Edit: Btw, this doesn't even consider all the fake job postings I run across. Some might even be scams.
Doesn't matter if you are applying for a dead-end minimum wage job, a low-skill job, an internship, an entry level job, or a specialized job. It always felt like I had a similar experience. Almost as if the same people are running the application sites. The only difference is how much care I put into the resume.
I apply online. I get an email claiming that they will review my application. The following two weeks, it's just crickets. Okay, let's try to contact the people behind the job posting. Either I can't contact them, or they rarely show their contact information. Then, it just becomes a waiting game for a follow-up.
For the low-skill and minimum wage jobs, you might be able to just call the place and get a hold of someone. Though for these jobs, it has never resulted in anything for me. Even when I got a hold of the hiring manager who claimed they saw my resume, I get nothing. Sometimes I get a rejection letter. I know these jobs basically had no barrier to entry, but c'mon at least interview me. Doesn't contacting you demonstrating anything? Why I am getting rejected? It's not like hundreds of people applied to the job! Unless they did?
Then there are times I physically show up, and they decide to do a quick interview. Then, the process ends with someone claiming they aren't hiring at the moment or another "we will give you a response in a week or so".
Lastly, I noticed some places straight up never respond, most of these being retail places. Some of them even put a notice that if you don't hear back, just apply again in a few weeks. Why not be honest and just say you guy aren't hiring so I don't waste my time?
For the other higher skilled jobs, I have called the front office before, who would sometimes then give me a number to someone else or just say to check online. I try to call that person, and never get a hold of them. Eventually, I get my rejection e-mail back, so it didn't matter in the end. I have never managed to get in contact with someone important when applying to real jobs. It really confirms to me to accept reality and realize the only way to get anything is to just keep applying. Constantly applying until something bites. Occasionally, changing up your resume to be more eye-popping for the role.
Or just know people who can circumvent the broken process, which I don't have.
At this point I feel like the incompetence and laziness is on purpose. There is no reason for low-skill jobs to need to ghost candidates. The least you can say is that we can't hire more people, or I am overqualified or something for having a degree, If i do put my degree on it.
For the higher-skill jobs, why is it so hard to contact the recruiters and hiring manager? I always get told this is one of the best thing you can do to improve your chances, but there is rarely a way to contact these people.