GEE & URSULA

Applications going nowhere? Local recruiter explains how to score the interview

Nov 22, 2025, 5:00 AM

Job cuts are at a 22-year high, as employers cut more than 153,000 jobs in October, NBC News reported earlier this month, citing research firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. A report by Forbes, published Nov. 18, showed 30% of job postings are fake.

So what are job hunters to do?

Kate, a job recruiter from Auburn, ran through a few common scenarios on “The Gee and Ursula” Show on KIRO Newsradio.

The first was a 19-year-old who had been applying for various jobs but was stuck in a catch-22: he needed to network, but first had to find a job to start networking.

“The first thing I always say is, if there’s a job that you’re interested in, find a mentor in that field,” Kate said.

She also mentioned the AI resource Jobscan, which analyzes resumes and gives tips.

Another person sent in 100 to 600 applications and was not hearing back.

“In the past, I would get maybe 50 resumes or applications, whereas now, especially if it’s a remote job, I might get 1,000. And so what I’m doing is I’m using search terms, because I don’t have an AI that filters out that stuff for me. So let’s say it’s for a telecom job, I might put in telco or wireless, in addition, and then I’m going to get the people that have even maybe more close experience, so that’s a possibility,” Kate responded.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.

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Applications going nowhere? Local recruiter explains how to score the interview