(TNND) — Over half of Americans are beginning the new year with hopes of landing a new job, but many feel stuck and frustrated by the search process.

LinkedIn research, published Wednesday, showed 54% of people in the U.S. plan to look for a new job in 2025.

Worldwide, that figure is nearly 60%.

But new surveys show both job seekers (49%) and hirers (68%) say the process has become harder.

Nearly 40% of job seekers are applying to more jobs than before but hear back less frequently, according to the surveys.

And a majority of those doing the hiring said less than half of the job applications they received meet all the criteria listed.

The labor market is still strong, but it’s trending weaker, labor economist Aaron Sojourner said last week.

It’s been harder for folks out of work to land a job, with the hiring rate generally the lowest that it has been in over a decade, Sojourner said.

U.S. employers added 256,000 jobs to payrolls last month.

And the unemployment rate ticked down to a solid 4.1%.

But more people are also out of work for longer. More than 22% of unemployed Americans have been jobless for 27 weeks or more, which qualifies them as long-term unemployed. That’s up from just over 20% a year earlier.

“I think a lot of folks are really frustrated,” said Andrew McCaskill, a LinkedIn career expert.

He said there are now 2.5 applicants per open job on LinkedIn.

Competition to land a job is higher than a couple of years ago, when LinkedIn saw 1.5 applicants per open job.

“So, it's incredibly competitive. I think it's going to be competitive for the next 18 months or so,” McCaskill said. “I think folks are trying to figure out where are the jobs. And, quite honestly, I think a lot of people are finding that what they've been doing to search for a job in previous years and previous economies, in previous sort of zeitgeists, just doesn't work anymore.”

Advice for job seekers

A shotgun approach isn’t working for job seekers, McCaskill said.

“People are saying, ‘Oh, well, I'm not getting calls back. So, let me just apply for more jobs. Let me apply for more things that maybe aren't that aligned with my skills,’” he said.

That fuels a vicious cycle of recruiters inundated with mismatched applications, which leaves them frustrated and prevents them from calling applicants back, while applicants who feel like they’re not being seen are sending in more applications, McCaskill said.

“It's not a volume play. Volume plays will not work,” he said. “It really is a strategy play.”

The jobs landscape is changing, but some of the best practices aren’t.

McCaskill said LinkedIn’s new “Jobs on the Rise” report found 60% of the jobs that are most in-demand didn't even exist 20 years ago.

And young people might’ve entered the workforce during “COVID bizarro world,” preventing them from developing critical in-person professional relationships that can help them grow in their careers.

Applicants can get better outcomes if they lean into matching their skills to the jobs they apply for, McCaskill said.

Leverage technology to find better fits, such as LinkedIn’s new job match feature.

“You can't just go and say I'm going to throw everything up against the wall and see what sticks,” McCaskill said. “Recruiters want people who want this job, not a job. And you've got to come at it like that.”

He recommends job seekers do skills assessments, which they can find online.

Look for ways to fill skills gaps, such as taking learning courses or earning a new certification.

And spend your time really digging into a role or company and figuring out how your skills apply, he said.

“You talk about your skills through the lens of your experiences,” McCaskill said of a job seeker’s resume, application and interview.

That includes both hard skills and soft skills, like leadership, communication and adaptability.

Many people don't list the skills that they don't enjoy using, McCaskill said. But they could still be helpful in a job search and make a person a better candidate.

What hasn’t changed?

Show up or log in early for the interview. Don’t make the recruiter wait.

Dress up for the interview.

And don’t go into an interview cold.

Rehearse with someone ahead of time.

Interviews are “a performance art,” he said. “And you don't get multiple shots, bites at the apple.”

Leverage your professional network.

You're four times more likely to get a job if you know somebody at that company, McCaskill said.

And if you’re wanting a new job, start talking to your professional network. Tell them what you’re looking for and what you can bring to the table. That can help them more effectively guide you or even advocate for you.

“Even some of your best friends may not know how to talk about what you do at work every day,” McCaskill said.

A great new job doesn’t always have to be at a new company, McCaskill said.

Internal candidates might have a leg up on outsiders in the application process.

“You may potentially hate your job right now, but you could love doing a different role on a different team inside your same organization,” McCaskill said.