As hiring becomes increasingly automated and unpredictable, some job seekers are turning to an unexpected source of support: career-focused witchcraft.
Online marketplaces and social media have fueled interest in rituals, tarot readings, manifestation practices, and “career spells” that promise to improve job prospects, according to Fast Company. Some job seekers are hiring “Etsy witches” to cast career spells. While few participants necessarily expect supernatural results, many say the rituals provide something increasingly difficult to find during today’s hiring process—a sense of control.
The trend comes as applicants contend with AI-powered résumé screening, lengthy hiring timelines, ghosting, and intense competition for open roles.
When Traditional Advice Stops Working
Career experts say many candidates feel conventional job-search strategies are delivering diminishing returns. Tailored résumés, networking, and direct outreach remain important, but they no longer guarantee interviews in an increasingly crowded market.
Recent hiring data also reflects the challenging environment, with a growing share of recent graduates still searching for work months after finishing school.
Career coaches say that after repeated rejection, some candidates begin looking for ways to regain optimism and motivation, even if those methods fall outside traditional career advice.
The Psychology Behind the Ritual
Whether through manifestation exercises, vision boards, astrology, or candle rituals, experts say the appeal often lies less in magic than in psychology.
Job hunting can leave candidates feeling powerless because much of the process happens behind automated systems and opaque hiring decisions. Rituals can restore a sense of agency by giving applicants something proactive to do while waiting for responses.
Psychologists and career advisers note that increased confidence, consistency, and optimism can positively influence networking, interviewing, and persistence—even if the ritual itself has no direct impact on hiring outcomes.
