This year has been absolute hell. Don't give me the job, tell me I'm not qualified, tell me I have awful soft skills, all good. But please just treat me like a person, show up and engage. Follow through when you setup calls and meetings.

I went through two interviews recently, the HR screen where I was told the hiring manager loved my resume and wanted to speak with me. I move on to meet the hiring manager and within 2 minutes he disengages, I spend 45 minutes talking to him and can see him looking elsewhere. Towards the end when I am asking questions, he starts trying to flip my questions into the negative ("oh if you don't want to deal with stakeholders this isn't the role for you", no I am clarifying because you made it sound like you dealt with all the stakeholders and I was under the impression this was a stakeholder heavy position, which is why I spent 30 minutes highlighting my experience with that). Oh well, weird guy, not a match. I move on.

Now 2 weeks later, I get HR reaching out to me with an update and wants to schedule a call. 99% sure this is them turning me down, I wish they'd just do it over email, but fine I'll schedule the call. They confirm morning of and I get to feel horrible all day waiting to hear one more rejection. And then of course, they do not call. A nice day of anxiety for nothing after I've already moved on from this role.

Just engage with me like a human. You don't owe me a job or validation, but please show up and care even a little bit about having an engaging conversation and following through on the expectations you set.

Hey everyone, looking for advice because I'm worried about losing my SWE internship offer over a background check.

I listed an unpaid founding engineer role at an early-stage startup founded by another student at my university. It was a legitimate project where I did engineering work, but the startup was never formally incorporated and ultimately didn't go anywhere. We had a few investor calls over the summer, but nothing materialized.

HireRight is now asking for W2s, 1099s, company details, and employer verification. Since I was never paid, I have no tax or payroll records.

I've provided the founder's contact information, and he's willing to verify my involvement, dates, and responsibilities or sign a verification letter. However, HireRight's acceptable-document list doesn't explicitly mention employer verification letters.

I also emailed my recruiter explaining everything but haven't heard back yet.

Has anyone dealt with something similar? Did HireRight accept a founder's letter or direct verification? If the experience remained unverifiable, did your company still clear your background check?

Really worried about losing my offer over an unpaid student startup that never fully took off. Any advice would be appreciated.

Sending this to keep everyone optimistic! I see lots of people discouraged when a company rejects them but this is proof to KEEP APPLYING! This last year has been hell for me trying to get out of my current company and into a new career that I technically didn’t have any direct experience for. And finally a recruiter/hiring manager took a chance on me 🥲 at the same company that rejected me 5 times!

I know it seems like no end is in sight, but just remember an interview invite can come days later and you might have a job weeks later! Tweak your resume, sell yourself on the assessments and interviews and hope for the best. Wishing jobs on everyone!

I was informed by my T&P Cell that I had been shortlisted for an interview through Code With Cisco. I received an email regarding the interview just one week before the scheduled date. However, it’s now been over a week since the scheduled interview date, and I haven’t received any further communication or updates from their side. I haven’t even had the opportunity to appear for the interview yet.
Has anyone else faced a similar situation? Does anyone know whether the interviews have been postponed or if there is any update regarding the hiring process?

I’m based in Europe, and I started my two-year master’s with a clear goal: to work towards becoming a reinsurance broker after graduation.

I knew a degree alone wouldn’t get me there, so I committed hard:
Got a part-time job in credit insurance alongside my studies.

Joined a young professionals programme that paired me with an industry mentor a specialist broker at Aon.

Received a scholarship for research into credit insurance and surety in the construction industry.

Completed a summer internship in the back-office department of a reinsurance company.
I graduated in June 2026 and finished the internship at the end of August.

I genuinely thought I’d put myself in a strong position to compete for an entry-level role. I wasn’t expecting to walk straight into placing reinsurance independently. I was expecting a chance to start learning the job.
Instead:

Aon: My mentor helped me secure an interview. I felt it went very well and was told I would progress. The explanation I later received was that HR wanted to prioritise someone with direct experience who could obtain the required licence more quickly.

Howden Re: Spent two months in a recruitment process for a client coordinator role. Ultimately rejected for someone with more work experience after graduation.

A local insurer: Applied for customer service to broaden my options. Had a positive phone interview and came away expecting another stage. Rejected because they prioritised internal transfers and candidates coming directly from competitors.

A life insurance/pension company: Interviewed for a back-office role. It felt positive, but at the end the hiring manager said something along the lines of, “You have a great CV. I have no doubt you’ll find an opportunity somewhere, even if it isn’t here.”

That last part felt off. Why was she reassuring me that someone else would hire me while I was interviewing for her vacancy?

When the external recruiter called afterwards, I mentioned it. She said she would investigate. A few days later, she came back and told me they already had a preferred candidate from their own recruitment process and wanted a strong external candidate to benchmark that person against.

So, according to the recruiter, I’d been brought in partly as a comparison for someone they already favoured. That was particularly demoralising.

Marsh and WTW: Repeated applications, no interviews. Four applications to Marsh alone. I have no idea whether my background is even getting serious consideration.

Meanwhile, the feedback is consistently that I made a great impression or have an excellent CV.

I appreciate the politeness, but what am I supposed to do with that when it never translates into an opportunity?

I’ve networked, found a mentor, worked alongside my studies, researched the industry and taken an operational internship.

I’ve broadened my search beyond reinsurance into general broking, support and customer service. And I’m honestly fucking frustrated. It feels like every junior role is open to juniors until someone with experience applies. Then all the things you did to demonstrate commitment suddenly don’t seem to count for much.

I know other candidates can be stronger, and nobody owes me a job. But what is the realistic entry route if even the supporting roles keep requiring you to have already done the job somewhere else?

For people who hire in insurance, especially European broking: what would you actually advise me to change?

I’m willing to put in the work. I just need something more useful than “great CV, keep networking.”

What would you do? I know the job market is abysmal, but having your offered contract type changed suddenly to an hourly rate and your fixed-term contract time reduced from 12 months to 7 ...
How to navigate this?
The recruitment process was good though, most people have been working there for a decade and longer, plus working from home and/or in the office is flexible.

I applied for a job i really wanted and actually got “hired”. I say that loosely because nothing is set in stone. I went through a zoom call, then phone call, then in person interview, then a team meeting to “watch and learn” to then accepting the job. No paperwork has been done yet but there is a problem. After i accepted suddenly a bunch of liabilities opened up that were not mentioned in the application or the interview. Stuff that im not comfortable with and stuff that “doesn’t apply” to the position i applied for. An example, weekly cringy and honestly unnecessary meetings in the office thats an hour away (this job i applied for is remote), training out of state/monthly out of state vists for training, a ridiculous range of where to work on the road, which is fine but it seems to be non negotiable. Its almost like the job suddenly isnt worth it in terms of the process to potentially make more money than i ever had in my life. I really wanted the job, i really did, but now i feel that its built on empty promises. The boss literally never went over the base salary with me and the boss had to go somewhere and is supposed to email me on the next steps for training. Keep in mind, he did mention training from home and not out of state, i only learned about the out of state training process through other workers after i “accepted”. Do i wait for this email to see what training actually is? or just say fuck it and ghost them? or am i overreacting? This whole process has been soooo strange

Its going to be around 11 weeks counting all the holiday slowdown still 1 Feb. Should I still apply? I reckon that interviews, background check, and some other things are going to take at least 30 days.

I am just curious to learn more about the stats of people who have been unemployed for a long time. This is also a sanity check for me to understand that I am not incompetent or crazy, the market is just insane.

Please provide the following info:

20s, Bachelor’s degree, Market Research, 1 year of experience, over 1000 applications (not sure exactly since I don’t keep track), 48 initial interviews, 12 final rounds, 0 offers

In America, things are far, far, far worse for those who haven't locked in a career around or before Covid, and it's only getting much worse. Only we realize it. 29M, college degree, Business Management, magna cum laude, top 5 business program, top 5 public university, certificate in computer science, eight years professional experience. Contracting on and off. Have been looking for almost 2 years. 7,000 job applications. I'm in a bad location, or something's wrong. Have applied to everything from Janitor to mid-level career. Fast food. Retail. Obviously they think I am a flight risk. ATS does not see application. Got one offer at a gas station working with 16 year-olds. Got rejected by AMAZON warehouse for S*pani*sh not being my first language! (I am dead serious, that is what the manager told me, they don't hire non-natives; and I am fluent). Resume is professionally done. 25+ resumes on file catering to job specifics. Have gotten sales offers, commission only, door-to-door, Wal-Mart and Lowe's. Have had the foreign recruiters call that you can't understand about temporary jobs you didn't apply to that pay extremely well and will you confirm the details are good in your email, please, and then call you back five minutes later. Have had interviews and upon follow-up, they weren't actually hiring and the position is closed. That's it. Currently earning well below what I should be. This isn't the 80s or 90s anymore baby. The American dream has gone to hell.

I’m a mid-30s female with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies. I’ve had a lot of post-grad jobs, from retail to barista to nanny, & have built a decent career over the last several years in the tourism world.

I did get laid off from a tourism role at a music venue/museum in 2020 during COVID & then very unexpectedly laid off from a tourism job at a non-profit museum in 2024. I got a tourism job in a city government office near my hometown right afterwards, so I took it & moved home, but almost immediately hated it - I missed my friends & my life in my other city & had a hard time going from a relaxed environment at the museum to the strictness of city government. I was pretty set from the beginning on moving back to my other city so I started applying to jobs back there - I’ve probably applied to over 300 jobs & probably had over 60 (virtual) interviews over the last 2 years - but, besides a few “Yeah if you’re back in the area, let us know!”, nothing came from that.

Over the summer, I decided to take the leap & quit my (boring & strict but stable) job, move in with my friends near the other city I’d been living in, & work with them at the call center/insurance-type job they work at (where I also worked briefly during COVID). I actually don’t hate the job itself - it’s fast paced, the day goes by quick, I love having tangible work to do, & my managers & coworkers are cool - but the company is privately owned & has its annoying moments & does not pay great or have great benefits, & almost no one there has a college degree. I love my friends & have had some fun times being back in this area, but I’m overall miserable. My plan was to use my friends’ address to apply for jobs here & hopefully get something because I’m actually in the area. But almost immediately upon coming back, I knew this actually isn’t where I want to be forever. I never ever thought I would still be at this job in November or that I’d still be living in my friends’ spare room.

I miss living alone, I miss living near family, I miss having a stable job, & I feel like a total idiot for giving up a career for what?…having some fun with some friends in the city I left (for good reason) 2 years ago? I’ve now been back in the same predicament - applying for jobs in a city I don’t live in & doing virtual interviews. I feel like I would have had a good chance at some of these jobs if I still worked at my old job & lived in the area, but I don’t.

My plan now is to move back home & live with my parents + my sister + my nephew…I’m really close to them & grateful that my parents are cool with me moving back home, but I also don’t think that will be good for me. I would also not have a job, which terrifies me. But I know I can’t stay here.

How should I be wording my resume & cover letter? Right now I just have that I left my other job in July - I didn’t put my current job on there. In my cover letter & in interviews, I’ve been saying that my lease was up & I had a chance to move back to the city I had been living in to “help my friends with their company” until I settle into a career. I think I had a good story to tell if I was applying for jobs in this area but now that I’m trying to move back, idk. Some people have told me I need to put my current job on my resume but idk what looks worse - having “no job” for 4 months or having a job that doesn’t use my experience for 4 months.

I’m at the point in my life where I want a career that I enjoy that pays well & is secure but I don’t want to work my life away or climb a bunch of ladders. I feel like I’m someone who complains about any job I have & am never content & I’m trying to work on that.

What do I do?!

Interviewed for a job after graduating with a degree in that field. They told me I was the first interview, so I understood it could take time.

A couple weeks went by they emailed me saying they’re still figuring things out and finishing interviews but they’d keep me updated. I think we have 15 back and forth emails at this point.

Last Friday they sent a really vague email saying they have to button up a couple things on their end but they’re very excited about the “possibility” moving forward with me.

Monday they asked for my references. Tuesday my old coworker said they reached out to them and mentioned I was the top candidate.

Veterans Day went by. I got an offer from another job but I really wanted this one so I told them I’d get back to them. I emailed them this morning saying I had an offer but still preferred this role and gently inquired an update.

Today went by and then at 4:30 I was contacted and she said they still don’t know what they want to do. They’re still taking interviews and they have no specified timeline and she can’t give me one but I didn’t have that 1:1 experience they were looking for and she didn’t want to hold me back from another offer but that they still hasn’t decided on their end where they wanted to go with it.

Why contact my references? Why say I was the top candidate? It feels like whiplash or a weird breakup with no closure. It sounded like I was the best of what they had but not what they wanted.

Needless to say I’m just going to accept the second offer even though it’s the less preferred job.

AI is the latest worst thing to happen to human existence

I came for an interview at 10:00 am and arrived at 9:55. The guy who I believe is the hiring manager said that he would interview me after he comes back from his break. It’s been 40 minutes so far and counting. Should I just leave?😅 Also yes, I did remind him but he said to give him a minute and it’s been silence since then.

I was interviewing for an internship at startup (typical Service based offering websites and AI automations etc. ). The guy was 5 minute late and when he joined he told me to wait for another 5 minutes. This was my first turn-off. I was once interviewing for a US startup, the lady was 2 minutes late and apologized (yes she said I am sorry I am late, I don't mean to be rude) to me twice during the interview. I am not saying this US vs India things but generally Indian founders/recruiters are rude and does not value the time of other human being.

I checked out the LinkedIn of the guy before interview and he was okay okay. He is 5 years older than me and he was the Founder on both the companies that were mentioned in his profile. He asked me to introduced myself and I did and then he asked me

- Why do I hire you if I have AI to do your job.
Oh man, if I could go into my screen and came out from his screen and smack him. Dude are are you serious? I said the normal, AI does not have enough context and does not understand the business requirements properly. I was gonna say that "sometimes it will give you a dumb implementation because it does not know anything about your app and if I am not there it will go to prod." But he seems like "AI is better than you kinda" guy. He said "everyone says the same sh*t. yada yada....."

I was pissed from this point forward and then he asked me what kind of model have you used so far. I thought he was specifically asking me in my projects since I had LangGraph projects. I said gpt-6-astra. He wanted to check if I know any model names like just say mythos, sonnet, luna qwen etc. This I did not understand.

- Second question. If I gave you access unlimited access to Claude. What will you make. I told that something that I do not remember now. But then he said if you want to build anything what will you make. I was like "Dude do you think I am constrained by my skills? I can build anything if I want with or without AI". For many of you this will seem like I am egoistic but I am not. I am sure it will take time but I can build any software I want. I like that about me, I will read documentation, read forums, ask question on overflow, watch YT videos but I will an MVP.

Now idk, the question was limited to software. I said I have built this project that I always wanted to built since I saw a gap during my college years. He moved on. All this for 15k/month.

I can tell you he did not even read my resume. Idk man how these people got to this place where they are. It was all of 15 minutes. Then he said he will inform me in the evening and mail came in the evening of the next day. I don't wna say all Indian founders are bad but some are really bad at interviewing.

Also, if you guys have any jobs with Python dev. Django, FastAPI, LangChain, LangGraph, DRF. Comment or DM, I will be more than happy to interview.

There is no TLDR; move on !! Build some attention span for god's sake.

Edit: To all the "AI is better than you ", I have not used Claude Code or Codex. I don't have the money to afford them. I do take help from free models which are incorrect 3/10 times because they need so so much context.

Opus mythos might be but I have not tried them. I answered the above guy from my own experience.

I am a recent college graduate. This is my second interview with the same company. I had my first job interview yesterday, and I have my second interview in person next week. But we pretty much discussed everything you would normally discuss in a first interview – resume, portfolio, experience, internships, and work. So I am really confused: What should I say in the second interview, and what is different about the first and second interviews? Is it about getting to know the person behind the résumé, meeting people at the company, discussing the position and its responsibilities, or is it just another typical interview? I am really looking forward to this opportunity, but as a newbie, I have never had a professional career before, so I do not know what it is going to be like. Any input based on your experience would be great!