but decided to take a career break mid-last year.
She travelled throughout Southeast Asia and Europe for a few months on the understanding that her role would be rehired and there wouldn’t be a job for her when she returned.
“There’s never going to be the right time or the perfect time. I think you’ve got to take risks,” Vellozzi said.
“Leaving that job, I knew the risk that I was taking, but I said to myself, if I don’t do this now and I don’t take time for myself, then when am I going to do it?”
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Vellozzi decided to take a career break mid last year and has been searching for a new job since November. (Source: Instagram/@natvellozzi)
Vellozzi admitted she’s been surprised by just how difficult the job market is. She’s had a few recruiters contact her who have assured her that her CV is good, but it’s simply just a tough time for job seekers.
But that doesn’t mean the fruitless job search hasn’t taken a toll.
“People underestimate the psychological effects of being unemployed,” she said.
“You’re kind of analysing yourself every day as well. Like, why am I not good enough? Why have I not gotten any interviews yet? You start to pick at yourself a little bit.”
It’s true that Australian job seekers are facing an extremely tough market right now as hiring slows.
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Australia’s unemployment rate remained at 4.1 per cent in January, which was the same as in December.
SEEK’s latest Employment Report found job ads were up 1.1 per cent year on year in December, while applications per job ad fell 1.8 per cent month on month, but levels still remain elevated.
“We know that it is a tough market for candidates, and it has been for some time. Applications per job ad were at record levels for most of 2025, and while they have come down slightly in recent months, they remain extremely elevated,” a SEEK spokesperson told Yahoo Finance.
“At the same time demand for workers appears to be stabilising at a subdued level across the board, after nearly two years of steady decline since 2022. The result is extremely tough competition for the jobs on offer.
“Whether this modest momentum can be sustained will depend on business confidence, consumer spending, and the trajectory of interest rates in the months ahead.”
Vellozzi recently posted about her job search experience on social media and was flooded with comments from other people who were also struggling to find work, despite having qualifications and experience.
“Preach!!! 2 degrees, internships, mentorships, 14 years experience, huge professional network…+75 interviews in the past 16 months, +110 applications…not even landing ‘unders’ jobs below pay/experience grade,” one Aussie wrote.
“In the same boat as you, feel your pain. We’ll get through this!!” another said.
“It happened to me last year, hang in there, it will all work out for you,” another said.
Gartner’s latest Global Talent Monitor found just 55.7 per cent of Aussie employees felt positive about the job market, the lowest level recorded since 2022.
It found the lack of confidence was creating a market “freeze”, with employees feeling stuck in their current role and hesitant to leave and uncertain what the market can offer.
“With fewer opportunities and heightened competition for open roles, Australian employees are becoming more cautious about making career moves,” Neal Woolrich, Director, Advisory in the Gartner HR practice, said.
Vellozzi has been doing temp work here and there while she continues to apply for banking jobs.
She acknowledges she is still only a few months into her job search, so is hopeful she’ll find something that’s right eventually.
“I can’t give up. I’ve got to stay hopeful that I will get something,” she said.
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