\u201cTechnology and one-click applications have also made it possible to submit many applications in a very short period of time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doomjobbing, which sits alongside other modern workplace slang including \u201cquiet quitting\u201d, has been described as a \u201ccoping mechanism\u201d for anxious job seekers wanting to feel a sense of control over their employment prospects.<\/p>\n
Doomjobbing can \u2018harm\u2019 chances of landing a job<\/p>\n
Haxby said applicants may believe that shifting from a targeted search to a volume-based strategy will improve their odds but the reality is that \u201cquantity doesn\u2019t necessarily translate into better outcomes\u201d.<\/p>\n
Importantly, experienced recruiters and hiring managers can usually recognise a CV or application that has not been tailored to the role.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt certainly can harm an applicant\u2019s chance of landing a job,\u201d Haxby said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the current market, employers are not simply looking for someone who could do the job. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey want to understand why that candidate wants this particular role and why their experience is relevant.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen somebody applies indiscriminately, their CV can appear generic, their motivations can be unclear, and they may struggle to explain convincingly why they want the position.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a9efce184ae217da8badf588ce915ccc90415d5.jpg\")
A growing trend called doomjobbing involves endlessly applying to jobs with minimal energy, little customisation, and poor strategic focus.\u00a0\u00a0 Credit: Lukas Coch\/AAP<\/p>\n
Seek\u2019s Employment Report for June revealed the number of Australians applying for each job was at a record high.<\/p>\n
And a survey from Robert Half showed 82 per cent of hiring managers had seen a rise in overqualified applicants \u2014 which points to a growing \u201capply-to-everything\u201d approach \u2014 while 37 per of employers say the volume of candidates was making it difficult to thoroughly assess them.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoomjobbing is certainly one factor contributing to the volume of applications employers are receiving,\u201d Haxby said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhile some professionals may be applying for roles as a precaution due to economic uncertainty, employers are also seeing increased application volumes driven by broader factors such as a competitive job market, easier online application processes, and candidates applying for multiple opportunities simultaneously.\u201d<\/p>\n
Career coach Kate Richardson said that for many the job hunt process \u201cfeels broken\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmployers are overwhelmed with a huge volume of applications \u2014 many of which are irrelevant \u2014 and job hunters feel like they\u2019re sending applications into the \u2018digital dustbin\u2019, never to be heard of again,\u201d Richardson told 7NEWS.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lose-lose situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Almost](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/214cd5286621ba433fa84b52b91efdc8481e6e59.jpg\")
Almost four in 10 employers say they are overwhelmed by the volume of job applications they receive. Credit: James Gourley\/AAP<\/p>\n
Richardson said plenty of frustration comes from the feeling that companies are advertising \u201cghost jobs\u201d or non-existent roles.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn reality it might be that a jobs board has syndicated a role across sites making an old role appear new,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhere job seekers have a right to be angry is when they are ghosted in an interview process.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen 200 people apply for a job, an employer can\u2019t reasonably provide individual feedback to every unsuccessful applicant. <\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, there is no excuse for not providing feedback after an interview. <\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, it happens more often than it should.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tips for job hunters<\/p>\n
Richardson said there are better ways to spend your time than doomjobbing, including leaning into your network for advice, connecting with others who can share perspective, and considering ways to upskill<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a way, job searching in 2026 is about going back to basics \u2014 applying early, preparing a quality application for a well-targeted job opportunity, and customising it to make it obvious why your experience makes you a strong candidate,\u201d Richardson said.<\/p>\n Experts say AI should only be used minimally to improve structure and check grammar.<\/p>\n \u201cThe issue arises when candidates allow AI to do all the thinking for them,\u201d Haxby said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are increasingly seeing CVs that sound polished but generic, use very similar wording, or contain claims that candidates then struggle to substantiate in an interview. <\/p>\n \u201cThe best approach is to use AI as an editor, not an author. The experience, achievements and examples still need to be genuinely yours.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Australia\u2019s highest paying jobs that don\u2019t require a degree<\/p>\n 2 min read<\/p>\n