Indeed CEO says the job market is stuck in a ‘vicious cycle’ if 1,000 qualified candidates can’t get hired: ‘Something’s wrong’

If trying to land a job or switch roles in 2026 has felt like sending resumes into the void, the frustration isn’t yours alone. Even Hisayuki Idekoba, CEO of Indeed, one of the world’s largest job-search platforms, has admitted that the hiring process has become a “vicious cycle.”

Job openings have slowed down while the number of applicants competing for each position has climbed, leaving many qualified workers applying to dozens—or even hundreds—of jobs without hearing back. 

Employers, meanwhile, are facing their own challenges. Applicant pools are flooded with AI-generated applications, while scams involving fake candidates—including North Korean IT workers—have made it harder for companies to identify legitimate applicants.

“You got 1,000 applications, and you think all 1,000 people are not qualified?” Idekoba said to Business Insider. “Something’s wrong.”

Fortune reached out to Indeed for further comment.

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