Job hunting right now is lonely. If you're in the middle of it, this one's for you.

The job hunt sucks and here are seven things every job seeker is going through right now, in the middle of all this AI powered hunting.

1. Getting ghosted after interviews. You prepare for days, you think it went well, then nothing. No email. No update. Just silence.
2. "Tell me about yourself." Five words that ruin everyone's morning. Too long and you ramble. Too short and you seem uninterested.
3. The salary question. Say a number too low and you've capped yourself. Too high and you're out. It feels like a trap because it kind of is one.
4. Nerves stealing your answers. You knew this one cold. You practiced it out loud. Then your heart starts racing and the words vanish.
5. Dozens of tailored applications sent into the void. Zero replies. It starts feeling personal. It's not personal.
6. Rejections with no feedback. "We decided to move forward with other candidates." Okay but what did I actually do wrong? You will never know. Recruiters don't have the time to tell you, they are swamped with applications too.
7. "What's your greatest weakness?" Give a fake strength and they see right through it. Give a real one and you talk yourself out of the job.

Hear me on this. None of this means you aren't good enough. The process is just terrible at recognizing good people. It's honestly pretty broken right now.

My friend told a wild story of how she got rejected by a manager in a coffee interview because of sparkling water.

So my friend, let's call her Lucy, had a few rounds of interviews for a sales position and the manager wanted to interview her for the last round over coffee. Lucy said she did all the interviews well and hoped to get approval from the manager as well.

Lucy meets the manager for coffee and the manager welcomes her.

The manager asks Lucy if she wants to order something (Manager didn't order anything yet).

Lucy asks if she can get some sparkling water (normal water is available on the table). The manager was confused and said that water is already on the table. Lucy replied that she wanted sparkling water. The manager asked what was "sparkling water". Lucy was confused, but said it's "water with carbon dioxide"

The manager asked Lucy if she was referring to "Soda" but Lucy denied and said that she wanted sparkling water not soda. The manager asked the waitress to bring sparkling water for Lucy and coffee for himself.

The waitress bought both and the manager said it looks like soda to him (sprite?). Lucy thinking not to make it awkward just laughed and took a sip and said it's sparkling water.

The manager asked some questions and Lucy said she answered them well and the manager said they will get back to her.

She gets rejected the next day.

She thinks it might be because the manager was hurt that she corrected him about the sparkling water and maybe it's because she didn't order coffee.

I'm not sure why the manager thought sparkling water was soda or he never heard of the term sparkling water before. Did something like this happen to anyone?

I’m honestly exhausted by the constant cycle of applying for jobs, updating my résumé, preparing for interviews, practicing the same questions repeatedly, and putting on a smile just to receive another rejection.
It’s frustrating to invest so much time and energy into the hiring process, only to be asked to complete a second or third round of interviews with no guarantee of an opportunity.

At this point, I’m tired of pretending that my primary motivation for joining a company is its culture, mission, or team-building activities. The reality is simple: I work to earn a living, provide for my family, and build financial stability.

I’m not looking for a company to become my second family, nor do I need my career to define who I am. I want to do my job, perform my responsibilities well, be compensated fairly, and go home to enjoy the life I’m working so hard to support.

I understand the importance of professionalism, teamwork, and contributing to an organization’s success. However, I wish employers would recognize that not everyone is searching for a deeper purpose through their career. Sometimes, people simply want a good-paying job that allows them to take care of the people who matter most.

At the end of the day, I don't live to work. I work to live. And I'm tired of having to pretend otherwise just to get an opportunity.

After going through 95% of the application process, the dreaded "Copy/paste your resume that you already uploaded" page came up. The job was a good fit for me, but I have a good job and just wasn't in the mood to waste my time with that BS. So I typed "See Resume" in the first spot and left the rest blank, and submitted the application anyway.

I got a "we've received your application" email. At the bottom, there was an email for the recruiting team for any comments. Well, I decided to send a mostly professional email telling them that they were losing out on the best candidates by making the application process too onerous.

I figured I wasn't getting the job anyway, but then I realized I probably screwed myself for any future roles there if I actually really needed a new job.

When I saw the "Dear John" email come through that I didn't get the job, I wasn't surprised. However, the reason for the rejection was because they rescinded the new position entirely.

Then a few days later a recruiter from that company emailed me and asked if I wanted to apply to a higher position at the company.

Seriously? How does this happen?

(I'll never get the other position, she clearly didn't read my resume, it's a completely different role)

Started the day with an HR mix-up because I accidentally clicked “No” on the calendar invite, which canceled my interview, so I had to email them to clarify that I would still be attending.

Still arrived on time and sat down with a three-person panel consisting of a manager, the CFO, and an analyst.

All behavioral questions, but when they asked about my five-year plan and why I wanted to switch from being a paralegal to a finance role, I basically gave them an answer that implied I wouldn't be staying with the company for more than five years...

My brain completely froze when it was my turn to ask questions....but asked three decent quetion

The interview was scheduled for 30 minutes and ended right on time. Got some firm handshakes, and both the CFO and the manager gave me their business cards.

Heading my ass home. 💀

MY GOD WTF IS WRONG WITH RECRUITERS.

Okay. (Calms down) GUYS. This is the 4th time I have made it final round. This time what really irks me is how the recruiters handled it.

Company A and B reach out, I complete round 1. I move forward with both to Round 2. I pass round 2 and both have asked to move to round 3.

Company A schedules round 3 which is an assignment and references during my vacation and then says hey you passed the assignment our VP wants to chat with you. I do this all while out of the country. They email my references and ask for a lengthy review of me.

Company B waits for my return from vacation and schedules final round.

Both crickets. 0 communication ever since the final round. I have reached out to company A and they say I will hear from them by Tuesday of this week….0 emails. Sorry I am just venting this is exhausting. I’ve followed up with both companies and not hearing from them is driving me nuts. It’s okay I didn’t get the roles but WHY can’t they just tell me. Especially after all this going back and forth.

Hey guys, my first interview for a part time job. It's at an American country themed bar, and I was called for an informal chat. Also, it's at 9pm? Which sounds weird to me but I suppose it's because it's a bar? It felt weird not to just ask for an interview, as they contacted me beforehand and already asked a few questions on text.

What can I expect from this? And should I dress like I'm going to a proper interview or should I keep it more casual? Also, what red flags should I look for?

Thanks!

I had a half day final round interview last Tuesday & thought it went pretty well. I was told at the end of the interview by the person who would be my boss that I’d hear something by the end of the week, but if I didn’t to reach out to her directly. She mentioned the recruiter for the role who I’d previously communicated with was on PTO (until the end of the month) so timelines may get messed up as a result, but seemed to say this to follow up by saying I should follow up with her if I don’t hear from him.

I didn’t hear anything last week, I waited until Tuesday (yesterday) to send a follow up directly to her (as requested). No answer yesterday or today. Was the invitation to follow up just a nicety and there was no point?? I don’t understand why say all these absolutes and then not follow through with them, do you think I’m out of the running

I’ve been invited to a second interview with someone from the organisation’s HR. My first one was with my would-be assistant manager if I am offered the position.

I’ve never had to do a second interview before so I’m not sure what to expect. I’d really appreciate some insight on the general purposes of a second interview as well as commonly asked questions.

Absolutely bricking it. TIA!

Hey guys! I recently got the opportunity to schedule a 30-minute chat with an experienced engineer in the industry. I didn't reach out for a referral or job opportunity.

I genuinely wanted to hear his perspective on career growth and get some advice from someone with years of experience.

Since we only have 30 minutes, I want to make the most of the conversation and ask questions that will give me valuable insight into the industry.
So far, I'm planning to ask what it takes to succeed in this field and what qualities or skills he looks for in a good engineer. Do you guys have any suggestions for other questions worth asking?

I'm still pretty fresh out of college and don't have much experience with these kinds of conversations, so I'd really appreciate your input!

I interviewed for a position on October 5 with a company that had invited me to interview TWICE. Both invitations went to my spam folder but thankfully I saw it in time and it was all fine. The hiring manager was also very nice when I messaged her on LinkedIn and said she hoped to see me at the next stage (I was just trying to make a connection and was not aware she was the hiring manager when I messaged).

During the interview, the recruiter told me I did well and would advance to a second interview (out of 3 total), which he hoped to schedule that week. On October 7, they closed applications, and I saw that someone from their hiring team viewed every page of my portfolio. I followed up with the recruiter on October 9, but it’s now October 14 and I’ve heard nothing.

I’m so confused by all the positive signs followed by complete silence. Do you think they are just delayed, or are ghosting me?

I’ve been applying and interviewing for the past few months. Have moved through to second and third round interviews in a couple but it always ends with “sorry we are moving forward with another candidate.” The rejection is definitely getting to me right now and makes me want to give up. What are some things other folks do to stay motivated in this job market?

This question has always puzzled me. What’s the ideal way to answer it in a behavioral interview?

Is saying “I’m looking for greater challenges and career growth” enough, or does it raise red flags?

💡 For candidates and hiring managers:

• What answers work best?
• What should you avoid saying?
• Any tried-and-tested templates?

Would love to hear real experiences and honest insights! 👇

the amount of anxiety i feel in my body after an interview is finished is too much, i feel like ive fought with a tiger, before it my heart starts pounding, during i cant fking think straight even tho i try to be relaxed and say the stupidest things, after it now i feel like some kid has got a pen and is drawing rapidly nonesense while someone put loud music and a baby is crying in the other room while i havent slept for a day

Hello! Im about to have my final round with a partner for consulting firm. Any tips or advice? It will be about 30 min!

I had been interviewing with a new employer and a former employer, each for a month or so. I was really excited about the opportunity with the new employer and extremely interested in the work they are doing. I feel like I did really well in all my interviews, we had great conversations and there was chemistry. It was supposed to be 4 rounds with the fourth being a presentation based on a case study (was not looking forward to that but willing to do it for this opportunity). I'm not in a tech, data, or design field so I wasn't really sure how they were going to give me a case study to begin with. This was a PM role.

Anywho, I received an offer from my former employer this morning. Of the two jobs I was actively interviewing for, I was really leaning towards the new employer. I let them know I needed a day or two to wrap things up elsewhere. I emailed the recruiter at the new place:

"I hope you're doing well. I wanted to share that I've received an offer from another company and have been asked to respond by Thursday, October 15th. [Company name] remains my top choice and I really enjoyed my conversations with [Name] and [Name]. I'm very interested in the role and the work [company name] is doing.

Before I make a decision, I wanted to check whether there's any flexibility to expedite the remaining steps in the process? I'm happy to make myself available for whatever works best on your end. 

Thank you for your help and I look forward to hearing from you."

She said she'd reach out to the team and see if they can expedite. Three hours later I get a rejection email.

Doesn't feel good but I understand they probably couldn't expedite (skip the case study) or compete with the deadline. It's possible they already had someone else in mind. Just sucks because I felt pretty confident in my performance and experience. Timing felt weird and like a bit of a slap. Trying not to take it personally but job hunting IS emotional and draining lol.

So, I've accepted the job with my former employer and still looking forward to it. Counting myself lucky considering the current job market.

Recently, I was laid off and fortunately, I was able to get an interview at a company.

Great, so i did the entire pipeline and then it comes down to the senior managerial round. He asks me situational based questions and at a point he asked me a question related to "ownership" & "supporting" and i fumble the hardest - basically i ended up conveying something along the lines "i am sussy of ownership & supporting"

It wouldn't weigh much on me tbh, but for the last 2 years, i had not only been handling my tasks but also tasks of other team. Not only I proactively took interest to support them but I was also officially handling their tasks and supporting them when needed. Basically, I did my work, someone else's work + managed their tasks too + trained people

And wtf do i do in the interview, i convey the complete opposite, like wtf was i thinking? FML

It's been 2 days since the interview, yesterday somehow kept myself distracted and slept but today the weight of regret is too much on me, so venting here.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

I’m feeling extremely burnt out. Looking for advice on how to manage.

Background:

I hit the ceiling at my last job, the company wasn’t doing well so there was no raises for the 3.5 years I worked there, and no new hires to even move up the ladder. I aggressively searched for a new job for 4-5 months and finally landed something.

I’m 2 months into my new role and I hate it. My manager is very rude and disorganized, which sucks because I actually like everyone else I’ve met. I get anxiety any time she messages me because I never know what side of her I’ll get.

So I’m back to job hunting. I know I should be grateful I have a job but now I’m in a higher stress, busier environment that makes returning to a job hunt sound even more exhausting and overwhelming. I also get the impression that my manager may fire me before my probation is over because it is clear she doesn’t think it is a fit either.

Looking for tips on how to power through burnout when job hunting and interviewing or any other relevant life advice 🫠

I have an interview for a local ice cream shop tomorrow and I'm feeling down. I'm still going to smile and give it my best shot, but I don't want to get my hopes up.

Just mentally expecting a rejection email afterwards.

The worst fear for me is coming off desperate because...I am. I need the money bad.

Wish me luck </3

Posting this to share that you're not alone in this absurd market.

Interviews no longer feel like opportunities, they feel like a chore leading to no where.

It sucks.. so many times I was beyond excited to interview, discuss the opportunity, meet the team, go all out on a case study, etc., but now I no longer feel anything....

And the best part about it all? Not knowing if it'll take 10, 100, or 1000 more interviews before finally getting back into a role.

Stay strong out there everyone, and never give up.

10 YoE managing +100m products at a top tech company

I wasn’t even actively job hunting, but a position opened up with a very well-known organization that is quite literally a dream job for me. I feel incredibly qualified and was thrilled to get an interview invitation.

Unfortunately, it was a prerecorded VidCruiter interview, and I found the entire experience SO awkward. One minute to prepare, two minutes to answer, and two attempts to record per question. Only three questions. I typically interview really well, in fact I’ve never interviewed and not gotten an offer (humble brag I swear) but talking to a camera with a countdown completely threw me off. I answered the questions and gave relevant examples, but stumbled over my words and wasn’t nearly as articulate as I normally am.

To make matters worse, I think there may have been a technical glitch with my first answer that cut off the beginning. Yesterday, I emailed their generic employment inbox to explain the possible issue and express how excited I am about the opportunity. No response yet.

I’m desperately hoping I get the chance to interview with an actual human because I know I’d do so much better.
I don’t even know what I’m looking for with this post. Maybe a recruiter to reassure me that they recognize how painfully awkward these interviews are when reviewing them? Or maybe someone to tell me it’s just an AI robot evaluating my answers and I’m stressing over nothing.
Has anyone felt like they fumbled one of these and still moved forward? I’m trying not to convince myself I’ve blown an opportunity I really, really wanted.

I had an amazing interview with a company last Thursday. Before the interview, the lead showed me around the office and introduced me to the entire team. During the interview, I showed them work samples to which they really liked (even telling me a couple of times).

Its Wednesday now and still no update. The recruiter called after the interview to let me know that I was the first one to be interviewed and they still had more interviews that week and the week after.

I graduated 2 years back, was laid off from my first job in 6 months due to revenue issues and currently working as a consultant for an investment firm advising on business development. Over the past 1 year and 8 months I have been interviewing with almost 30+ companies. For most of them I clear the first round quite easily and then fail at the 2nd round or final round. I have failed 5+ final interviews and cannot for the life of me figure out what Im doing wrong.

I use star when prompted behavorials, I have good examples, good questions and answers I believe are good. I cannot for the life of me figure out what I'm doing wrong here. I prep for a couple of hours before each interview and utilizing all these ai tools, understand the company and all my prep has Never let me down but seemingly has never been enough.

I am so lost and have no idea what to do right now.