Landing a job these days is much more complicated than it was around a decade ago. In a 2023 survey, 70% of 1,500 job seekers admitted they needed to put in more effort than usual, and 67% found their recent job searches more difficult than their previous ones.
Dealing with incompetent, inconsiderate recruiters can be a more frustrating experience for job seekers. This list of screenshots of email and text exchanges between talent acquisition professionals and candidates revolves around that theme.
They’re all from the Recruiting Hell subreddit, a safe place where job hunters can share their woes and grievances.
If you’ve been through an exasperating job hunt, these stories may make you feel empathy or echo the same annoyance these people felt.
#1 Found This On Linkedin, Thought It Probably Belongs Here…lol
#3 Seen In NYC, Are They Starting To Understand?
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about the Great Resignation when people left their jobs en masse in the spring of 2021. This resulted in a labor shortage, leading to companies scrambling for workers and offering various perks and benefits.
But that was three years ago, and the job market has since shifted to a point where companies have become more conscious about costs. If you want to boost your chances of getting hired, you must reframe your thinking, says Bert Bean, CEO of staffing firm Insight Global.
That change in approach may include skill development. According to Forbes, online courses and workshops are ways to gain valuable and relevant experiences.
#4 Counterpoint: If It’s Taking 6 Months For An Upper Manager To Fill A Position, The Company Should Be Looking To Fill 2 Positions
#5 Someone Pls Try It And Tell Me If It Worked
#6 Felt So Good To Talk Back For Once
A global recession loomed in 2023, frightening companies and urging them to pause the expansion of their workforce. According to Glassdoor’s lead economist, Daniel Zhao, many businesses continue to live in that fear.
“They don’t want to overhire into a recession and then have to lay people off,” Zhao told CNBC.
As a possible solution, Bean advises looking into other industries that have increased their hiring efforts in the past few months. These include healthcare, government, and construction.
#7 Just Stop Please
#8 Recruiter Moment
#9 “How I Got A Job At Big 4 Being In My 20s.”
If you’re fresh out of college, landing a job would be an uphill battle in 2024. According to research by SHL Global, companies are downsizing their hiring of new graduates by 5.8% in 2024. The reason: AI is slowly replacing entry-level jobs.
But surprisingly, it hasn’t deterred the optimism of graduates from honing their skills and building a career. Handshake’s report noted, “[Graduates] are clear on their priorities—stability, location, and an employer’s reputation as a great place to work.”
#10 Seems About Right
#11 Damn, That Felt Good!
#12 And Being Told “You’re At The Upper Salary Band”
You may want to narrow down your choices if the job market is overly saturated. In a viral TikTok video, recruiter Kourtlynn Faith advises being more intentional about your approach to the job search.
Instead of applying for multiple roles in every LinkedIn job opening in your industry, Faith recommends going after specific roles you know you would be a good fit for. A more strategic approach may boost your chances of landing a job that suits you best.
#13 Solid Advice From The Man Himself
#14 Beautiful Text Exchange With A Recruiter
#15 Oh No It’s Totally Cool, I Love Booking 3 Separate Meetings To Be Bailed On Each Time By Someone With Crap Grammar
We’d also like to hear from you, readers. Have you been in a frustrating job search where a recruiter made it more difficult for you? If so, how did you handle the situation? Let us know in the comments!
#16 Ayo This Lady Working For UPS Really Tried To Get Free Labor Out Of Me Lol
#17 Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
#18 Listen Up!
#19 I’m Tired Of Recruiters Avoiding My Questions And Playing Dumb
#20 Aaaahhh I Can’t Wait To Have This Feeling
#21 Oao
#22 Absolutely Stupid Hr
#23 I’m So Fed Up With Recruiters Reaching Out To Me With Insultingly Low Rates For Short Term Contract Work When They Can See I Have A Full Time Job Already
#24 Just Why Tho
#25 Rejection Letter For A Us Remote Job. Company Thought New Mexico Was “International”
#26 Reality vs. Linkedin…😅
#27 Onion
#28 It Feels Good To Reject An Job After Again After 6 Years
#29 They’re On To Us, Boys!
#30 What’s The Asterisk For Subway? What’s The Asterisk For!? [oc]
#31 Was Looking At Truck Driving Jobs And Saw This
#32 I Am Seriously Out Of Words….. There Needs To Be A Hell On This World Also For Recruiters
#33 Applied For This Job 2 Months Ago, Now The Recruiter Wants A Same Day Or Next Day Interview. Asked Me To Use Skype To Schedule. Should I Say Noon Again? Maybe In All Caps?
#34 Called Out For Being Stingy. Butthurt Company Further Tarnished Own Reputation With Their Explanation
#35 Already Had A Bad Feeling About This Job So They Made The Decision Easy For Me 😂
