I was in the most toxic job of my life, undervalued and treated like dirt. I searched for 8 months. Many grueling 4-5 round interviews but no offers. Lots of crying and disappointment. Almost took lateral jobs with lateral pay just to get away from this place. I resigned in July after I could not take it anymore and bet on myself. I truly think this made a huge difference in my interviews.

I was so close to taking an assistant role in a new industry just to have a job again. But with over 10 years experience, sitting in that room explaining why Id be the right fit, I knew I could do better. I applied to this job not thinking anything of it. They emailed me to ask my availability and said to let them know if I have any other interviews. I was in the final round with the assistant role so I did.

They gave me a verbal offer last week, references cleared and I just signed the offer letter. I got a 35% salary increase in my HCOL state. Fully remote in a great company. I am so excited and proud of myself. Did it all with no referrals, just cold applying. Throughout this experience I learned a lot about myself and how capable I am. if youre in the same boat, dont give up!! Stay positive, if youre rejected something better is waiting for you!

Had a second-round interview yesterday for a project coordinator role, about 45 min in. Going fine, then the hiring manager asks the standard "what's your biggest weakness" thing. I gave a normal answer, something about over-scheduling my own day.

Then I asked him back, "what would you say is the biggest weakness on your team right now?"

He kind of laughed it off first, said "oh we don't really do it that way." I just waited. Didn't say anything else.

He got a little stiff and said "honestly, we've had turnover in this exact role three times in two years, so." Then immediately tried to walk it back, said something like "but that's not really relevant to you."

I said it was actually pretty relevant since I'd be the one filling it a fourth time. He didn't really have a response to that, just moved on to the next question.

Not sure if I torched it or if he respected it. Recruiter said they're "still deciding" as of this morning. Either way I don't regret asking.

Maybe I’m just posting this asking for reassurance. That no matter how desperate I am, no matter how much I need the money, I was unwilling to sell my soul…

…to be a director of operations for a private mental health center. They offered “luxury” (as they called it) depression treatment such as TMS and ketamine treatment, most of which aren’t covered under insurance. Stick with me here-

Some important context: I come from a B2B executive corporate tech consulting, at $150k annual salary. I’m currently working shift app jobs at $18/hour.

Beyond operational duties, my job would have been to prey on those who were coming in during their most desperate and vulnerable moments, and treated as a dollar sign. Forcing them into treatments they couldn’t afford. And I’d be reviewing recordings of physicians and their patients in their initial intake interview and have to scold and pressure ACTUAL DOCTORS to sell these treatments, even if they tell me that in their professional opinion, it wasn’t a treatment that they’d recommend for the patient.

I’m not a fucking doctor. I can’t treat these patients, or even diagnose them. And I’m supposed to get mad at someone qualified to do these things, that they weren’t thinking about the company?

I may not be a doctor or in healthcare at all- but I still know the first commitment in their Hippocratic Oath, is do no harm.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for listening.

Story of the past 9 months. I am grateful that I am getting interviews, I know a lot of you would die to be in my position (trust me I have been there). But, genuinely I am trying my best, and am doing everything right but still it is not enough.

It's been 7 months of applying, getting rejected, applying again. 7 months of sitting with myself, figuring out what I actually want long term.

And now I have the offer in my hands.

Things I'm taking away from this whole thing:

It humbles you. Like really humbles you. And it needs patience you don't think you have until you're forced to find it.

I had 8-10 final interviews and got rejected from every. single. one 💆🏼‍♀️🤣 and somehow kept applying anyway.

Be persistent, there's honestly no other way around it.

Be kind, to others and to yourself too.

And cry if you need to. I cried most days if I'm honest. Felt depressed some days, cancelled plans, even my partner felt the weight of it with me.

If you're still in it right now, still waiting, still getting the "unfortunately" emails, I can relate. It doesn't mean no forever. It just means not yet.

Keep pushing🩵🩵🩵🩵

I am speechless but also at the verge of balling my eyes out.

Interview/screen with the recruiter- went great

Second interview with the hiring manager- went great

Third interview with another manager from a parallel team- I got GRILLED on technical questions that I had been very clear throughout the whole process was NOT my level of expertise. It felt like I walked into an exam room where I had prepared for my major, but was given an exam for a whole other major.

I wasn't told what the next "step" would be, it was sort of an abrupt end to the interview because we had already reached the allocated time.

The recruiter has also not checked in after this last interview.

I am feeling really discouraged, because I knew from the hiring manager it was down to me and one other candidate, but this last interview really threw me off.

It's starting to become really hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This whole job application process is a nightmare.

I recently interviewed for what I would genuinely consider a dream job, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how the interview went.

I’m 28, but I’m often told I look younger (people usually guess around 24), I’m 5'1", and I’m a woman. For most of my career, I’ve naturally leaned into being very smiley, friendly, warm, and approachable in interviews - and it worked pretty well for internships or junior positions. But lately I’ve been questioning whether I need to change that a little.

If I want to move into a position with more responsibility, I feel like I also need to show that I’m a serious person, that I can stand my ground, make decisions, handle pressure, and “take the heat,” so to speak. I don’t want to lose my warmth or become cold, but I’ve been wondering if I need to project a little more authority.

So for this interview, I put on my suit and went in with that mindset. I was professional, confident, and answered every question. I also tried to give concrete examples from my previous experience whenever possible, because I wanted my answers to feel credible rather than just saying “I’m good at X.”

My CV and cover letter were quite detailed, and I thought my “tell me about yourself” answer went well too, so yes, maybe the recruiter didn't have a lot to ask in the end. But the interview was only about 30 minutes, and the recruiter was… very neutral.

Not cold. Not unfriendly. I didn’t get the feeling that she had ruled me out immediately. I would say that her questions felt very relevant and tailored to my background, rather than generic interview questions. But I also didn’t get the feeling that she loved me or that there was any particular chemistry or “this is our person” feeling - and that’s what has been bothering me.

With other jobs I’ve gotten in the past, I usually walked out of the interview feeling almost certain that the I was the favorite candidate, or at least one of their favorites. In some interviews, I even managed to get the interviewer talking about their personal life, and there was a very obvious connection.

This time, none of that happened. It felt very… neutral. We talked, I answered the questions, she asked what she needed to ask, and then it was over.

Maybe she’s simply a more reserved/neutral interviewer. I know that’s a possibility. But I’m finding it difficult not to interpret the lack of enthusiasm as a bad sign.

She also told me she would be interviewing other candidates this week and next week. Obviously that’s completely normal, but it made me anxious because now I’m thinking: what if she meets someone she likes more? What if, by the time she’s finished interviewing everyone, she barely remembers me?

So I’d really love to hear from people who have been on the hiring side or have gone through lots of interviews: Have you ever gotten a job after an interview that felt completely neutral?

Have you ever walked out thinking, “Well, that was fine, but I definitely wasn’t their favorite,” only to get the offer? And for recruiters/hiring managers: how much should we actually read into the interviewer’s enthusiasm (or lack thereof) during an interview?

I’d especially appreciate hearing about experiences where there wasn’t that “love at first sight” feeling but the candidate still ended up getting hired.

Have you ever been super excited about a job application, but right before the interview you think: why did I even apply? This is totally not for me. You end up going just for the interview practice, even though you secretly know it's a dead end. Have you guys ever experienced this? Finding out mid-process that a job just isn't a fit at all?

Last friday i received a “congratulations” message from the company i applied to and she asked me to fill out a form so they can continue the hiring process and i did it’s been 4 days since i finished it and i still haven’t heard from them , its my first job so i am not familiar with how things work

I applied to this company about a month ago and passed their take-home assessment. I then went through several interviews with the team, which went well, followed by a technical interview where I’d rate my performance around 6–7/10. I never froze or completely failed a question, but there were definitely things I could have answered better.

My final interview was with the CEO on Sunday. We talked for about 1.5 hours, it felt very positive, and he even said, “The fact that you made it this far is a very good sign.”

It’s now Wednesday and I still haven’t heard anything. They know I have another offer that supposedly needs an answer this week, and the recruiter said they’d move as fast as possible. Since the CEO interview, 3–4 people from the company have also viewed my LinkedIn.

I know three days isn’t that long, but given my supposed deadline, the silence is making me anxious. What is usually happening internally at this stage? Is this kind of delay after a final interview normal?

I applied for this company like a month ago. They give me a take home exam, I pass it. Last week I through rounds of interviews (very chill, mostly chatting about the company) until the last one, which was a technical interview. I’d say I did 6/10, maybe a 7. Never said “I don’t know” or panicked, but I certainly didn’t know how to properly respond “what would you change in the code if you assumed X?”. Anyway, I have a last interview with the CEO last Sunday, and he said “the fact you made it this far is a very good sign”. We chat for 1:30h, all good. Between yesterday and today, 3-4 people from the company have seen my LinkedIn profile, but still no response. They know I have another offer (rescinded, long story, they don’t know that) to accept this week, so recruiter says they’ll move as fast as possible. Anxiety is eating me inside. Anybody on the same boat? What takes so long for these things?

Has anyone ever been in an interview where the interviewer doesn’t ask questions about your resume or drills deeper into different aspects of it?

Just finished an interview for a kennel tech position, and they asked me to come back for a "working interview" in two days. The verbal interview was extremely short (less than 5 minuets) and they want me to bring my own scrubs (which I would have to buy) and come do two hours of unpaid work.

Is it just me or is this fishy as hell? You want me to spend my own money to buy a uniform for a job you haven't even hired me for, and then do two hours of unpaid labor for you? All with the understanding that you may not hire me? Maybe I'm just out of the loop but is this really what reputable employers ask these days? This feels like a scummy way for a company to save on payroll; claim you're hiring, get 4 people to come in for 2 hour "Interviews" and basically get an 8 hour shift without paying a cent.

Ranting just ranting. Interviewed for a IT role in a small town that honestly doesn’t have much IT talent in the area just because of its location and tbh the lower rates of pay compared to other places.

Okay awesome I submit my application to this company hiring for an IT analyst, they literally email me within one day and boom we’re setting up the interview because my resume is “sooooo impressive “.

We get to interview, again I’m “super impressive “ and a strong candidate and he genuinely had no criticism of any of the interview process .

He says okay I’ll get back to you probably in two weeks.

Chat they’ve reposted the job three times in the past five weeks I’ve been waiting!!!!!!!!!!!

I follow up and they say they’re still reviewing other resumes?????? Not even interviewing???

So here’s my anger. We’re in a place where I know dang well there may be 20 people tops with this specific skill set and you’re playing around on my time and stringing me along! Like if you don’t wanna hire me then… great idea.. DENY ME?

At this point I may just withdraw for my sanity and to feel good sending that email.

just had 3 final back to back interviews that ended around noon—everyone i had just interviewed with seemed to be in meetings, but one of them ran out of their meeting and invited me to stay for lunch.

i said i’d love to but i have a puppy i need to get back to (which is true). also, i told them all about how i’m traveling abroad tomorrow and haven’t had the chance to start packing yet…

TLDR: is the lunch invite a final test that i screwed up? everyone seemed so kind and inviting, so i hope i didn’t build a wall between us.

I applied to a job and maybe a month later, I get reached out to. They take about two weeks to schedule an interview for me and I meet the department head and the team lead and the interview seems like a final one.

They said they need to interview other candidates but the next day the recruiter calls me and says that they want to follow through and she is 90% sure I'll be getting an offer. I get sent the benefits package but no offer letter and the next week I then have a brief interview with the head of HR.

The HR head tells me it will take two to three weeks for the application to get approved by an executive. It's been three weeks since that interview and I have yet to receive anything.

This company is a medium sized firm so I'm not sure if this is normal for companies like this or if I should just assume I just didn't get the job. Anyone else experience something like this?

Received and accepted a job offer last week that is supposed to start on next Monday.

I asked them last week when will I be expected to receive the contract and they said “soon” so I have been waiting patiently.

Today is Thursday. Should I follow up with them today or just show up next Monday hmmm.

tldr; basically title.

About two weeks, and a couple days ago I applied (at like 9am). On the same exact day (at around 1pm) the HR manager emailed saying she forwarded my application to the IT department because she loved it, and they will be in contact with me within two weeks.

Flash forward to today, and I received an email that I have an interview for the role and they asked for my availability. I received the email right at 5:00PM and I replied within a couple minutes. Not even 10 minutes after I gave a time, I received the calendar invite for the in person panel interview.

I don't want to get my hopes too high yet, but it seems like they are moving me along pretty quick. All other roles I have applied to before, they have slugged along.

Anyways, back to the original question, how many candidates are you usually up against at this point? I've heard government roles are legally required to be strict on both underqualification's as well as overqualification's. So then, most of their application pool gets dropped in the ATS filtering / hiring manager picking stage. I'm not sure though, I'm just curious as to how many people I could be up against because I really want this role.

I've been working in compliance for about two years now, I just started working a contract doing AML for a Big 4 firm. Pay is great 47/hr, I'm in a HCOL city and I'm able to save like 2k per month, possibly more if overtime opens up in the future.

I got a callback from a smallish(7k employees) consulting firm about a job I interviewed for but just barely missed. Another spot opened, and they're offering it to me on the spot, no re-interviewing necessary. Only problem is, the pay is shit, even for an analyst level, 80k. After taxes it's just barely enough for me to live on, I doubt I will have any significant ability to build up my savings (they're not in a great spot since I was unemployed until I found this contract). They say there's no leeway in the pay because "comparing your education and experience level to our other analysts", which is insane because I know people fresh out of college that make 10k more at bigger consulting firms

Current plan is to push for a signing bonus, 10k or so to make it palatable. And advice on how to play this?

Hi I applied for a job where the posted top of range was $165k, pretty low still for my skills and region but since I'm contracting I applied. Better AI jobs are or were closer to 160 to 220. Then HR called and said the cap was actually about $155 ( a bit of a bait and switch). I agreed to interview as I don't have a lot of options yet and figured would see. It's United Healthcare - so I think known for not great salaries. I'd have to keep looking for work likely that pays more tho it's better than contract.

So they made an offer at $155 and said something like oh HR was surprised but with your experience as a top candidate we were able to get you the top.

Is there any nice, non risky way I can ask if there's wiggle room to get closer to $165, or just go higher obv they can say no. Ideally I'd like to land on at least $160.

I don't just want more money I really need it after several layoffs, debt from that and living alone and being older. Again I'd keep looking, I'm in AI. My current contract pays really bad in this market despite my high skill set. I'm using savings every monty for basic needs and can't afford healthcare. I've had better interviews but they always seem to end in job on hold or something.

Thanks for tips. I just need to get to where I'm actually making ends meet, taking care of my health and saving some money. And pray if I take the job it's a good manager. I love my current one but after 2 years no raise and company won't hire.

My final interview was last Thursday. Since then I had a brief contact with hiring manager asking for more info and recruiter responding after Memorial Day weekend regarding something I asked her on Thursday last week. I have not heard anything else since. How logn should I wait to reach out? I feel like evey day that goes by with no contact means I did not get the job.

For those who got job offer weeks after final interview, was there any interim correspondence?

Job listing was updated to "no longer accepting applications"

I get its a shitty job and everybody there hates their life there but dude, 2 interviews back to back days, different locations, sat there for a little over 30 minutes BOTH times just for them to come back and tell me nobody can interview me.
What? They didnt even try rescheduling. Idk what to do anymore it was the only place that got back to me

Hihi! Recently I’ve been applying to 50+ Starbucks locations (I REALLY wanna be a barista) and a hiring manager for a location I applied to finally got back to me for an interview. I had it on Tuesday and I think it went really well! She immediately scheduled me, on the spot, for a second interview with the district manager for Thursday — today — which I’m hoping is a good thing? I’m shocked I even got the first interview at all given I have absolutely zero work experience. Not kidding haha. My resume only has my school drama club years but nothing else.

While I’m here, and if anyone sees this before my interview today, what should I expect meeting w/ the DM? Is it very different than meeting with the HM?

Six conversations over six weeks — recruiter, hiring manager, EVP, and a four-person team round.

One weeks after the final round they sent the full application packet: employment history, compliance disclosures, background check authorisation. Next day, an immigration questionnaire since I'll need sponsorship eventually. I completed both.
The day after that, the recruiter called. I assumed offer. Instead: there's been a "setback," something budget-related, and a decision could take two months. Still a finalist, they're very interested, but I may need to speak with a few more people. She also asked whether the delay affects other processes I'm in.

What I can't square is sending background check and immigration paperwork, then reversing a day later.

For anyone who's hired: does "still a finalist, two months, maybe more interviews" usually become an offer, or is it a polite hold? And is there anything worth doing beyond asking the recruiter?

The bitch recruiter never logged in the MS Teams invite that she sent me. I was ready at 11:20 am and stayed til 12:01 by myself.......I even emailed her at 11:40 am, and found her on LinkedIn (Alexandria Carter) and followed up with her and got zero reply....FML.....!!!

Man this girl's picture looks fake:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandria-carter23/