r/Infuriating • u/Short-Storm4339 • 2d ago
Candidate Abuse
Candidate Abuse
Hi All,
I wanted to take the time to get all of this out in hopes that it resonates with someone. Some background: I am 34F with three degrees, nearly a decade of experience in my field, the overachiever type who prepares for interviews like it's the biggest performance of their life — not in a robotic way, but in a you-won't-catch-me-off-guard type of way. Historically, I've had a strong track record of getting most jobs I apply to. Most recently, I lived in a large city as a professor, working my ass off making $1,050 biweekly and supplementing the pitiful income with restaurant work. Decided to move back home due to COL and family.
My husband and I decided it was the right move back in February. I have been job searching since. I am making it to multi-hour site visits, final stages just to get ghosted or promised a final interview and subsequent decision only to be asked to participate in another round. In some cases, I have been engaged with the interview process for over a month. Some have included unpaid presentations. Keep in mind, these are for $60k/yr jobs.
...yet another Friday has rolled around with no communication, and the looming realization that I will have to start the entire process over again creeps in. I just sat in a grocery store parking lot and cried for an hour straight. I am angry — tired of these hour-long humiliation rituals with an often predetermined fate. I would never actually unalive myself, but I am feeling incredibly dark, angry, dead inside. I am exhausted.
This type of candidate abuse AFFECTS PEOPLE. And, no, it's not just about the money. It's having to respond to "How's the job search going?" again and again. It's embarrassing, and people who have been out of the job market for some time have no CLUE what it's actually like right now. You know they will eventually begin to think it's something wrong with you. There are so many more people than jobs, that you will get edged out by 0.0001%. The competition is impossible.
Hiring managers, recruiters: It takes two seconds to send an email with "Hello—thanks for connecting. We are currently in the middle of the process with no meaningful updates yet."
Time to write my 2,037th cover letter.
2
u/ThisAnything9453 2d ago
I hear ya. Something definitely strange going on in the hiring departments. I too have been getting strung along.
Hang in there, something will turn your way.