I’ve applied for 500 jobs but been rejected every time – I know why

A university graduate holding a master’s degree has faced rejection from 500 jobs – but thinks he knows what is holding him back.

Theo dal Pozzo, 23, completed a first class postgraduate qualification in computer science, specialising in machine learning, from the University of Exeter in 2024.

Since May 2025, following a brief period employed at his family’s hotel in Brazil, he says he has submitted applications to more than 500 positions – and received rejections from every single one.

The aspiring software engineer, who relocated to London from Brazil aged two and holds British citizenship, even progressed to a final stage interview with one major technology company.

However, somebody with ‘eight years experience’ was selected ahead of him at the final hurdle.

Theo said: “It’s very demoralising, because every time that you get a rejection it’s back to square one with the next company.

“There seems to be less junior positions open than what I’ve heard from the past.”

But he thinks he knows what the problem is – and everyone should be worried by his conclusions. Theo attributes the recent surge in AI usage and large language models partly to the challenges he’s faced securing employment.

He said: “My specialisation is machine learning, so I’d like to say I understand quite a lot about AI.

“There’s AI vs AI – candidates are using it in their applications, and companies use it for screening.

“It feels like for some people, the only way to combat companies using it for screening is to use it in applications, which I have done – but I don’t any more, because it feels impersonal.

“It’s difficult to differentiate yourself if you use AI for applications.

“I’ve heard from a couple of companies that have had over 1,000 applications for a specific role – they’re using AI to cull the amount of CVs so that their hiring managers have less CVs to read.”

He continued: “I know that I’m an employable person – I speak four languages, I’m fluent in English and Portuguese, and I speak French and Spanish as well.

“With my master’s degree and specialisation, it feels kind of alien to me that I haven’t been able to get a job yet.”

Theo survived on his savings for six months between May and October, but is now forced to rely on universal credit to make ends meet.

He has even resorted to delivering his CV in person to nearby businesses in a bid to secure work and escape benefits – yet has received no response.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 16 per cent of economically active young people aged 16 to 24, or 732,000, were unemployed from November 2025 to January 2026, up 99,000 – or 14.5 per cent – just a year earlier.

The rate is higher for men than women – with 436,000 men, or 18.4 per cent, in the age group unemployed compared to just 295,000 women, or 13.4 per cent.

Theo said: “I’ve been pub to pub, restaurant to restaurant.

“All around my local area, in one day I went to over 50 places to hand in my CV.”

The graduate admits he harbours deep concerns about the future of British industry, given the growing influence of AI on entry-level positions. He said: “The kind of does lead the UK to a point where, in 10 or 15 years, there won’t be any people to fill senior roles, because they weren’t hired as juniors 10 years prior.

“This leads the country into a very difficult situation of not having trained professionals, because there wasn’t investment in them when they were young.”