Graduate job seeker applies for more than 600 jobs amid tough market
A recent Wellington graduate shares her struggle to find employment after submitting over 600 job applications in a single year. She highlights the emotional toll of the process and the difficulty of standing out in a competitive, automated job market.
Why it matters
It reflects broader economic challenges for new graduates and the growing disconnect between traditional job application processes and human-centric hiring.
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A recent Wellington graduate says she has undertaken more than 600 job applications and 53 interviews in a year amid a tough job market.
Hannah Tollison got her bachelor of communications in 2023 and has recently graduated with her masters.
She told Morning Report during her job-hunting process she made a spreadsheet to "keep herself accountable".
From July 2025 to July 2026, Tollison said she applied for 661 jobs, had 53 interviews and two job offers.
"It's very tough - applying for roles at times felt like it was a full-time role in itself, ironically."
Tollison found work in the public sector after graduating from her undergraduate degree, but within one month her role was disestablished as part of government cuts.
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