Master's Graduate Faces 500 Job Rejections, Forced onto Universal Credit
A 23-year-old university graduate with a first-class master's degree has revealed he has been rejected from over 500 job applications, leaving him reliant on Universal Credit to survive. Theo dal Pozzo, who specialises in machine learning, described the relentless hunt for employment as "demoralising" and highlighted broader concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on entry-level positions.
Qualifications and Relentless Job Search
Theo graduated with a postgraduate degree in computer science from the University of Exeter in 2024, achieving first-class honours. After a brief stint working at his family's hotel in Brazil, he began applying for jobs in May 2025 from his base in London, where he has lived since moving from Brazil at age two and holds British citizenship.
Despite submitting more than 500 applications for software engineering roles, he has not received a single offer. In one instance, he reached the final interview stage with a major tech company, only to be passed over for a candidate with eight years of experience.
The AI Dilemma in Recruitment
Theo partly attributes his struggles to the recent surge in AI and large language model usage, which he says is transforming the hiring process. "There's AI vs AI – candidates are using it in their applications, and companies use it for screening," he explained.
He noted that while he has used AI tools in applications, he now avoids them because they feel impersonal and make it difficult to stand out. However, he acknowledges that many companies rely on AI to manage overwhelming application volumes, with some roles attracting over 1,000 candidates.
"It feels like for some people, the only way to combat companies using it for screening is to use it in applications," Theo said, adding that this creates a cycle where human candidates are filtered out by algorithms.Personal Impact and Broader Unemployment Trends
After depleting his savings over six months, Theo has been forced to claim Universal Credit since October 2025. In a desperate bid to find work, he has visited local businesses in person, handing out his CV at over 50 establishments in a single day, but has received no responses.
His situation reflects wider trends among young people in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, 16% of economically active individuals aged 16 to 24 were unemployed from November 2025 to January 2026, equating to 732,000 people – a rise of 14.5% from the previous year.
- The unemployment rate is higher for young men (18.4%) than women (13.4%).
- Theo speaks four languages fluently: English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish.
- He fears a future shortage of senior professionals if junior roles remain scarce.
Concerns for the Future of UK Industry
Theo expressed alarm about the long-term implications of AI-driven recruitment and the scarcity of entry-level positions. "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," he warned.
He argued that without opportunities for juniors today, the UK could face a skills gap in a decade, leaving senior roles unfilled. "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," he added, underscoring the disconnect between his qualifications and the current job market realities.
