Scams, silence, rejection: US job seekers describe ‘depressing’ work prospects

<p>Qualified candidates struggle in a sluggish market due to Trump tariffs, AI screening and vanishing entry-level roles</p><p>When Philip Kowalski lost his job earlier this year as a USAID contractor working on aid to Ukraine due to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/01/musk-doge-usaid-firings">Doge cuts</a>, he was confident in his credentials: a master’s degree from the University of London and years of hands-on experience managing American foreign aid contracts that he thought would help him land on his feet.</p><p>Instead, he found himself adrift in what he calls “a massive pool of unemployed people who are highly qualified all competing for the same tiny pool of available jobs”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/22/job-seekers-market-unemployment">Continue reading...</a>