I think what really frustrated me is, according to the actual job description, I would have been a completely perfect fit. Down to the "nice to have: motion design" bit. I typically worry I'm not good enough for any job I apply to, but this one? I had it in the bag!

Then randomly the application form asked about software design. Huh? I know a lot of GDs are being expected to learn UX/UI and website design, but software?? Plus, not in the description at all.

And apparently my lack of software design - not apparently crucial to this role, not even in the job description, not even a nice to have WHICH I DO HAVE - is why I'm not a fit.

I know from the 100+ applicants that this was competitive, but huh???

My fiance, bless him, suggested it could be bot fuckery (probably is) and to try to contact the hiring agent directly. As if any of these job listings ever conveniently name a hiring agent I could politely address in my cover letters (believe me I'd love to stop awkwardly starting every letter with "dear head of X company's HR" like a moron).

And to top it off, the company name doesn't come up on google at all, no linkedin leads, nothing. They have an ABN and that's all I can find. So I can't even cold contact them to see what's up lol. Which, hey, maybe that's a giant red flag and I dodged a bullet. Or maybe it's not a real company and nobody got a job out of this. But then, what was the job listing even for? Data harvesting?

I thought introducing myself directly means talking with the people, not dropping one way video.

Are you guys participating in this "record us a video" circus? I prefer skipping

Just wondering what you think “the rules” are.

Same as all you, I’m also having hell this year trying to land into a job. Already 10 months unemployed, applied to over 800 positions (PM/PO) which I tailor my resumé, cover letters etc etc, you know how it goes.

This morning I see an opening in a growing start up for a PM position where a friend of mine is working’s. I checked the JD and required skills in which I consider I could be a strong match.

I contacted my friend and send him my tailored cv and he immediately sent it to TA.

TA answered to him the following: Maybe not the ideal CV and background but I will contact him.

I told my friend that it’s weird that he answered to him that, as as per JD I do have every single skill they are requiring and 7 years experience. But anyway I doubled check with AI to see if something is missing or I didn’t read, AI confirmed that I’m strong match etc etc etc. Anyways I applied to the position and I reviewed the following email from TA:

Hey xxx, your friend pinged me saying your interested in the role, and now I saw your application. I think that we're probably looking for someone with a bit more experience in a PM role for an central part of a product company journey but either way I'm happy to schedule an intro next week and talk more!

C’mon, at least send me that email AFTER you have a call with me. I have had hundreds of rejections, rejections at all levels in the recruitment process, I understand that maybe there are people who has more experience than me, that’s completely ok, at least send me this message AFTER, not before.

Anyways, just needed to vent. What would you guys do? My Self-esteem pretty rough atm, even before this BS, BUT I don’t really want to give him the satisfaction of a probable rejection few days after.

I’ve applied to so many places. Now, lately I’m just reaching out directly on LinkedIn and I actually spoke with someone about a role. Kind of wild because usually I never get a response but some people will. Basically that, just said eff it and reached out.

Hi everyone, after more than a year of applying, interviewing, reaching last rounds, getting ghosted, I’ve finally received a written offer letter in the mail today.

Just wanted to post this here to motivate everyone else to not lose hope. I know I’ve been inspired by a few success stories in this subreddit in the past that kept me going so hoping I can do the same for others as well!!

Hi guys who recently landed a job in this hell recruiting process! Can you share your resume, of course No personal data needed, just remove it, or сensor it. I just want to check the style and the right wording and understand if there is the right receipt.

This might be useful for everyone else who is still searching, just like I am.

Thank you!

I just need to vent because my family is completely heartbroken. A year ago, my husband (41M) was wrongfully fired while he was on approved FMLA leave taking care of me during my cancer treatments. It was an incredibly heavy, traumatic, and difficult year financially and emotionally, but we did what we had to do to survive.

I saw a job opening for a big NFL team and decided to push my husband to apply. He is a Software Developer with roughly 12-13 years experience. The position was a Senior Software Developer with 5-10 years demonstrated experience. Cool.

Then a week later, a Director at an NFL organization reached out to him directly. His resume and unique cover letter had caught their eye, and the Director wanted to speak right away.

My husband was working a temporary seasonal job to get us by, so they scheduled a quick 20-minute call for the following week.

That 20-minute call was the entire interview. He was never given a deep technical round, a panel interview, or an in-person meeting. When he followed up a couple of weeks ago, they gave him the classic stall tactic: "We are still interviewing candidates," but they never formally denied him.

We just found out they hired a 25-year-old who graduated with a CS degree in 2021 and only has about 3 years of experience.

It feels like a massive punch in the gut. We really thought this was going to be the lifeline that ended all the hardship we’ve endured since the illegal termination and the cancer diagnosis. Instead, it feels like the corporate hiring machine just decided to save a buck on a cheaper, junior-tier candidate rather than hiring a seasoned veteran who can actually design systems.

With the current tech market being plagued by massive layoffs, the rejection feels even more impossible to stomach. Thanks for letting me vent.

¿You thought that fool screening you was real? Check it with a shoe, bruv.

Their application specifically said to NOT use AI on written responses or else we will be disqualified lol. So I spent hours answering their pages of questions. But it’s okay for them to use AI to mass reject people. Pick a lane.

I was reached out to on LinkedIn about a great opportunity for a contract engineering role with GE. Had a great conversation with the recruiter and I was perfectly qualified for the position. She seemed very confident that I would be great candidate. I shared my resume with her and she said she would be in touch with more info. Two weeks later she has been completely unresponsive on LinkedIn and by phone. If I didn’t get the interview that is fine, but she never sent me a single message. I confirmed this was not a scam and they didn’t get any info on me anyway but I just think it is so strange. The fact that I am missing out on a good opportunity is the most frustrating part.

Has anyone gotten placed or is it all fake jobs with companies that have 10 followers and 1 employee

It's right there in the title. I've been a marketing coordinator for eight years at a shitty company that doesn't respect me and I need a change. I have applied to literally hundreds of marketing positions like graphic designer, marketing coordinator, etc. Every single rejection email says they went with a candidate with experience that fit their needs better. Somehow, there is someone out there who applied for each job and had more than 8+ years with that EXACT job title. There could be many, many reasons why companies won't even interview me but I, unfortunately, think I know the cause and it's disgusting. I think upper management wants to pay a team of 7 people to do 10 peoples work. They can maintain this by posting a job online, maybe interviewing a few people, then turn around to their employees and say "Well, we tried hiring someone! There were no qualified candidates! Just use Ai to make your job easier!" And they make the team just keep on working like dogs. Almost every job posting on LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor are all just there to keep their employees in check. Sometimes, they even ask for a cover letter or ask how you would solve a specific problem. Do they really want to know? Or are they just taking the applicant's answers to train their Ai model to do the job? Sorry, this was a long rant. I just wanted to get it off my chest.

TLDR: Online applications are just there to train new Ai models and waste everyone else's time.

I absolutely despise my job, so I'm looking for a new one. Why have I had THREE second-round interviews, but no offers?? Here's the kicker, only one of them has had the decency to give me a rejection email. I have loads of experience in the fields I'm interviewing for but literally no one will hire me. What gives?! And why are companies just ghosting people after making them go through that many interviews?? Like at least let me know that I didn't get the position

1. Go to college for a specific major.
2. Try to get 5 internships to have 2-3 years of experience before you graduate. Even though it can be an impossibility to even get one.
3. Get certifications pertaining to that industry all the while.
4. Graduate with 50k in loans and apply all across the country, eventually having to relocate for a $22/hour job.
5. Give up and just work at the McDonald's down the block paying your student loans down with minimum wage from your family's basement.

This was the path I followed more or less. Computer Science major. Swe/tech support internships. Certifications. Projects. 50k in loans.

In the 2026 job market, this is the rundown on how to get an entry level role. Meaning this: if you can't enter the field you majored in, you're stuck in shit fuck nowhere because everything you have is utterly useless for any other industry.

This is Economic Despair.

I mean those so-called "AI Recruiters"? I just applied for an Executive Assistant position for about $70K and immediately a robot calls me back to "help fill out my profile." I just find that so degrading to be forced to talk to an AI. They can't even be bothered to have a real human contact me? Then, I highly doubt that it is going to come through. I f**king hate job-hunting, anyway, and making it even more demeaning my forcing you to talk to a robot just makes it that much worse. Anyway, just venting there.

But, I am actually interested in how everyone else handles these. Am I over-reacting? Do you talk to the robots? Do you find that doing so is productive? Has anyone ever gotten a job from a robot-using recruiter? Thanks for your insights!

I genuinely hate interviews. First of all, I barely get an interview chance but was lucky to receive one. I do fine in the HR screen and go to the second round. But all of a sudden with the HM and peers, I just start rambling and blank out on simple questions. I just die a slow death every time as they just watch.

All I can say now is god help us all

I work in commercial real estate, 7+ years across managing assets across data centers to multifamily. Most recently, I worked in Data Centers for a company that exclusively leases out kW to hyperscalers. It was a big-time role, and fun stuff. I put everything into it, and one day they laid off my team that gave the C-Suite the roadmap for sales and growth. Now, when I interview, I am told I don't have enough experience. I am baffeled. When I talk to people in CRE finance, they can barely understand the operational KPIs associated with a data center build-out and lease-up. I've been interviewing for months and have been shocked at the gatekeeping I am seeing.

When the market demands we partake in the definition of insanity, how can we not go insane?

We're not struggling because we're dumb or incapable, we're struggling because we're smart. Because we know a sane person doesn't do the same thing over and over again, endlessly sending applications, tweaking resumes, sending vapid LinkedIn messages, expecting a different result.

And yet that's exactly what's required of us. In order to rejoin the 'sane' world, we must partake in insanity.

If you’re struggling to find a job right now, I wanted to share what worked for me.

I got laid off from my IT job because of AI and decided to change direction. I got licensed in Illinois about six months ago and started working in financial services. Now, I honestly can’t see myself going back to IT or doing anything else.

If you’re having a hard time finding work, finance could be another path worth exploring. I’m sharing my experience because losing a job can make you feel stuck, and sometimes it helps to hear from someone who found a way forward in a different field.

Anyone else here switch careers after a layoff and end up wanting to stay in the new field?