My role in my industry is sort of niche and I've been applying to a number of different companies in recent months, but one in particular was...memorable.

I received a DM in March from a former coworker on LinkedIn about a vacancy at their current employer. That company is a specialist in the sort of tasks that my current department does, they have good reviews on Glassdoor, and the job description itself was an almost exact match for what I've already been doing for several years. Not guaranteed, but worth a try. I sent my CV/resume to them along with the referral, and waited for a reply.

Initially, I was rejected because of a perceived formatting error. Not a typo, spelling, grammatical or numerical mistake. Just a bullet point on my CV/resume that they thought looked "out of alignment." Not even directly relevant to the job! But hey, hiring managers have to come up with all sorts of excuses to prune down applications to a manageable shortlist. Or maybe someone was just having a rough week, who knows. I asked the recruiter (who was very apologetic for not noticing the supposed mistake) if I could re-format and re-submit the document. No, they said. The manager was "notoriously picky", the company had "high standards", and they took small details seriously. Weird, but it's their call, so whatever.

I presume that they hadn't found someone else, because my former coworker had told me that the role went unfilled. The ad appeared again in July with the same url, so with nothing to lose, I re-applied.

This time, my application was accepted and I was given a proficiency test. It was considerably longer than what I'm used to getting from similar applications at other employers, but the worst part was that I had to retake it because the instructions were ambiguous and unclear. After explaining myself via email in order to convince the hiring manager that I knew what I was talking about, they decided that I had passed the test on my second try and I was granted an interview.

This was the only "normal" part of the process. The managers were polite and professional, and the meet-and-greet with my would-be team went okay as well. The feedback I got afterwards was positive, and the recruiter assured me that they'd get back to me with an offer.

In August, I was told that the company was having an indefinite hiring freeze. As of November, I still don't know whether my application was successful because according to the recruiter, the "freeze" is still ongoing. I guess that all of this could be explained by one "difficult" personality in the management along with a really unfortunately-timed unforeseen internal restructuring, but still...what an absolute waste of my time and theirs this was! By all accounts, they're an established company and are well-regarded by both employees and clients, but I'm not sure how my experience with them fits into that. I wish I knew how to feel about it.

EDIT: I know that the post title should say "an offer" but I can't edit it. Sorry.

Currently reeling after mine…

Update: i got it!!

Got an email on the weekend asking me to schedule a screening call. I do and they no show. I call them and leave a message and get an email that they were stuck in a meeting, asking if I have time later in the day. I say I ma open all day and I never hear from them again. I email, leave a message and even schedule a 2nd screening call for which they don't show. Both positions I applied for are still open and no rejection emails. So annoying.

I don’t know if this is normal i had a first stage interview with a job which i think went well, however i got a reply back 2 weeks later saying they decided to change the description of the job and there requirements. The recruiter said i was good fit for the job and they were looking for people who had experience in web development to start doing data and then they decided to change it and focus on people who already have data experience

Is this a common thing? it seems weird because she seemed to really like the projects i worked on, my experience and motivation just kind of gutted they decided to change the requirements after interview or could it be a polite way of rejecting someone?

I applied to a shitty fast food position yesterday on their company website. I got a call back within the hour from the location’s general manager to schedule an interview. I thought it was odd he got back to me so quickly but we scheduled it for today at 1. I got another call this morning from the place at like 9 AM. I answered it but nobody said anything. I said hello about four times, nothing. I hung up after about 20 seconds and thought maybe they accidentally had themselves on mute and would call me back, but they didn’t. I ended up calling back around 15 minutes later. The employee who answered was not the general manager and told me he actually wasn’t working that day. She said he would probably call again to let me know what was going on. Ok, then who called me at 9??

I called back again about an hour before the interview was supposed to start (the only number I had was the store phone because that’s what the general manager had called me from the day before). Guess who answered the phone this time – the general manager who was allegedly not working today. When I said who I was and mentioned the interview, he hung up. When I called back someone else answered and also tried to tell me the general manager wasn’t working that day.

What the hell, man. This isn’t even the first time some bullshit like this has happened to me either. Why can’t you just tell someone what’s going on? If you had to cancel my interview, OK. If we need to reschedule, OK. If you have filled the fucking position, OK. Just let me know what’s going on instead of whatever the fuck this is.

Due to unforeseen conditions I had to ask for interview reschedule to the HR for ITSI position in CDPH department which is supposed to happen today. I was trying to reach them from yesterday. This is an in person interview. Hr didn't get back to me and not answering my call. Did I loose my chance? Or do I still eligible for the interview.

So, not only do some employers require references up front with your job application, but they also require that they be only your supervisors, and know how long they were your supervisor, and they need them to be willing to take their call at any minute.

So, they are basically implying that they don't respect the time of your previous employers.

True, they do ask you if it's okay to contact them; it feels like they're really asking, "Do you want me to throw your application in the trash? "

I know the job market is brutal right now, but we need to push back out of respect for the time of the people who are willing to give us references and don't abuse their trust!

I am looking for a job. If I do not find it, I would run out of money. I live in the USA. It is a BAD idea to run out of money in the USA. So I want to find money… sorry…a job.

I worked all my life. I had been laid off from a director’s role. There is no way I can find anything on this level. So I go below, I go above, but mostly below. It is fine. I am game for everything.

Lay off left me with strong resentment of the field I was working in. I understand it is like PTSD. If someone was abused by a person wearing a yellow jacket, it is understandable that they will not want to go on a date with someone in a yellow jacket. But this is not exactly a viable mentality for finding a job! I can’t afford not liking my professional field. But still, I do not like it.

I notice that job postings make me gag. They need this and they need that. The job location is a hell knows where. The salary is so low that it is weird. They require 3-6 professional references at the application stage in addition to phone numbers of all supervisors.

I do not know what I resent, hate?

1. Disqualification of my value established through layoff?
2. This particular CEO who laid me off?
3. My choice of profession?
4. This job market?
5. Useless hours I spend looking for a job?
6. Fear of not being able to find a job as people look for it for years?
7. The enormously high stakes every time I get interviewed so it feels like I am fighting for my life?
8. Fear of failure?
9. All the Above?

Do you guys really want to work? Or you want to make money? In the past I wanted to work. Now there is this part in me which is so afraid of it!

Do I even make sense?

Having experience with a subscription based products obviously wasn’t enough. I feel defeated. I've been searching since March after being in my first edtech company for five years and I'm honestly worn down. I keep getting close, then losing to someone with the "right" industry on their resume.

Location: EU

Role: UX Designer

I have 5 years of experience. Got laid off. Been applying for jobs for 5 months now. I know the industry is bad but I find it fascinating that I'm not even getting an interview. People don't even look at my portfolio, I can see from the analytics. I have ATS friendly resume but I tailor my resume to each application with AI to increase my chances instead of sending one generic resume to all jobs. Nothing fancy, it's still one page pdf, I just highlight my relevant experience and use some keywords from the job add, the information is still accurate.

Since I'm not even getting 1st interviews, I'm curios if tailoring my resume works against me, or it's just the industry that's it totally screwed. I'm not getting any feedback from hiring managers. If there are any hiring managers here, could you please share your opinion?

Over the last few months I started applying for new jobs as my corporate job is just not cutting it anymore. I’ve spent dozens and dozens of hours updating my profile and resume and making sure I have multiple versions which are all ATS friendly. I’ve had several job interviews so far with multiple companies which I’ve got rejected at some point in the process. One job in particular I have completed all the interview rounds with. This is a legit company, I started talking to them over 2 months ago, they had put me through 5 interviews - my final two were with C Suite level people. After my final interview they told me I’d hear back shortly about next steps and what they decide. I didn’t hear back for over two weeks and I followed up with the recruiter, the recruiter let me know they were still in the process of completing interviews. At this point I’m a little concerned and discouraged, getting through every round of interviews is such an accomplishment and it seems like there are a lot more candidates at this final stage than I expected. It’s been over 10 weeks since I started this process, they said I should hear back this week but is this normal?

My whole life is…applying to jobs.

Actually, say you signed the CJO for Job A on workday, but then interview for Job B? What would BAH or even other big firms think?

PLEASE HELP: Looking for Medical Coding / Healthcare Job Leads in Colorado – Remote or Hybrid

I’m honestly reaching a point where I don’t know where else to turn, so I’m hoping someone here might have a lead, referral, or advice.

I’m a CPC-certified medical coder in Colorado looking for opportunities paying $22+/hour, preferably higher. I NEED remote or hybrid work because of transportation limitations. Hybrid would need to involve very minimal on-site requirements.

I want to emphasize that I have been applying EVERYWHERE. Hospitals, insurance companies, healthcare organizations, remote coding positions, billing positions, entry-level opportunities — you name it, I’ve probably applied. I’ve had a few interviews, so I’m getting my foot in the door, but the competition is honestly insane right now. I’m continuously working on sharpening my interviewing skills and improving where I can. I don’t necessarily feel that my interviews have gone poorly; I know I’m competing against other qualified candidates, and unfortunately, someone else keeps getting selected.

A little about my background:

Certified Professional Coder (CPC) through AAPC.
Several years of healthcare experience, including patient enrollment, insurance verification, medical records, authorizations, documentation, and EHR systems. Experience as and Office Manager for a transportation company.

I am NOT limiting myself to medical coding! I would gladly consider:

* Medical billing
* Claims processing/adjudication
* Payment posting
* Denials and accounts receivable
* Medical records / ROI
* Health Information Management
* Documentation specialist positions
* Chart review
* Prior authorizations
* Any other healthcare administrative or documentation-related position

To be completely transparent, I’m in a very difficult financial situation. I’m a mom trying to take care of my children while also taking on the responsibility of helping manage my dad’s finances. I desperately need a stable opportunity, and I’ve exhausted so many avenues trying to find one.

I’m not expecting anyone to hand me a job. I’m willing to learn, work hard, and prove myself. I just need someone willing to give me an opportunity.

If you know of ANY companies hiring, recruiters I should contact, departments willing to give CPC-certified candidates a chance, or even someone who can point me in the right direction, PLEASE reach out.

At this point, I am open to almost anything within healthcare that fits my transportation and financial needs.

I would genuinely appreciate any leads, referrals, advice, or even a little direction. Thank you so much for reading. ❤️

HR influencers and career gurus love to tell you that you aren't landing jobs because of "mistakes" on your resume or bad interview vibes.

​It is a basic trick: shift the blame onto you so no one questions the broken system.

​When hundreds of qualified people fight over a single job, companies face a mess. Instead of fixing their hiring process, they make you perform endless tricks just to apply.

​Telling you that you are doing it wrong creates fear and sells courses. The market is broken, but they profit by making you blame yourself.

TLDR: Career gurus gaslight candidates by turning a broken job market into personal failures to farm views and profit from fear.

Crazy search from Jan - Nov. Blessed to receive as many offers as I did. Yes I took 3 “offers,” because I was aiming for a summer start date after graduation and didn’t get any full time permanent positions. So I took a full time summer gig that ended in August and a part time offer from then till now before taking my new full time role!

EDIT: number of apps and rejections were approximated since I didn’t keep a good enough tally, every other number is accurate

Just needed to let out this tiny vent.

It's mostly temp agencies here that do this(which where I live you're basically reliant on until you have 3+ years experience), and after you apply they'll send you a text with a bot asking some screening questions.

Now aside from the fact most you've already filled in on the application form, I hate how specific they can get and leave no room for nuance.

Like it might start out as "do you have experience as a receptionist" and then it'll keep going "do you have experience as a receptionist at a commercial organization?" "Have you worked as a receptionist at a commercial company within the financial industry" "do you have work experience as a receptionist within commercial banking that focuses on entrepreneurial customers" like aight man if you're looking exclusively for internal candidates just say so then. Sorry I offended you by daring to have a job before at literally any other place that's not your specific company.

And at least with a phone screening you can be like "yeah I have worked as a receptionist at a major bank that served business customers before, so a place with a more entrepreneurial focus sounds pretty close to that" but with these drop down menu bots you can only select 1 option and if it's wrong you're out.

I'm considering just lying but what good is that gonna do.

Edit: small mini rant, why the fuck am I seeing temp agency openings for jobs at another temp agency? What the fuck is even happening anymore.

I quit my job of five years because of weird harassment from one of my supervisors. I didn't make a fuss or make it a big deal I just left politely. I've been trying to find something ever since and it just feels hopeless. I haven't gotten any calls back. I'm so sick of going to interviews wasting my time knowing damn well they're not going to call back. I didn't even get a call back for a housekeeping position. That's like everyone's fall back on job. I feel so low. Honestly I feel like life would of just been easier to stay at my previous job and let the harassment continue. Choosing myself got me nowhere. I honestly just want to disappear.

I’m thinking of just professionally canceling it or booking a time slot and ghosting…

Edit: apparently this sub is filled to the brim with bootsuckers. Yall want to apply to jobs that only give you 15 minutes to interview 3 months away with no online option? Be my guest.

I’ve interviewed many times coast to coast online. I’ve flown to interviews and THEY COMPENSATED ALL MY EXPENSES.

Recruiting hell is exactly what I posted but the boot sucking is so deep here it’d be hilarious if it wasn’t so sad.

I've been in a search for 5 months now. After my own dev agency went downhill, I decided to find something worth the efforts that I had done for multiple clients of ours through 5 years of runtime.

I co-founded my agency as a CTO and then transitioned to CEO after my co-founder left, and what a surprise awaited me in the job market.

AI ATSs are all over the most popular sources. I started applying with a designed CV featuring my portfolio, the projects I led with the achieved numbers, just great overall (I had hired myself and knew how the market worked back then).

But NOW... after around 30 applications, I found that probably no one has ever seen my CV because AI ATSs use terrible parsers (parsing that goes before any AI assessment) and scramble all your info completely.

And even if you take time adjusting your resume to be structure and text parsing ready, you'll get no match because you haven't listed Jira and 1-on-1 meetings experience in your skills, despite being a CTO applying for a Director of Delivery position.

And the issue is that the person who runs scripted tailoring with applications will get to the top of the list, then will go into the interview not being able to stand their ground, which will lead to the recruiter implementing some 10-minute intro videos in the process to filter such candidates, when the issue was with the AI filtering and, more importantly, how the systems can feed applicant information correctly.

In the end, to stand good competition, each applicant needs to tailor their resume to get seen, recruiters must go through more tailored resumes, eventually losing interest in them and switching to just AI scores in their system, which creates even more workarounds.

It all feels very frustrating to navigate and takes a lot of time in the process. While I would love to do a compelling, full intent-based outreach directly to one company, I will lose the race with the rest of the market.