From Tinder to Linkedin: Why students are being ghosted after graduation
Getting ditched after a first date is bad enough – but the real heartbreak right now? It’s happening on LinkedIn and Indeed.
We’ve all been there. You smash out ten job applications, hear nothing back from nine, and then finally get a copy and paste rejection from the tenth. Brutal..
Welcome to the world of ‘graduate ghosting’ - the latest workplace trend. Yep, employers are pulling a full-on Tinder vanishing act - and it’s exactly as spooky as it sounds. For many students, hunting for your first role feels less like climbing a career ladder, and more like being left on read after sending a “you up?” text at 2am…
So why is this happening - and what can we do to help?
Ghosted… again?!
When it comes to job hunting, silence is the loudest thing students are hearing. According to our recent survey of over 7,200 students worldwide:
- 59% say competition for jobs is brutal
- 54% admit they don’t have enough work experience yet
- 37% say they never hear back from hiring managers at all
And it gets worse: over a third (35%) don’t get a reply from at least half their applications. Meanwhile, one in twelve have been ghosted by a whopping 80% of employers.
For a generation raised on instant replies, read receipts, and WhatsApp double ticks, that’s more than frustrating - it’s soul destroying. Getting ghosted on Tinder is awkward. Getting ghosted by a potential boss? That’s your future rent money on the line. Yikes.
Studying hard, pay later
Here’s the tea: a bachelor’s degree is no longer the graduate golden ticket to employment that it used to be, eight in ten students are considering postgraduate study just to boost their CVs and improve their career readiness.
It might mean more debt, but students still see the upside. 74% say further study is “worth it” for the independence, growth, and experiences it brings. And despite the stress, ambition stays high: most still aim for starting salaries between £20,000 - £40,000.
Ghosting goes corporate
Ghosting might have started on dating apps, but it’s officially invaded the workplace. Employers might leave you on read - but at Yugo, we won’t.
That’s why we created and built our Live Your Best Life programme, alongside our YuGrow, YuPro, and YugoEco pillars. These aren’t just buzzwords - they’re about building your confidence, resilience, and career readiness alongside your studies – so when the employer silence hits, you’ve got the mindset, self-belief, and back-up plan to keep you moving forward.
Because honestly, if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that life after university shouldn’t feel like refreshing your inbox on repeat. It should feel like freedom, opportunity, and having the tools (and options) to smash whatever happens next
Ready to take the first step? Check out our top five tips on dealing with graduate ghosting. Or, want to read more on the benefits of the university experience and how it prepares you for life after graduation? Check out our blog on ‘the hidden curriculum’.