Those job interviews with bots feel even worse in a frozen labor market.

From American Public Media, this is Marketplace Tech. I'm Megan McCarty Carrino. Job growth has been slowing in recent months, and the ranks of the long-term unemployed,

those out of work for 27 weeks or more are growing.

It makes the indignities of the modern hiring process even more frustrating for those in the market.

Job seekers are navigating a gauntlet of

automated application systems, only for many to never hear from a human. We spoke with one

who's making up for it by surrounding herself with dogs, nine of them.

Hi! Oh, oh my gosh. They're insane. Hi.

Oh, oh, my gosh.

They're insane.

I love them, and they're insane, huh?

I caught up with Jackie on a particularly busy dog-sitting assignment in Oakland.

We're not using her full name because she's worried it could hurt her chances with potential employers.

I just want everyone to know that I don't have a breathing problem. That is a pug sitting next to me.

Dog sitting is actually her side hustle. She's been looking for a recruiting job in tech for about a year.

She shows me a spreadsheet where she tracks her applications.

So I have a total of 529. 529 applications, and only 39 led to any human contact. The vast

majority of the entries went nowhere. That's the dehumanizing part where you don't even get an email saying things but no thanks.

Despite an application process that's longer and weirder than ever, hiring platforms don't

just use keyword filters for resumes.

They often use automated systems that analyze extended questionnaires, grade work assignments, assess personality,

or Jackie's favorite, conduct interviews with bots.

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