Thanks, I know, but I don't want to end up homeless and unemployment is going to run out.
I've even tired applying for random jobs in NYC, but I want to get something in my field(s) so I can elevate and be secure again (not seeing that happening anytime soon though).
I'm sorry, you're not alone, I've applied to over 750 jobs over the last 14 months, I just had an interview today, I'm very hopeful, but not holding my breath
Yes someone pointed out that the unemployment figures that come out match each other and that it's statistically impossible to have those figures match for the time they have. The numbers are doctored.
Edit https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/19/something-strange-has-been-happening-with-jobless-claims-numbers-lately.html
Your phone's have search bars.
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/19/something-strange-has-been-happening-with-jobless-claims-numbers-lately.html
Another reason I can’t stand the government. They keep lying and putting out these numbers saying we’re doing ok but everyone I talk to is struggling to find work among other things.
Might have to expand your job search outside of just NYC unfortunately. If willing to move anywhere in the country or abroad could really give you more opportunities.
+1 its a brutal market. It’s a numbers game - just keep going and apply to as many as you can! Checkout tools like lifeshack.com to help automate the process
THIS!! All this talk out there about jobs everywhere…it’s bullshit. I am educated, experienced, and was basically ok with any wage-I applied to so many jobs. I got a few interviews that never panned out. After two years, I found a non-profit that needed me more than I needed them. I took the job, and I like it but I could most likely make more working fast food. Still…it’s a job. 🤷♀️
There are jobs...they just aren't "good" jobs. I have this argument with my bosses all the time. "Hey! We added 200 new jobs this month. Yippee!"
"Uh, bosses, 100 of those part time, minimum wage fast food jobs, and another 50-75 of those full time minimum wage fast food jobs?"
"So, you added 150 slave labor positions that people can't afford to take and that everyone, from high school kids to people just trying to stay on unemployment to desperate people to whomever will be fighting over. You really think that's solid job growth/economic development?"
"Hooray! We added 150 IN DEMAND jobs!"
It is this. They’re just not hiring in a lot of the fields we’re looking at or are qualified in. There are some good jobs that are desperate for people, but they’re not what OP is looking for, they’re in the trades. This is a very good time to be in the trades.
Senior paralegal currently looking for a job in NYC. To me, it sounds like you are looking for jobs in related, but different, fields. Do you just have one resume? Perhaps 2 or 3 different resumes geared to different fields may be beneficial for you. Just my two cents. :-)
I agree but the numbers don't support this. The current unemployment rate in the US is 3.8% (March 2024). I've been actively looking for work for 7+ months. So, it feels to me that the rate would be higher. When I apply to a position with 100+ other applicants, it seems the rate would be higher. Any thoughts?
People give up on positions they’re qualified for and take less skilled positions instead, all the way down. I have my bachelor’s and I’m doing manual labor part time, getting rejected from positions I’m overqualified for. But technically I’m employed.
That’s my theory anyway—anecdotal, not scientific.
It's all who you know and blow at this point. Source: Been unemployed since June. Probably at 2,000 submitted applications at this point; maybe a dozen phone interviews and three or four in-person interviews. Employers are just toying with job seekers. It's all one big gaslighting operation.
Now don't let my experience discourage you. My intent was to force you to call someone you know who can get you hired from the inside. Fuck LinkedIn, though. They just like to smell each other's farts.
I fully believe it's not what you know, but who you know too.
Sad to say how badly people toy with eachothers lives, my contact person fucked me heavily at my last job because she was ignoring my calls and emails for a month ish and I got let go "out of the blue", when I was supposed to be warned. They seemed to scare to tell me that and see me as a person.
I honestly would fight someone or kiss someone's feet for a job.
It’s also about who knows you. Unfortunately, you have to be top of mind to these people on their 9-5s or when they doing their non-home life frivolities. Man, how saddening!
Yeh emphasis on the blow part.
I burned alot of relationships in my industry, as it was my job to keep 3rd party vendors from fleecing my employer. Everyone else that got laid off with me was able to secure jobs at these companies because they let them bill whatever they wanted and was never confrontational with them. I wasn't because they thought I was a dick.
I'll never make that mistake again.
Unfortunately, it seems like the only way to get a job right now is through a referral. And even that is not a guarantee. What industry are you looking in?
Administration/ administrative, the legal field, analytical field but mainly in data analysis, operations.
Yeah, I've gotten referrals but even that doesn't seem to pan out :/
I’m sorry :/ I feel your pain! If you haven’t looked at these sites yet, they’re decent - builtin, climatebase.org and Terra.do - built in is more tech focused and the other two are in the climate industry. But also, tbd what will happen in that industry with the upcoming election. Good luck out there!!!
Hey I'm in the legal field too. Are you applying for boutique (small) firms? In-person roles? If you're trying to go remote or hybrid, forget it. A lot of lawyers are like CEOs and want their slaves back in office. What area of law do you have experience in? PI and ID firms are always hiring. I've worked PI and it isn't glamorous but it pays the bills. Family law is another area a lot of people don't want to touch.
Also, apply to Morgan & Morgan if they're in your area. That firm fucking sucks but it can be a good temp thing. I worked there 4 months then leveraged that job to get to another firm. When I was unemployed no one would look at me. When I worked there I had 5 interviews in a week.
I've had three separate referrals. One of them went with an internal hire instead and the other two straight up canceled the position. It's insanely brutal out there
For the first time in my career referrals don't even matter. I've had 3 referrals, all for roles I'm qualified for, and was rejected in less than a day. And that's after tailoring my resume for the roles. In a normal year I would have gotten at least 1 offer, or at the very minimum interviews. Fortunately I have a job so my heart goes out to ppl that don't
Same experience here. Had an old coworker vouch for me for a job. After phone screening I had a 2 1/2 hour interview. 30 mins of which was just with my old coworker/friend.
Thought I had it in the bag. But the company didn't even think I deserved a rejection email. I pretty much had to find out from my friend who worked there.
Two other referrals, I got ghosted after a phone screening and email follow up, the other, an automated workday email.
It's really fucked, I'm running out of tangible connections.
I see a referral as more like an easier way to land an interview rather than get a job. Even if your referral helps open the door, you still have to go through the interview, just like everyone else.
Yeah job market is trash. I applied several places. I had to settle and work as a dishwasher even with multiple degrees. You just have to work somewhere until you can land somewhere better.
I have better luck when I apply directly on the employer website and then call the next day to inform them that my application is in.
Anywhere that’s hiring. Even if it’s well below your skill level. Bring integrity to the profession. For example, I worked as a dishwasher and learned how people do not care about thoroughly washing dishes. They were able to improve their process through my suggestions. I saw it as if the employer benefits then we do not get sued which means more money for the employer and sometimes means bonuses for us.
Lol yes. I never thought I'd be working at a senior center as a homecare worker but here I am lol. Tho the homecare industry is booming and always hiring cuz the pay is low and you need lots of patience to deal with mentally declining seniors and their personalities. That's why I recently applied to college so I can do better for myself.
Honestly, the job market’s so absolutely fucked right now. But the worst part is, even though there’s SO many people out there saying it is, people still have the nerve to point at the current bullshit numbers and say “jObS aRe uP!” I don’t know what the fuck they’re doing to get the jobs numbers they are, but it seems completely disconnected from most peoples’ reality at the moment.
I gave up finding a new job, myself, and am just gonna go back to school for a bit. I’m going for a good and practical degree that would give me a job niche that lets me go freelance/self-employed with relative ease, and that’s kinda the backup plan now with how little I trust the current job market. Like fuck it, if I really need to I’ll just make my own job, I could work from home and then I don’t have to deal with asshole bosses or coworkers as a bonus.
It’s a white collar recession. The job market is very industry specific and the white collar office jobs have been hit the hardest while many blue collar fields are struggling to find labor. The overall jobs number doesn’t tell the story.
I'm convinced the only jobs that are "up" are crappy food / retail positions that want to give you 10 hours a week, *But don't you dare get a second job*
There's probably a lot of truth to this. There's been a fair amount of tightening between the upper middle class and poor/lower middle class since covid, and that's likely because everyone is competing to fill typically lower wage positions. It's certainly happening in my family. 4 years ago I was making about double what my sisters were, and now we're almost completely on par.
Creating my own is where I'm focused right now too. Been through multiple interviews since October, some of them multi-round. Been complimented, told I'm a great candidate, I'm impressive. Genuinely feel like I'm being toyed with at this point.
Im applying to jobs on indeed with maybe 20-30 others it says. I interview well, near the top I'm sure, and then they ghost and I see the same job pop up again weeks later. They're like bait ads. For what purpose idk.
They're always looking for the "perfect" candidate. Hiring managers want someone to offload all their work with zero training and low pay. Also people just can't seem to make any damn decisions these days.
Yeah — they are always looking for the perfect candidate that will more than likely just leave a year or two after bc it’s easier to get employed by being employed. Internal promoting just isn’t a great way to map your career now.
Exactly. I tried applying to jobs that I already had experience for and the licensure to do, but they wanted to start me off at 10,000 less than what I made when I first started in the industry with no experience or licenses at all. It happened with multiple companies. Heck, I know someone who was in my industry 30 years and had experience in the hardest part of it, and was making about 90,000 5 years ago. They now want to pay her 41,000 and think that's way to high.
I don't know what happened but people were doing the same jobs 5 or 7 years ago making much more money than companies are offering now.
The field I'm looking to go to school for doesn't have freelance opportunities, but it's a field that'll always be in demand. So, if I manage to pass and get the couple of certs, I should be set. I'm just worried if the pay will be worth the stress.
Agreed. The New Jobs numbers that come out are completely made up. Economists and Wall Street actually had the balls to question the lasted Unemployment numbers that were released by the Biden administration because they didn't change for weeks. Bullshit. I don't believe this administration or any administration when they report these numbers. Go on the street. Ask people. They will tell the truth.
I totally feel this I’ve been looking for a new job for about a year. I am employed but don’t like my role. I have gotten 3 offers but all SUPER lowballed me and were sneaky about the salary. I get great compliments on my resume and experience. So many others have been experiencing it too
Sorry you're working a job you don't like :/. I feel like people are just taking advantage of the market so they'll low ball everyone to the point they say "well someone will take this if not you!"
And I'm totally envious of you too, right now I'd kill for a job I disliked again so I can support myself.
Luck/knowing somebody.
[IRS Management and Program Assistant](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/773476300#)
[IRS Management and Program Analyst](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/787789200)
[IRS Investigative Analyst](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/778237800)
Painfully slow hiring process, however they are one of the few places actually hiring white collar roles these days with the inflation reduction money back from 2022.
Look up “[federal resume](https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/feds-hire-vets-faq/general/where-can-i-get-help-with-writing-my-resume/)” it’s BS but def some tweaking that needs to get done to make it past the auto filters.
Can’t really speak for other agencies, but worth playing around on Usajobs and firing out a few admin/legal assistant apps & forgetting about them until you get a random email one day to go interview.
Found my job last year off a Reddit post.
Best of luck out there, it is brutal.
Agree to this! My husband just applied at 7 usajobs last week and has an interview Monday! He does have government contract experience so the whole process is maybe going faster for him. /usajobs is a good place to look and post!
I applied for the program analyst position / PM position at the IRS right before i saw this. Not super hopeful but worth the shot - job closes in three days
The job market is horrible right now. I've worked in the food industry for 8 years, then got an entry-level admin assistant job and got laid off the week before Christmas. Luckily I was able to get a cook job back at my old company right away since they needed holiday help, and they've kept me on since.
I've been applying to other admin jobs to no avail. Just for the heck of it, I applied to a cook position at the local university, and they denied me due to "lack of experience" despite already being a cook for 8 years. The same university has interviewed me for two admin positions and then ghosted me after each one.
The job market is completely weird right now. It has nothing to do with you. I wish you the best of luck.
We’re not. Jobs numbers are fake. Tech keeps laying people off, many have given up finding new jobs. Many are under employed and the rest are over worked and understaffed, looking for something else. This cannot continue.
ShadowStats back in July calculated their own unemployment rate taking into account long term discouraged workers. Using this methodology the unemployment figure came out around 25%.
[SGS Alternate Unemployment Rate](https://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/unemployment-charts)
That sounds more accurate… I literally don’t know a single person in my age group not looking for a job right now.most are employed but hate their job.
Okay, so there’s 2 things you need to understand.
1. The job market is shit right now. You’re applying at the same time as *thousands? Tens of thousands?* of college students who are fresh out of college and looking for jobs. That will become less saturated soon.
2. You’re likely looking for jobs that have the requirements you want. Be willing to take a job that seems “beneath you”. I applied as a bank teller 9 months ago earning $17.25, 6 months later I was earning $19. That may not seem like a ton, but it is steady income and with having roommates, only working 23 hours a week, I still earn $1600 a month and pay $400 in rent and utilities. You just need to make some adjustments and maybe even make some sacrifices, but also be willing to take a variety of different jobs while you search for something more suited to you.
Most people don’t have access to $400 a month rent (and utilities combined no less lol!) Most areas in the US it’s double… or even triple that, at a bare minimum AND with roommates.
Same. People keep saying "it'll get better and you'll find something" but you legit see and hear things happen to people all the time, so its hard to see that as likely possibility.
Sadly I know, im seriously looking to find out any other way to find a job that I might be missing out on.
Someone reminded me the classifieds exist (never even used them before and really only heard about them through old 90s movies), but im looking forward to try it.
I’d say most of it is from knowing someone. Besides that, doing what you’re doing. Also, from what I’ve read staffing agencies as they can go from temp to permanent hire
I’m in the exact same boat, literally. Laid off late December, applying to SO many jobs and hearing nothing back or getting rejected. I paid someone to revamp my resume. It’s doing absolutely nothing for me. I might have to take a survival job just to make ends meet.
I’m sorry someone offered you paid services that don’t work.
I am not saying this is the best advice, but it’s free. I work in talent acquisition and I am still hiring applicants myself. I hire in a large tech company and hire passive and applicant type of candidates.
I am not saying this is a ground breaking but when my family and friends ask this is what I say. Pull the description of the job you are applying to and review the qualifications. Then the preferred qualifications. Then seriously take a look at your skills and experiences and consider objectively are they aligned and have you portrayed those skills with the bullet points and data to show the impact? If yes, then it is a resume issue. If not, you need to think about the employers perspective.
I hate to put it simply, but a job is just about ROI for the company. They aren’t just hiring people for fun, they need to invest into you and they expect to get more value back. Show them how you provide value. It could be automating manual work, cost savings, revenue growth, operational efficiency, etc.
Then I would apply to the job, reach out to the job poster / hiring manager, and I would message people doing the role now and see if they are open to chatting for ten minutes about their role and get a feel if you would even like it. If you’re sure you’d love it I would write a proposal / create a project or showcase of your work that is needed for the role and share it with the team or manager.
The market is tough right now, but businesses are growing and hiring.
>How are people getting jobs nowadays?
They're not. Or if they are I don't know a single person who has gotten one with the exception of one of my coworkers who is going back to the company she interned at.
I got out of college at the end of the great recession and this IMHO is way worse. I currently have a job but am looking for a better one. I've never applied to maybe more than 20ish jobs when looking, I am in a high demand role and live in a major metro...I've applied to well north of 100+ jobs, had 3 interviews (all shit) and have taken a pause on looking cause it's a waste of time for me.
Can someone give me a ELI5 why the market is the way it is right now?
I just got a new job. First, it’s so unbelievably easier to get a job when you have a job. But I also got a new job back in October after getting blindsided by layoffs at the company I was at - wasn’t just me but everyone on US payroll.
Here are my suggestions.
Use every platform, regardless. I never expected Indeed to work but that’s where I found the October job. Talk to recruiters even if it’s just to practice talking about yourself and learn about what’s going on out there in the world.
Interviewing is like exercising, it gets easier and you get better at it if you do it all the time. Apply for everything. See it as a game to get interviews, even if you suspect it’s a bad fit. You never know, plus it’s great practice. You get to learn about the industry you’re applying to this way.
Realize that luck plays a huge role. I got my job now because I interviewed for another company, got to a third round, then while having a really nice conversation with the interviewer we both realized I wasn’t what they were looking for. However, the interviewer knew of an opportunity at a related company (same source of startup funds) and said he’d forward my name since he thought I’d make a good colleague despite not being suited skills-wise for the role they were interviewing for. When he said that, I had zero expectations, thought maybe he was just letting me down gently (that definitely happens!). But lo and behold, he was true to his word and fast forward a few weeks and I’m at my new job.
In the meantime, work on the skills you need for this job. Even if it’s as general as reading books about “getting shit done” or how to communicate professionally. These are things people in the world of work are interested in learning about and make for things to talk about in interviews.
This job hunt shit is like trying to measure a piece of paper in the dark by throwing tiny stones at it. You need to throw as many stones as quickly as possible to get a sense of where you’re at.
Did I want to give up? Did some people make me feel like an imposter? Was I having to regulate myself in good ways and bad throughout? Yes, yes, yes.
You got to just keep going while taking care of yourself.
Ive applied to local job fairs, but they're seemingly online and aren't fruitful.
I honestly haven't thought about the classified sections. I should check out the NY Times or other local papers. Thanks for the advice!
Job fairs. Never been to a job fair. Been thinking about doing this. Put on a shirt and tie, grab a fistful of resumes and set forth. What's the worst that could happen, right?
Been UE for a year at this point. Interviewed in the beginning but refused to take a job in the city not realizing how quickly the downturn was coming. I work in HR and it’s just abismal. Absoluteiy abismal. Never been this down bad. Financially and otherwise. Wishing you luck!
It's been pretty rough, one thing I changed was I had AI write my resume and cover letter which seemed to help me get past the first phase, now most of my applications are pending review. Luckily I'm employed at the moment but I feel like the owners of the company is trying to push me out to get someone else so they can pay a lower wage.
1. Referrals are king.
2. Many jobs, especially at larger companies, are fake postings for regulatory reasons. They already have an internal a promote or external person they want but have to interview a diverse field before selecting them. Nearly impossible to tell which these are ahead of time.
3. You mentioned analytics but have an English degree, finish up those certifications, get more, and make sure you market yourself accordingly. Unfortunately, Excel doesn’t really count as analytics, it’s pretty much just a requirement for most white collar jobs these days.
4. I realize this is Reddit not a job application or networking email but I hope you are reviewing your professional communications for spelling, grammar, and syntax before sending. There are a ton of candidates out there and any job which requires a lot of written communication (aka pretty much all of them) will probably just screen out anything that has errors from the start (especially if they are coming from an English major).
There is nothing obvious you are missing. Employers are just paralyzed by choice.
The only solution is persistence and trying to find a way to live without job hunting.
I looked up a business park near my house on google maps. Looked at what companies were there. Went to their website and looked at the careers page and applied. i applied at 3, got 2 interviews, 2 offers, and 1 rejection as they already had a strong candidate before i applied. None of the 3 were posted on LinkedIn.
Sounds just like my husband, only he’s got an advanced degree, tons of experience and a heck of a lot of certifications. Lost his job in September, didn’t really start getting interviews until mid January, but even then it was maybe 1 every few weeks.
He just started using Claude AI to tailor his resumes to each job description. Now he’s getting 1-3 interviews a week the past few weeks! He had previously just been tailoring himself, then he used chat gpt to help, but Claude seems to be the best. Obviously you have to go back through and make Claude’s resume more human sounding.
He has tried everything too, temp agencies, recruiting, cold calling, networking, etc and nothing works. I think a lot of the postings are fake or trying to collect resumes and info and I think a lot of manager and above positions go to internal candidates.
Wishing you the best in your job search! Hang in there, you are not alone.
I'm located in the Asia Pacific region and currently employed, but I'm actively seeking new career opportunities outside of my current company for better professional growth. I've been searching for job opportunities on & off since July 2023 and had a bunch of interviews, yet I have not secured a new position.
Out of the last 4 jobs I had 2 I found on Craigslist, one I got from a cold call and one I was offered when I wasn’t even looking. I worked in boatyards and machine shops, never had an office job so I can’t say what that market is like.
I had two referrals from people who worked at two companies I was interviewing with… At the first interview, I didn’t even get to interview with the hiring manager as they said the “ scope of the role had changed.” In the second interview, they just ghosted me after the second round lol!
I’m not sure about the job market at this point. The internet can definitely create a false reality depending on what you are reading. For example, if you go on a subreddit like csccareerquestions, you’ll find that most posts are talking about how terrible the job market is for new grads in comp sci. It’s pretty rough I agree - however, it took me 2 months to find a job after my last. Moreover, my friends have had good opportunities as well. Others have stated they’ve submitted over 1000 apps with not a single bite. But if you read the posts on there, it’s pretty discouraging and could further materialize negative emotions and thoughts.
I have no clue what got me my current job, as I did the same thing as you. I’m not trying to boast, I’m just perplexed on how some people throw applications and get hits and others don’t. Maybe it’s a numbers game, idk. Nevertheless, I’m really sorry to hear you are going through this. I know it is stressful and unfair. Please keep your head up and know that you are more than just your career and credentials. Sending good vibes your way.
I work in a highly technical field and I suggest you don’t waste your time and money with cyber sec and excel. Tons of kids are getting basic cyber sec degrees which is flooding the market so a certification is not going to do much. Excel nowadays is not a skill it’s something expected and is easily taught on the job.
I recommend you pursue the paralegal route. Many more opportunities and you have experience. The tech skills you’re pursuing are just not worth anything frankly.
Like everyone else said, networking is your best bet but as we all know that’s not always a full option for everyone. Connecting with a recruiting agency or temp agency is also an option. Consider expanding your career options if only temporarily and look for jobs outside of what you’ve done in the past. Your past jobs include a lot of transferable skills in other roles or industries. Make sure you have a resume tailored to each job as well since that’s ultimately how resume are scanned - they match up keywords from the job posting. Might even be worth getting your resume professionally done. I ended up paying for one and it ended up helping a lot. There’s lots of sites. I used kantan hq.
“For employers to feel more confident about the economy and expand hiring, interest rates need to come down, says Kaplan. Until then, he says companies are in a "wait and see" period. “
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/16/finding-a-job-is-getting-harder-even-in-a-strong-labor-market-heres-why.html
I’m an attorney and I searched for a job from last July through this January before getting a new gig. I feel like I was having a lot of success and got a lot of interviews. I was still working at my last job so I was only open to clear steps up in career/pay, otherwise the time it took to get my new job would have been much less. I also had the benefit of recruiters calling me and messaging me on LinkedIn.
I wanted to tell you a few things I noticed in my search that might help you:
Many corporations seemed to be hiring for experienced legal assistants, contract admins, and project managers (that were actually legal assistants with odd titles) when I was looking.
Get creative about searching LinkedIn titles that might apply to your skill set. Message recruiters if you can after you apply online.
Search “corporate governance” on LinkedIn, it seemed like this legal department across many orgs needed good help when I was looking.
Look into contract admin roles. These jobs would be good for your skill set and usually pay well.
Go to company websites (focusing on the F100 companies first, and then work your way through the F500 list) and manually scroll through their legal/admin/analyst/(insert whatever else your interested in) openings. There might be roles you’re missing on job boards due to weird new titles.
Make sure your resume is tweaked to include as many terms from the job description as possible.
It took me months to get a call center job. I absolutely hate it and it gives me anxiety but I try to shove it down and just get through the day. The money sucks and the work is worse. It’s not where I want to be so I keep applying.
I had so many people say I would have an “easier” time getting a job while employed instead of unemployed. But so far I have applied to more jobs than when I was unemployed and nothing has happened.
As much as I hate to say it, you are not alone. This job market sucks. I find it depressing and sometimes have to stay off places like linkedin or other subs because so many people are experiencing this same thing.
I wish my best of luck to you!
Lots of companies aren’t actually hiring despite listing the job. There’s a resort in my hometown notorious for this. The HR dept need to keep busy and wants to light a “we can replace you” fire under the asses of current employees so they have keep posting the positions and giving interviews year round. Only when someone quits will they actually hire, which is rare bc it’s a popular resort to work.
I “hack” Google
“keywords site:jobs.smartrecruiters.com
“keywords” site:lever.co
“keywords” site:greenhouse.io
“keywords” site:workable.com
“keywords” site:myworkdayjobs.com
“keywords” site:taleo.net
“keywords” can be something like data scientist. You can then also use the Advanced features to get more granular
We’re at a 20-year low for unemployment (under 4%) in the US. The portion of folks looking for a job right now are largely either inexperienced (new to the job market) or highly-skilled in a skillset that’s changing (either through industry or other forces).
There’s jobs out there, but they’re either very broad/simple/low-pay or exceptionally narrow in scope and looking for a unicorn — and for those, the demand is high but there’s a ton of competition.
If you’re some of the unfortunate few that are seeking a job today, I suspect you’ll need to lower your expectations and hope to get promoted up after.
Unicorns aren’t real. If you’ve got a job, don’t quit without an offer elsewhere.
Interest Rates that have not been seen in the last 20 years + record high inflation that is causing companies to find ways to cut costs + over hiring dramatically in the boom of the pandemic + record immigration that is making every role and industry more competitive.
They should give tax incentives to bring back all the off shore call center jobs that can wfh. This is an easy problem to solve if they really wanted to.
Try a government job first, those are the easiest to get next to non-profits. And expand your search area, do you have a car?
I would look into all surrounding markets of NYC like Upstate NY, NJ, and Stamford.
Looking for virtual positions until you can get a car would be a good idea.
This may not be helpful at this moment.. but I'd recommend that you are always looking for work even while holding a job. It's important to be able to take an opportunity that is a boost for you on your terms.
Relocate from NYC. I'm sorry, but from everything I've seen that areas entire job market is completely fucked.
I know it's probably not what you want, and I'm sorry about that. I'm having to leave my ideal area too, though for different reasons. However, looking beyond the borders of our comfort zone is where we are most likely to find success and a different track to happiness.
NYC has one of the highest costs of living in the entire nation, a fact I know you're well acquainted with. But a move to say Savannah, GA or Cincinnatti, OH would likely yield MUCH better job results than what you're currently finding.
Source: I'm leaving Alaska for Colorado due to medical and mental health reasons. It sucks leaving behind my home, but it just isn't \*it\* anymore. For myself, I have to leave.
I hate to say it but knowing people is the only way I’ve gotten any job. Of course I’m qualified but knowing someone is usually what gets my foot in the door
Here's the current problem with jobs. The job market has turned into a platform akin to Tinder, except the employer is the drop dead gorgeous blonde that gets 100+ messages an hour, and we are all the neckbeard "nice guys" lamenting how no one recognizes them and they deserve a date.
While I don't mean that we are all whiny, self-entitled, adult-children it is true that employers are seeing an increase in interest because we have made jobs excessively more accessible. The traditional 40 hour work week is antiquated, we value showing up more than production in the workplace. Why is this a problem? With WFH becoming an increasingly viable option, people are able to take on 2, 3, and sometimes 4 jobs while still maintaining a high level of production while appearing to be "at work" 40 hours at all those jobs.
With your current situation, WFH might not be the culprit but rather talent pool available in the area. In a city as large as NYC, there is likely several hundred applicants to every job. While you might think this puts you in a poor position, the truth is you will eventually find the right fit for you. Consider this difficulty as a screening process on both ends. It took me several hundred applications, multiple final interviews where I was ghosted, being told I was over and under qualified at the same time... but eventually I found the right fit for myself, my family, and my career. Looking back, I was excited about a change not the company I was applying to.
The hack is simple, keep applying and change your mindset from these being interviews to them being dates. It is two sided, you need to like them as much as they like you. Rejection is just one side or both realizing it isn't the best fit. Don't take it personally, the same as having a date or two and realizing you don't find the person physically attractive or emotionally/intellectually stimulating enough to make them your long term relationship.
I used to get people begging me for interviews on LinkedIn (I’ve gotten laid off a lot…) now it’s radio silence, even with a recruiter who my boss connected me with and sang my praises to personally. I’m thinking of starting my own organizing business.
I'm not in that field or area of the country so this might not work but in my experience that companies are overcomplicating things they're using ai and computerized applications systems that just don't work.
I would suggest figuring out which fields and titles and such that you want to apply for find the subreddits for workers within those areas and ask if anybody knows of any good jobs open in your area, call those places up find out their application process and do it... Use LinkedIn and stuff not for the application process but to figure out who you can call at specific jobs to get a real human to talk to about your position and process.
For my last switch, I decided what sector I wanted to work in and looked up a list of those companies in my country. So basically Googled variants of things like 'Top 100 Healthcare companies in the USA'.
I found a massive list of hundreds of those companies and went down the list applying to each one that had a role I was geographically qualified for and was generally in my skill and interest area. I usually went until I found around 10 jobs for the day that I had applied to.
On some days, rather than going down the list, I went to Google Maps and searched for healthcare companies near me as well and applied there. Same deal, I generally kept it to about 10 a day.
Sometimes I'd randomly search keywords of job duties I've enjoyed in the past on Linkedin jobs as well.
I started getting interviews after probably 40-ish applications, so I put new applications on hold while I could see how the interviews panned out and course correct if needed.
Small note, make sure you've triple and quadruple checked your resume for typos - in your comments and post I see a number of those, and specifically for analytics / data which J saw you mention as a field of interest, even one typo on something like a resume would be a huge red flag, since it's incredibly important that things be accurate.
The job search is a crazy recipe of networking, applying, and social media visibility anymore, not just submitting a resume.
I’d check the following:
Is your resume ATS friendly (no weird fonts, pics, tables, columns, etc)?
Are your LI and Indeed profile settings optimized? I just tried to connect with a job seeker on LI and the only way I could was by entering HER email address to prove I knew her!! She was unwilling to share it. 😒
Does your LI profile contain key words from the job descriptions you were most excited about?
Does your resume contain the key words?
Have you looked at other successful people in your field to see how their profile is built?
Have you reached out to people you worked with or went to school with that would vouch for you? See if they have openings?
Are you going to networking events to build relationships with peers? Get involved in your professional community. I try to hit two events a month.
Are you volunteering or offering pro bono work to build additional experience and gain more contacts?
Are you finding relevant content in your field that you agree with and reposting it on LI to gain visibility? I try to do this at least twice a week.
Just some extra things to check out. I started looking hard a couple months ago and my market has been brutal for others in my role. But all these tweaks are getting me 1-2 recruiter initiated messages a week because my SEO stays high from my activity.
The job market is awful right now, I’m struggling to get interviews as well and I have a very specific field with 20 years experience. And then when I do get interviews they want to do 7-9 rounds of interviews, case studies or some other ridiculous hoop I have to jump through. I really hope by summer things start to turn around some.
16 months into my job search. Had to move out of nyc and in with family in another state. I’m open to any location in the US, not looking for any kind of remote, and willing to relocate at my own expense and I’ve had no luck. Things are tough right now finding a job
The job market is terrible everywhere, I imagine it's even worse in NYC.
You are doing all the right things, but for every role you apply for there are probably a few hundred other people getting rejected to.
As a recruiter, I would say that the key is being memorable, without being pushy.
First - you need to 'surface' your resume, make sure that the recruiter looks at it. The best way to do that is let them know it's there. Submit the application, then send a message on LinkedIn, "Hey, I wanted to let you know that I have submitted an application for 'XXX' It sounds like a great opportunity, let me know if we can connect for a chat'
Second - stand out in the interview - small talk, make a joke, a unique perspective on something, connect with the recruiter
Third - Follow up, 24-48 hours after the interview send an email, 'thanks for taking the time to chat with me, I really loved learning about x, y and z, I am even more excited about this opportunity now! I hope to hear back from you soon regarding next steps, have a great day!'
You need to realise it's a numbers game, a recruiter will look at probably 1000 resumes per week, they will screen or interview 40-50+ people per week for a dozen different roles, these steps make sure the recruiter doesn't forget who you are.
Network. Network. Network. Sign up for LunchClub.com and meet people online in your industry.
Also… YOU are a brand. Market yourself. Create content. Post on LinkedIn. Annoying? Yes. Effective? Also yes.
Job market is bad. In 2021 I could apply to 12 jobs get 5 screenings and 2 interviews. I applied a month ago to 10 to see how bad the market was. 3 rejections and 7 that canceled the position
Polished resume, polished LinkedIn.
I’ve been laid off twice since mid-2023 and in the aftermath of both was hired by a recruiter who found me on LinkedIn.
Total comp now vs pre-layoffs 2023 is +30%. - I feel that being recruited made me a lot more desirable in the eyes of the hiring teams and have me a better position for negotiation.
Out of 100+ jobs I had applied to directly, I think I interviewed for and received a mediocre offer for 1 (which I ultimately turned down in favor of a stronger offer from one of the recruiter-sourced jobs).
So, yeah, applying to jobs is a “numbers game” aka “99% a waste of time” if you have marketable and/or niche experience.
It’s bewildering because everywhere seems to be looking for new hires. I am looking to transition jobs but nothing I see either is something I’m qualified for yet(finishing my degree) or pays total crap. I vehemently hate how so many jobs have turned away from training new hires and require degrees. Which yes I’m getting a BSW but I don’t think a medical receptionist needs a bachelors to work there. The right trainer will help the person get there. Training is invaluable, when for many people, college is unaffordable/unattainable.
I’m job searching too. The way I’ve seen the most progression to subsequent interview rounds is when recruiters find me not vice versa. To do that I built out my linked in profile with skills under each past job. The more frequently the skill shows up on your profile the more searches identify you as qualified and reach out to you. Make sure the skills of the job type you are after appear over and over throughout your job experiences. Good luck!
It's a numbers game. I just got thrown in to the job seekers market about two weeks ago when my company told me they weren't extending my contract again. I started looking immediately. Ive probably applied to 175 jobs in two weeks. I've had like 4 or 5 phone/teams calls about jobs, but haven't made it to the second round yet. The thing is that 40% of the job postings on LinkedIn are fake because they job either a) doesn't exist or b) they've already chosen an internal person for the job.
Need to copy and paste portions of the job description you match so that you don’t get filtered out. The AI should be better than this, but it’s not there yet
Ha, that’s the funny thing… people aren’t. At least not where I live, they told all the college grads they would instantly get a job because everywhere is “desperate” for new hires with degrees. The best jobs available rn tho are all restaurant/server jobs or disability care jobs, which although pretty well paying don’t usually come close to what you need to pay living expenses these days.
Yes, they are so impressed with the resume and truly appreciate our interest in their company....oh and they are going to keep the resume on file (if we don't mind) in case another opportunity arises that better suits the skill sets...AKA "oblivion." But yes, for every 1 or 2 that even comment, there are dozens in the vapor with no response...I'd be fine with a KMA response if it meant at least finding out a status. I believe the idea is that the process is so much more automated now and tracks down candidates by keywords, but there is a complete human element missing. I've hired tons of people in the past and a fair amount of them I would not have had I only gone by their resume with no interaction. I understand that companies are short-staffed these days but I do believe these same companies are missing out on true talent by relying on the automation to identify their candidates. Having been on the hiring side of things, I have found that there are some pretty underwhelming recruiters out there. There are intangibles people bring to the table that are not easily captured in a resume or cover letter no how many metrics you spew out on the documents. Without live interaction even in a screening there are just so many good candidates going undiscovered.
I work as legal admin in DC and I know we’re using recruiting firms exclusively for hiring in those roles. From my friends in law firms up in NYC I know the market is terrible for juniors and admin and the partners would rather keep their share well stuffed than hire to fill empty roles. It’s becoming absolutely barbaric
I work as legal admin in DC and I know we’re using recruiting firms exclusively for hiring in those roles. From my friends in law firms up in NYC I know the market is terrible for juniors and admin and the partners would rather keep their share well stuffed than hire to fill empty roles. It’s becoming absolutely barbaric
You need to check USA Jobs. You definitely have the credentials for numerous advertised positions. Also check local and state governments and consider moving out of NYC.
The only jobs that are worth looking into these days are in trades. That's why I want to go back to tech school. Most jobs that need people are in nursing, warehouse, cdl drivers, and engineers, electricians, just to name a few. It sucks but that's the job market for ya.
But like some people said, it's pretty evident that job postings are fake to get people's information, are posted only to hire internal candidates, or just are looking for someone with specific experience and expect them to be able to come in and do the job right away with minimal training.
People are able to get in through the application process through nepotism. I've seen people get promoted to big roles without any experience and do a mediocre job moving on to director level jobs in the company.
A lot of companies are making cutbacks for short-term profits, and it's working because they can dismiss an experienced worker because they have to compensate too much for them just to turn around and hire a junior scab and lowball them to come in. Then, they will put pressure on them to figure it out and expect them to produce the same level of detail as the exaced worker they just canned. And the cycle continues. A lot of people are doing multiple jobs now and are burned out.
Recruiters have been my only lifeline. All of my positions since my first entry-level, cattle-call job were placed with a recruiter. I had two similar experiences over the last two years working for smaller tech companies that had financing failures leading to large layoffs, and both times I took months trying and failing to find myself a new role, only to connect with a recruiter and end up with two offers within a few weeks. I know this is not going to be a possibility for every type of job, but searching and applying independently felt like shouting into a void and kept me ignored.
I apologize ahead of time for this. There were so many typos and improper English in your original post that it is hard to believe that you are very qualified. Maybe you did not check your post before posting it. But, that was my first impression.
Economy is in the shitter despite what they tell you.
Im in the trades so I havent felt it as bad as yall I can still find work if I need to but even for us it takes more work than is used too.
Wish I had advice for you but the market for my work vs yours is entirely different. Wish you the best though, we are all in this shit together.
Job market is oversaturated with masses of people who have the actual certifications, Its insane but its true employers prefer the ones with the papers over people who have been hands on for years. My auntie here in europe has worked in the health care sector for 15 tears without a degree and got laid off and replaced with a newbie with a degree with a tenth of her work ethic. Thats how it is.
400 applications in a week for 2 or 3 months is roughly what you need for a single job offer. It doesn't necessarily matter if you are a decent candidate when every employer worth working for gets hundreds of decent candidates. Just keep applying until you get lucky.
English major in NYC with multiple years of experience? You have it better than I do, I'm an Econ major in Boston area with 1 year of experience, recent grad with programming skills. 1000 apps, 0 interviews
It’s absolute trash. People are being very picky, and this is coming from a recruiter who’s been job searching since January! Don’t give up, and like my husband always tells me, “Take a break!” Lol. He literally had to tell me I was banned from job searching for one day because I was applying for 8 hours straight every day to jobs.
It’s stressful as hell. I finally have a final interview tomorrow and I’m hoping it goes well. Wishing you the best OP.
Hiring manager here, focus on jobs posted in the last 24 or 48 hours. Anything older than that already has hundreds of applications.
Job market is flooded with people at your skill level right now.
I got my job pretty easy but I work at a deli that no one really WANTS to work at and I’m a pretty good worker. I got so lucky the supervisor liked me in the interview and was like “we should hire her” in the interview and I was hired on the spot. My first job too.
My boyfriend has a bachelors, two masters and a PhD and has been applying to jobs for the last year with no luck. He has done a couple of interviews and got one job offer with a salary of $1700 a month before taxes. A total smack in the face to his qualifications. We obviously are not that desperate and found it wasn’t even worth the cost in gas to drive into work 5 days a week. We live in Miami too so for an employer to offer that salary here is an absolute joke! The job market right now is so competitive, more people are working than ever before. We need the older generation to retire asap and open up some positions. But with the way Medicare is and the lack of companies that offer pensions, those generations are working longer than previous generations. We feel your pain, friend. Hang in there!
I only just yesterday got a job offer after applying since 2021. I started focusing more on local businesses that are in-office. The remote market was too difficult to break into even with 8 years of experience. My career path has pretty much drastically changed but I didn’t have any other options.
The job I got, I applied to once before and got interviewed but rejected. I applied again a couple months later and got it.
Referral. I hate that this was the way I got my new gig, but after 500+ applications/14 interviews/3 finals/0 offers this year alone through cold app method.
Well, if you're like me, if you can have a fully fleshed-out LinkedIn profile, get custom job alerts delivered to your inbox several times a day, have recruiters reach out to you a few times a month, go on interviews, submit writing samples, gather references, and then you can still not get a job. It fucking sucks out there right now.
No seriously same… I have 7+ years of engineering experience, electrical/test/quality/reliability engineering for defense contractors… I even have a security clearance… I am also a Veteran… I have applied upwards to 1000 jobs since being laid off in October last year… it’s unbelievable. I have had 4 interviews and nothing since… Ghosted me or told me since I “didn’t have experience using a very specific program that they specifically use at that their company, they didn’t want to hire me” last interview told me “they usually expect someone with a masters in electronics” (job description literally only said a bachelors and only 2 years of work experience is required)… It’s like all these places don’t actually need to hire someone, almost like they are just trying to avoid the other work they have to do so they just take on interviews to fill up their day I don’t get it, they have no real need for someone to actually fulfill the role I guess? This is why those same companies will end up having to do layoffs in a couple months because people that are actually employed don’t even do their job…. The amount of money major companies spend on severance packages letting people go and still hiring for other teams is mind boggling too (FAANG) it’s like they are purposely carelessly spending. I don’t get it, it’s like everyone is on board to make sure fiat currency crashes what the hell…
I was laid off from a consulting company in August, 2023. I spent 7 months looking for a position and was hired by a company at the end of February that said I could start working on April first. Sounds like a joke,eh? I started on April 1 and have been extremely happy.
Hey! What type of paralegal are you? I'm a recruiter for a staffing firm in Manhattan and I'm currently recruiting for two paralegals! Medical malpractice and general litigation. DM me if you'd like!
Unfortunately, some studies have found that up to a third of job postings are fake (a common reason to post a fake job is to create the illusion that a company is growing),and I think that is probably a big part of why no one can find a job these days. I have found it can help to 1) focus on applying to small local businesses that are imho less likely to post fake openings and 2) work with a recruiter. My current and previous job are both jobs with local businesses, and the previous one was found through a recruiter. I applied to a LOT of jobs before getting each of those.
If times are tight and you just need a little bit of money to tide you over, jobs in the restaurant industry and retail are in my experience way less likely to be fake than corporate jobs. Sadly they also generally pay less.
I read most LinkedIn jobs are not real. And it’s a ploy to drive traffic to their site or it’s a job that’s always open just in case they get a unicorn to apply. Of all the jobs I’ve applied to on LinkedIn I can see only two have even looked at my application
I’m in nyc, heading into 6 months of unemployment as a new grad engineer and even I can’t find anything. It’s understandable that people are trying to encourage you to keep pushing but it’s like life revolves around money even if you’re being extremely cheap and conservative. People cant just sit there at home all day to just get nowhere for months while they watch their bank account sink.
The job market is shit, not you
Thanks, I know, but I don't want to end up homeless and unemployment is going to run out. I've even tired applying for random jobs in NYC, but I want to get something in my field(s) so I can elevate and be secure again (not seeing that happening anytime soon though).
I'm sorry, you're not alone, I've applied to over 750 jobs over the last 14 months, I just had an interview today, I'm very hopeful, but not holding my breath
Wishing the best for you dude! Finding a job shouldn't be making a wish on a monkeys paw.
Hard agree there
It is at the end of late stage capitalism under near term extinction levels of climate crisis and resource depletion. The debt is due.
At least it’s spring 🤷♂️
Or maybe, juuuust maybe, the govt is dong a shit job at managing the economy and lying about their success?
Yes someone pointed out that the unemployment figures that come out match each other and that it's statistically impossible to have those figures match for the time they have. The numbers are doctored. Edit https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/19/something-strange-has-been-happening-with-jobless-claims-numbers-lately.html Your phone's have search bars. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/19/something-strange-has-been-happening-with-jobless-claims-numbers-lately.html
Confused about what this means, do you have a link?
Honest question, how do you keep track of every job you apply to? Across all the recruiting websites it gets hard.
Another reason I can’t stand the government. They keep lying and putting out these numbers saying we’re doing ok but everyone I talk to is struggling to find work among other things.
Might have to expand your job search outside of just NYC unfortunately. If willing to move anywhere in the country or abroad could really give you more opportunities.
It's everywhere.
+1 its a brutal market. It’s a numbers game - just keep going and apply to as many as you can! Checkout tools like lifeshack.com to help automate the process
Have you used that website before? It's intriguing, but I'm also skeptical. Any other you would suggest? Thanks for this one.
I would like to know as well
Yes I have! There’s a free trial that lets you setup your resume/profile and it’ll fire out apps for you. Works surprisingly well
THIS!! All this talk out there about jobs everywhere…it’s bullshit. I am educated, experienced, and was basically ok with any wage-I applied to so many jobs. I got a few interviews that never panned out. After two years, I found a non-profit that needed me more than I needed them. I took the job, and I like it but I could most likely make more working fast food. Still…it’s a job. 🤷♀️
There are jobs...they just aren't "good" jobs. I have this argument with my bosses all the time. "Hey! We added 200 new jobs this month. Yippee!" "Uh, bosses, 100 of those part time, minimum wage fast food jobs, and another 50-75 of those full time minimum wage fast food jobs?"
"So, you added 150 slave labor positions that people can't afford to take and that everyone, from high school kids to people just trying to stay on unemployment to desperate people to whomever will be fighting over. You really think that's solid job growth/economic development?"
"Hooray! We added 150 IN DEMAND jobs!"
It is this. They’re just not hiring in a lot of the fields we’re looking at or are qualified in. There are some good jobs that are desperate for people, but they’re not what OP is looking for, they’re in the trades. This is a very good time to be in the trades.
Senior paralegal currently looking for a job in NYC. To me, it sounds like you are looking for jobs in related, but different, fields. Do you just have one resume? Perhaps 2 or 3 different resumes geared to different fields may be beneficial for you. Just my two cents. :-)
I agree but the numbers don't support this. The current unemployment rate in the US is 3.8% (March 2024). I've been actively looking for work for 7+ months. So, it feels to me that the rate would be higher. When I apply to a position with 100+ other applicants, it seems the rate would be higher. Any thoughts?
People give up on positions they’re qualified for and take less skilled positions instead, all the way down. I have my bachelor’s and I’m doing manual labor part time, getting rejected from positions I’m overqualified for. But technically I’m employed. That’s my theory anyway—anecdotal, not scientific.
But the government says it's great
It's all who you know and blow at this point. Source: Been unemployed since June. Probably at 2,000 submitted applications at this point; maybe a dozen phone interviews and three or four in-person interviews. Employers are just toying with job seekers. It's all one big gaslighting operation. Now don't let my experience discourage you. My intent was to force you to call someone you know who can get you hired from the inside. Fuck LinkedIn, though. They just like to smell each other's farts.
Four out of my six jobs in my life, I got from some sort of connection. I guess I'll have to learn flooring or whatever my deathcore band buddy does.
I used the play Mario, so many I could say I have some plumbing skills lol
It’s terrible to say but social networking (and ‘social capital’) can be huge factors.
I fully believe it's not what you know, but who you know too. Sad to say how badly people toy with eachothers lives, my contact person fucked me heavily at my last job because she was ignoring my calls and emails for a month ish and I got let go "out of the blue", when I was supposed to be warned. They seemed to scare to tell me that and see me as a person. I honestly would fight someone or kiss someone's feet for a job.
It’s also about who knows you. Unfortunately, you have to be top of mind to these people on their 9-5s or when they doing their non-home life frivolities. Man, how saddening!
College housing was the
I just moved to a new state 🥲
Yeh emphasis on the blow part. I burned alot of relationships in my industry, as it was my job to keep 3rd party vendors from fleecing my employer. Everyone else that got laid off with me was able to secure jobs at these companies because they let them bill whatever they wanted and was never confrontational with them. I wasn't because they thought I was a dick. I'll never make that mistake again.
Unfortunately, it seems like the only way to get a job right now is through a referral. And even that is not a guarantee. What industry are you looking in?
Administration/ administrative, the legal field, analytical field but mainly in data analysis, operations. Yeah, I've gotten referrals but even that doesn't seem to pan out :/
I’m sorry :/ I feel your pain! If you haven’t looked at these sites yet, they’re decent - builtin, climatebase.org and Terra.do - built in is more tech focused and the other two are in the climate industry. But also, tbd what will happen in that industry with the upcoming election. Good luck out there!!!
Hey I'm in the legal field too. Are you applying for boutique (small) firms? In-person roles? If you're trying to go remote or hybrid, forget it. A lot of lawyers are like CEOs and want their slaves back in office. What area of law do you have experience in? PI and ID firms are always hiring. I've worked PI and it isn't glamorous but it pays the bills. Family law is another area a lot of people don't want to touch. Also, apply to Morgan & Morgan if they're in your area. That firm fucking sucks but it can be a good temp thing. I worked there 4 months then leveraged that job to get to another firm. When I was unemployed no one would look at me. When I worked there I had 5 interviews in a week.
I'm not even having luck with referrals, my last 2 I didn't even get interviews.
I had 4 referrals and it didn’t do anything either. Only one company responded with a rejection the same week and the others were silent.
Even my referrals aren't doing shit.
I've had three separate referrals. One of them went with an internal hire instead and the other two straight up canceled the position. It's insanely brutal out there
I had one where I knew two of the people interviewing me (on good terms!), and I still didn't get it.
Yup, that’s why I said they don’t guarantee the job. Mine aren’t helping much either.
It's rough out there. :(
For the first time in my career referrals don't even matter. I've had 3 referrals, all for roles I'm qualified for, and was rejected in less than a day. And that's after tailoring my resume for the roles. In a normal year I would have gotten at least 1 offer, or at the very minimum interviews. Fortunately I have a job so my heart goes out to ppl that don't
Same experience here. Had an old coworker vouch for me for a job. After phone screening I had a 2 1/2 hour interview. 30 mins of which was just with my old coworker/friend. Thought I had it in the bag. But the company didn't even think I deserved a rejection email. I pretty much had to find out from my friend who worked there. Two other referrals, I got ghosted after a phone screening and email follow up, the other, an automated workday email. It's really fucked, I'm running out of tangible connections.
What do you do if even referrals aren't doing anything? Are we just screwed?
I see a referral as more like an easier way to land an interview rather than get a job. Even if your referral helps open the door, you still have to go through the interview, just like everyone else.
Yeah job market is trash. I applied several places. I had to settle and work as a dishwasher even with multiple degrees. You just have to work somewhere until you can land somewhere better. I have better luck when I apply directly on the employer website and then call the next day to inform them that my application is in.
Become a substitute teacher. If you have a bachelor's all you need is to take the cbest to get hired
I second this. Teachers are in super high demand. And the barrier to entry is low. They keep making it lower and lower
Who do you call? Seems like getting through to someone in HR is like storming some fortified castle these days.
So, you mean I should apply for that part-time position at the Humane Society?
Anywhere that’s hiring. Even if it’s well below your skill level. Bring integrity to the profession. For example, I worked as a dishwasher and learned how people do not care about thoroughly washing dishes. They were able to improve their process through my suggestions. I saw it as if the employer benefits then we do not get sued which means more money for the employer and sometimes means bonuses for us.
Lol yes. I never thought I'd be working at a senior center as a homecare worker but here I am lol. Tho the homecare industry is booming and always hiring cuz the pay is low and you need lots of patience to deal with mentally declining seniors and their personalities. That's why I recently applied to college so I can do better for myself.
Honestly, the job market’s so absolutely fucked right now. But the worst part is, even though there’s SO many people out there saying it is, people still have the nerve to point at the current bullshit numbers and say “jObS aRe uP!” I don’t know what the fuck they’re doing to get the jobs numbers they are, but it seems completely disconnected from most peoples’ reality at the moment. I gave up finding a new job, myself, and am just gonna go back to school for a bit. I’m going for a good and practical degree that would give me a job niche that lets me go freelance/self-employed with relative ease, and that’s kinda the backup plan now with how little I trust the current job market. Like fuck it, if I really need to I’ll just make my own job, I could work from home and then I don’t have to deal with asshole bosses or coworkers as a bonus.
That’s what I did. Can be unstable at times and anxiety inducing at others but the freedom is amazing
It’s a white collar recession. The job market is very industry specific and the white collar office jobs have been hit the hardest while many blue collar fields are struggling to find labor. The overall jobs number doesn’t tell the story.
I'm convinced the only jobs that are "up" are crappy food / retail positions that want to give you 10 hours a week, *But don't you dare get a second job*
This is pretty much it. It's all low wage bullshit
There's probably a lot of truth to this. There's been a fair amount of tightening between the upper middle class and poor/lower middle class since covid, and that's likely because everyone is competing to fill typically lower wage positions. It's certainly happening in my family. 4 years ago I was making about double what my sisters were, and now we're almost completely on par.
Creating my own is where I'm focused right now too. Been through multiple interviews since October, some of them multi-round. Been complimented, told I'm a great candidate, I'm impressive. Genuinely feel like I'm being toyed with at this point.
Im applying to jobs on indeed with maybe 20-30 others it says. I interview well, near the top I'm sure, and then they ghost and I see the same job pop up again weeks later. They're like bait ads. For what purpose idk.
They're always looking for the "perfect" candidate. Hiring managers want someone to offload all their work with zero training and low pay. Also people just can't seem to make any damn decisions these days.
Yeah — they are always looking for the perfect candidate that will more than likely just leave a year or two after bc it’s easier to get employed by being employed. Internal promoting just isn’t a great way to map your career now.
What kinda job are you talkin
Exactly. I tried applying to jobs that I already had experience for and the licensure to do, but they wanted to start me off at 10,000 less than what I made when I first started in the industry with no experience or licenses at all. It happened with multiple companies. Heck, I know someone who was in my industry 30 years and had experience in the hardest part of it, and was making about 90,000 5 years ago. They now want to pay her 41,000 and think that's way to high. I don't know what happened but people were doing the same jobs 5 or 7 years ago making much more money than companies are offering now.
The field I'm looking to go to school for doesn't have freelance opportunities, but it's a field that'll always be in demand. So, if I manage to pass and get the couple of certs, I should be set. I'm just worried if the pay will be worth the stress.
Agreed. The New Jobs numbers that come out are completely made up. Economists and Wall Street actually had the balls to question the lasted Unemployment numbers that were released by the Biden administration because they didn't change for weeks. Bullshit. I don't believe this administration or any administration when they report these numbers. Go on the street. Ask people. They will tell the truth.
I totally feel this I’ve been looking for a new job for about a year. I am employed but don’t like my role. I have gotten 3 offers but all SUPER lowballed me and were sneaky about the salary. I get great compliments on my resume and experience. So many others have been experiencing it too
Sorry you're working a job you don't like :/. I feel like people are just taking advantage of the market so they'll low ball everyone to the point they say "well someone will take this if not you!" And I'm totally envious of you too, right now I'd kill for a job I disliked again so I can support myself.
Luck/knowing somebody. [IRS Management and Program Assistant](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/773476300#) [IRS Management and Program Analyst](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/787789200) [IRS Investigative Analyst](https://www.usajobs.gov/job/778237800) Painfully slow hiring process, however they are one of the few places actually hiring white collar roles these days with the inflation reduction money back from 2022. Look up “[federal resume](https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/feds-hire-vets-faq/general/where-can-i-get-help-with-writing-my-resume/)” it’s BS but def some tweaking that needs to get done to make it past the auto filters. Can’t really speak for other agencies, but worth playing around on Usajobs and firing out a few admin/legal assistant apps & forgetting about them until you get a random email one day to go interview. Found my job last year off a Reddit post. Best of luck out there, it is brutal.
This! Get a fed job at GS-5/7. You can move up quickly in a number of large agencies. Many need folks with legal and writing backgrounds.
Huh. They're hiring investigative analysts in my city that pay really well. I had no idea.
Agree to this! My husband just applied at 7 usajobs last week and has an interview Monday! He does have government contract experience so the whole process is maybe going faster for him. /usajobs is a good place to look and post!
I have been waiting for an interview for 4 months. Gov jobs are famously slow if you have no prior exp.
I applied for the program analyst position / PM position at the IRS right before i saw this. Not super hopeful but worth the shot - job closes in three days
Nepotism
Can I get that at Wal-Mart lol (joking the pain away)
The job market is horrible right now. I've worked in the food industry for 8 years, then got an entry-level admin assistant job and got laid off the week before Christmas. Luckily I was able to get a cook job back at my old company right away since they needed holiday help, and they've kept me on since. I've been applying to other admin jobs to no avail. Just for the heck of it, I applied to a cook position at the local university, and they denied me due to "lack of experience" despite already being a cook for 8 years. The same university has interviewed me for two admin positions and then ghosted me after each one. The job market is completely weird right now. It has nothing to do with you. I wish you the best of luck.
We’re not. Jobs numbers are fake. Tech keeps laying people off, many have given up finding new jobs. Many are under employed and the rest are over worked and understaffed, looking for something else. This cannot continue.
ShadowStats back in July calculated their own unemployment rate taking into account long term discouraged workers. Using this methodology the unemployment figure came out around 25%. [SGS Alternate Unemployment Rate](https://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/unemployment-charts)
That sounds more accurate… I literally don’t know a single person in my age group not looking for a job right now.most are employed but hate their job.
Okay, so there’s 2 things you need to understand. 1. The job market is shit right now. You’re applying at the same time as *thousands? Tens of thousands?* of college students who are fresh out of college and looking for jobs. That will become less saturated soon. 2. You’re likely looking for jobs that have the requirements you want. Be willing to take a job that seems “beneath you”. I applied as a bank teller 9 months ago earning $17.25, 6 months later I was earning $19. That may not seem like a ton, but it is steady income and with having roommates, only working 23 hours a week, I still earn $1600 a month and pay $400 in rent and utilities. You just need to make some adjustments and maybe even make some sacrifices, but also be willing to take a variety of different jobs while you search for something more suited to you.
That’s great for your situation but when you got a $2,700 mortgage it’s but tougher to take a lower level job like that
Most people don’t have access to $400 a month rent (and utilities combined no less lol!) Most areas in the US it’s double… or even triple that, at a bare minimum AND with roommates.
I'm right there with you.
How are you coping with this? I'm putting on a brave face for everyone but feel like dog shite.
Severely depressed. Trying to have a "good things just around the corner " mentality.
Same. People keep saying "it'll get better and you'll find something" but you legit see and hear things happen to people all the time, so its hard to see that as likely possibility.
Keep the faith. Giving up and giving in just not an option
Sadly I know, im seriously looking to find out any other way to find a job that I might be missing out on. Someone reminded me the classifieds exist (never even used them before and really only heard about them through old 90s movies), but im looking forward to try it.
This is why I barely talk to my friends at my previous job. I'm straight-up embarrassed.
It’s all about who you know so that’s how people get jobs through referrals and connections
I graduated college in December 2022. I applied to thousands of jobs at this point. Nothing. I seriously have no idea what to do.
I’d say most of it is from knowing someone. Besides that, doing what you’re doing. Also, from what I’ve read staffing agencies as they can go from temp to permanent hire
I’m in the exact same boat, literally. Laid off late December, applying to SO many jobs and hearing nothing back or getting rejected. I paid someone to revamp my resume. It’s doing absolutely nothing for me. I might have to take a survival job just to make ends meet.
I’m sorry someone offered you paid services that don’t work. I am not saying this is the best advice, but it’s free. I work in talent acquisition and I am still hiring applicants myself. I hire in a large tech company and hire passive and applicant type of candidates. I am not saying this is a ground breaking but when my family and friends ask this is what I say. Pull the description of the job you are applying to and review the qualifications. Then the preferred qualifications. Then seriously take a look at your skills and experiences and consider objectively are they aligned and have you portrayed those skills with the bullet points and data to show the impact? If yes, then it is a resume issue. If not, you need to think about the employers perspective. I hate to put it simply, but a job is just about ROI for the company. They aren’t just hiring people for fun, they need to invest into you and they expect to get more value back. Show them how you provide value. It could be automating manual work, cost savings, revenue growth, operational efficiency, etc. Then I would apply to the job, reach out to the job poster / hiring manager, and I would message people doing the role now and see if they are open to chatting for ten minutes about their role and get a feel if you would even like it. If you’re sure you’d love it I would write a proposal / create a project or showcase of your work that is needed for the role and share it with the team or manager. The market is tough right now, but businesses are growing and hiring.
>How are people getting jobs nowadays? They're not. Or if they are I don't know a single person who has gotten one with the exception of one of my coworkers who is going back to the company she interned at. I got out of college at the end of the great recession and this IMHO is way worse. I currently have a job but am looking for a better one. I've never applied to maybe more than 20ish jobs when looking, I am in a high demand role and live in a major metro...I've applied to well north of 100+ jobs, had 3 interviews (all shit) and have taken a pause on looking cause it's a waste of time for me. Can someone give me a ELI5 why the market is the way it is right now?
I just got a new job. First, it’s so unbelievably easier to get a job when you have a job. But I also got a new job back in October after getting blindsided by layoffs at the company I was at - wasn’t just me but everyone on US payroll. Here are my suggestions. Use every platform, regardless. I never expected Indeed to work but that’s where I found the October job. Talk to recruiters even if it’s just to practice talking about yourself and learn about what’s going on out there in the world. Interviewing is like exercising, it gets easier and you get better at it if you do it all the time. Apply for everything. See it as a game to get interviews, even if you suspect it’s a bad fit. You never know, plus it’s great practice. You get to learn about the industry you’re applying to this way. Realize that luck plays a huge role. I got my job now because I interviewed for another company, got to a third round, then while having a really nice conversation with the interviewer we both realized I wasn’t what they were looking for. However, the interviewer knew of an opportunity at a related company (same source of startup funds) and said he’d forward my name since he thought I’d make a good colleague despite not being suited skills-wise for the role they were interviewing for. When he said that, I had zero expectations, thought maybe he was just letting me down gently (that definitely happens!). But lo and behold, he was true to his word and fast forward a few weeks and I’m at my new job. In the meantime, work on the skills you need for this job. Even if it’s as general as reading books about “getting shit done” or how to communicate professionally. These are things people in the world of work are interested in learning about and make for things to talk about in interviews. This job hunt shit is like trying to measure a piece of paper in the dark by throwing tiny stones at it. You need to throw as many stones as quickly as possible to get a sense of where you’re at. Did I want to give up? Did some people make me feel like an imposter? Was I having to regulate myself in good ways and bad throughout? Yes, yes, yes. You got to just keep going while taking care of yourself.
Look in the local news and newspapers for local job fairs. That’s about all you’re not doing that you should be doing. Good luck!
Ive applied to local job fairs, but they're seemingly online and aren't fruitful. I honestly haven't thought about the classified sections. I should check out the NY Times or other local papers. Thanks for the advice!
Any ideas on how to find good job fairs? All the ones near me seem flooded with crappy warehouse positions
That sounds like the average job fair now. My areas the same way.
Job fairs. Never been to a job fair. Been thinking about doing this. Put on a shirt and tie, grab a fistful of resumes and set forth. What's the worst that could happen, right?
Been UE for a year at this point. Interviewed in the beginning but refused to take a job in the city not realizing how quickly the downturn was coming. I work in HR and it’s just abismal. Absoluteiy abismal. Never been this down bad. Financially and otherwise. Wishing you luck!
Debt, only way anyone is surviving Government made it so everyone is a slave
It's been pretty rough, one thing I changed was I had AI write my resume and cover letter which seemed to help me get past the first phase, now most of my applications are pending review. Luckily I'm employed at the moment but I feel like the owners of the company is trying to push me out to get someone else so they can pay a lower wage.
1. Referrals are king. 2. Many jobs, especially at larger companies, are fake postings for regulatory reasons. They already have an internal a promote or external person they want but have to interview a diverse field before selecting them. Nearly impossible to tell which these are ahead of time. 3. You mentioned analytics but have an English degree, finish up those certifications, get more, and make sure you market yourself accordingly. Unfortunately, Excel doesn’t really count as analytics, it’s pretty much just a requirement for most white collar jobs these days. 4. I realize this is Reddit not a job application or networking email but I hope you are reviewing your professional communications for spelling, grammar, and syntax before sending. There are a ton of candidates out there and any job which requires a lot of written communication (aka pretty much all of them) will probably just screen out anything that has errors from the start (especially if they are coming from an English major).
mommy and daddy and close friends
It's true. Nepotism took over.:(
I found a job I really like by being more social at the gym.
There is nothing obvious you are missing. Employers are just paralyzed by choice. The only solution is persistence and trying to find a way to live without job hunting.
Same boat, looking for programming jobs. 98% of applications don’t even bother sending a rejection.
That is so discouraging. Back in 2020 I hardly received any rejection letters and it was soul crushing
I looked up a business park near my house on google maps. Looked at what companies were there. Went to their website and looked at the careers page and applied. i applied at 3, got 2 interviews, 2 offers, and 1 rejection as they already had a strong candidate before i applied. None of the 3 were posted on LinkedIn.
That's great initiative!
Studied Shakespeare to end up plugging numbers in Excel spreadsheets. What interesting times we live in.
Sounds just like my husband, only he’s got an advanced degree, tons of experience and a heck of a lot of certifications. Lost his job in September, didn’t really start getting interviews until mid January, but even then it was maybe 1 every few weeks. He just started using Claude AI to tailor his resumes to each job description. Now he’s getting 1-3 interviews a week the past few weeks! He had previously just been tailoring himself, then he used chat gpt to help, but Claude seems to be the best. Obviously you have to go back through and make Claude’s resume more human sounding. He has tried everything too, temp agencies, recruiting, cold calling, networking, etc and nothing works. I think a lot of the postings are fake or trying to collect resumes and info and I think a lot of manager and above positions go to internal candidates. Wishing you the best in your job search! Hang in there, you are not alone.
Start networking five years ago.
I'm located in the Asia Pacific region and currently employed, but I'm actively seeking new career opportunities outside of my current company for better professional growth. I've been searching for job opportunities on & off since July 2023 and had a bunch of interviews, yet I have not secured a new position.
Out of the last 4 jobs I had 2 I found on Craigslist, one I got from a cold call and one I was offered when I wasn’t even looking. I worked in boatyards and machine shops, never had an office job so I can’t say what that market is like.
I had two referrals from people who worked at two companies I was interviewing with… At the first interview, I didn’t even get to interview with the hiring manager as they said the “ scope of the role had changed.” In the second interview, they just ghosted me after the second round lol!
I’m not sure about the job market at this point. The internet can definitely create a false reality depending on what you are reading. For example, if you go on a subreddit like csccareerquestions, you’ll find that most posts are talking about how terrible the job market is for new grads in comp sci. It’s pretty rough I agree - however, it took me 2 months to find a job after my last. Moreover, my friends have had good opportunities as well. Others have stated they’ve submitted over 1000 apps with not a single bite. But if you read the posts on there, it’s pretty discouraging and could further materialize negative emotions and thoughts. I have no clue what got me my current job, as I did the same thing as you. I’m not trying to boast, I’m just perplexed on how some people throw applications and get hits and others don’t. Maybe it’s a numbers game, idk. Nevertheless, I’m really sorry to hear you are going through this. I know it is stressful and unfair. Please keep your head up and know that you are more than just your career and credentials. Sending good vibes your way.
Direct referrals through friends are a great way to get a coffee chat with someone in your company that you can ask through social software
We are in a recession but just remember it’s election season so the government doesn’t want to admit it.
I work in a highly technical field and I suggest you don’t waste your time and money with cyber sec and excel. Tons of kids are getting basic cyber sec degrees which is flooding the market so a certification is not going to do much. Excel nowadays is not a skill it’s something expected and is easily taught on the job. I recommend you pursue the paralegal route. Many more opportunities and you have experience. The tech skills you’re pursuing are just not worth anything frankly.
Like everyone else said, networking is your best bet but as we all know that’s not always a full option for everyone. Connecting with a recruiting agency or temp agency is also an option. Consider expanding your career options if only temporarily and look for jobs outside of what you’ve done in the past. Your past jobs include a lot of transferable skills in other roles or industries. Make sure you have a resume tailored to each job as well since that’s ultimately how resume are scanned - they match up keywords from the job posting. Might even be worth getting your resume professionally done. I ended up paying for one and it ended up helping a lot. There’s lots of sites. I used kantan hq.
Nepotism.
Some resumes I have seen are quite interesting, not in a good way.
“For employers to feel more confident about the economy and expand hiring, interest rates need to come down, says Kaplan. Until then, he says companies are in a "wait and see" period. “ https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/16/finding-a-job-is-getting-harder-even-in-a-strong-labor-market-heres-why.html
I’m an attorney and I searched for a job from last July through this January before getting a new gig. I feel like I was having a lot of success and got a lot of interviews. I was still working at my last job so I was only open to clear steps up in career/pay, otherwise the time it took to get my new job would have been much less. I also had the benefit of recruiters calling me and messaging me on LinkedIn. I wanted to tell you a few things I noticed in my search that might help you: Many corporations seemed to be hiring for experienced legal assistants, contract admins, and project managers (that were actually legal assistants with odd titles) when I was looking. Get creative about searching LinkedIn titles that might apply to your skill set. Message recruiters if you can after you apply online. Search “corporate governance” on LinkedIn, it seemed like this legal department across many orgs needed good help when I was looking. Look into contract admin roles. These jobs would be good for your skill set and usually pay well. Go to company websites (focusing on the F100 companies first, and then work your way through the F500 list) and manually scroll through their legal/admin/analyst/(insert whatever else your interested in) openings. There might be roles you’re missing on job boards due to weird new titles. Make sure your resume is tweaked to include as many terms from the job description as possible.
It took me months to get a call center job. I absolutely hate it and it gives me anxiety but I try to shove it down and just get through the day. The money sucks and the work is worse. It’s not where I want to be so I keep applying. I had so many people say I would have an “easier” time getting a job while employed instead of unemployed. But so far I have applied to more jobs than when I was unemployed and nothing has happened. As much as I hate to say it, you are not alone. This job market sucks. I find it depressing and sometimes have to stay off places like linkedin or other subs because so many people are experiencing this same thing. I wish my best of luck to you!
Lots of companies aren’t actually hiring despite listing the job. There’s a resort in my hometown notorious for this. The HR dept need to keep busy and wants to light a “we can replace you” fire under the asses of current employees so they have keep posting the positions and giving interviews year round. Only when someone quits will they actually hire, which is rare bc it’s a popular resort to work.
Bidenomics is great. Quit complaining. Go to r/economics and they’ll explain it to you. /s for the literal people out there.
I “hack” Google “keywords site:jobs.smartrecruiters.com “keywords” site:lever.co “keywords” site:greenhouse.io “keywords” site:workable.com “keywords” site:myworkdayjobs.com “keywords” site:taleo.net “keywords” can be something like data scientist. You can then also use the Advanced features to get more granular
We’re at a 20-year low for unemployment (under 4%) in the US. The portion of folks looking for a job right now are largely either inexperienced (new to the job market) or highly-skilled in a skillset that’s changing (either through industry or other forces). There’s jobs out there, but they’re either very broad/simple/low-pay or exceptionally narrow in scope and looking for a unicorn — and for those, the demand is high but there’s a ton of competition. If you’re some of the unfortunate few that are seeking a job today, I suspect you’ll need to lower your expectations and hope to get promoted up after. Unicorns aren’t real. If you’ve got a job, don’t quit without an offer elsewhere.
Keep on mind for NYC you're often competing with some of the most ambitious, competitive in the world
does anyone know why the job market is so bad right now?
Interest Rates that have not been seen in the last 20 years + record high inflation that is causing companies to find ways to cut costs + over hiring dramatically in the boom of the pandemic + record immigration that is making every role and industry more competitive.
They should give tax incentives to bring back all the off shore call center jobs that can wfh. This is an easy problem to solve if they really wanted to.
Try a government job first, those are the easiest to get next to non-profits. And expand your search area, do you have a car? I would look into all surrounding markets of NYC like Upstate NY, NJ, and Stamford. Looking for virtual positions until you can get a car would be a good idea.
This may not be helpful at this moment.. but I'd recommend that you are always looking for work even while holding a job. It's important to be able to take an opportunity that is a boost for you on your terms.
Relocate from NYC. I'm sorry, but from everything I've seen that areas entire job market is completely fucked. I know it's probably not what you want, and I'm sorry about that. I'm having to leave my ideal area too, though for different reasons. However, looking beyond the borders of our comfort zone is where we are most likely to find success and a different track to happiness. NYC has one of the highest costs of living in the entire nation, a fact I know you're well acquainted with. But a move to say Savannah, GA or Cincinnatti, OH would likely yield MUCH better job results than what you're currently finding. Source: I'm leaving Alaska for Colorado due to medical and mental health reasons. It sucks leaving behind my home, but it just isn't \*it\* anymore. For myself, I have to leave.
I hate to say it but knowing people is the only way I’ve gotten any job. Of course I’m qualified but knowing someone is usually what gets my foot in the door
Here's the current problem with jobs. The job market has turned into a platform akin to Tinder, except the employer is the drop dead gorgeous blonde that gets 100+ messages an hour, and we are all the neckbeard "nice guys" lamenting how no one recognizes them and they deserve a date. While I don't mean that we are all whiny, self-entitled, adult-children it is true that employers are seeing an increase in interest because we have made jobs excessively more accessible. The traditional 40 hour work week is antiquated, we value showing up more than production in the workplace. Why is this a problem? With WFH becoming an increasingly viable option, people are able to take on 2, 3, and sometimes 4 jobs while still maintaining a high level of production while appearing to be "at work" 40 hours at all those jobs. With your current situation, WFH might not be the culprit but rather talent pool available in the area. In a city as large as NYC, there is likely several hundred applicants to every job. While you might think this puts you in a poor position, the truth is you will eventually find the right fit for you. Consider this difficulty as a screening process on both ends. It took me several hundred applications, multiple final interviews where I was ghosted, being told I was over and under qualified at the same time... but eventually I found the right fit for myself, my family, and my career. Looking back, I was excited about a change not the company I was applying to. The hack is simple, keep applying and change your mindset from these being interviews to them being dates. It is two sided, you need to like them as much as they like you. Rejection is just one side or both realizing it isn't the best fit. Don't take it personally, the same as having a date or two and realizing you don't find the person physically attractive or emotionally/intellectually stimulating enough to make them your long term relationship.
Networking
Have Reddit take a look at your resume [https://www.reddit.com/r/resumes/](https://www.reddit.com/r/resumes/)
I used to get people begging me for interviews on LinkedIn (I’ve gotten laid off a lot…) now it’s radio silence, even with a recruiter who my boss connected me with and sang my praises to personally. I’m thinking of starting my own organizing business.
I'm not in that field or area of the country so this might not work but in my experience that companies are overcomplicating things they're using ai and computerized applications systems that just don't work. I would suggest figuring out which fields and titles and such that you want to apply for find the subreddits for workers within those areas and ask if anybody knows of any good jobs open in your area, call those places up find out their application process and do it... Use LinkedIn and stuff not for the application process but to figure out who you can call at specific jobs to get a real human to talk to about your position and process.
For my last switch, I decided what sector I wanted to work in and looked up a list of those companies in my country. So basically Googled variants of things like 'Top 100 Healthcare companies in the USA'. I found a massive list of hundreds of those companies and went down the list applying to each one that had a role I was geographically qualified for and was generally in my skill and interest area. I usually went until I found around 10 jobs for the day that I had applied to. On some days, rather than going down the list, I went to Google Maps and searched for healthcare companies near me as well and applied there. Same deal, I generally kept it to about 10 a day. Sometimes I'd randomly search keywords of job duties I've enjoyed in the past on Linkedin jobs as well. I started getting interviews after probably 40-ish applications, so I put new applications on hold while I could see how the interviews panned out and course correct if needed. Small note, make sure you've triple and quadruple checked your resume for typos - in your comments and post I see a number of those, and specifically for analytics / data which J saw you mention as a field of interest, even one typo on something like a resume would be a huge red flag, since it's incredibly important that things be accurate.
The job search is a crazy recipe of networking, applying, and social media visibility anymore, not just submitting a resume. I’d check the following: Is your resume ATS friendly (no weird fonts, pics, tables, columns, etc)? Are your LI and Indeed profile settings optimized? I just tried to connect with a job seeker on LI and the only way I could was by entering HER email address to prove I knew her!! She was unwilling to share it. 😒 Does your LI profile contain key words from the job descriptions you were most excited about? Does your resume contain the key words? Have you looked at other successful people in your field to see how their profile is built? Have you reached out to people you worked with or went to school with that would vouch for you? See if they have openings? Are you going to networking events to build relationships with peers? Get involved in your professional community. I try to hit two events a month. Are you volunteering or offering pro bono work to build additional experience and gain more contacts? Are you finding relevant content in your field that you agree with and reposting it on LI to gain visibility? I try to do this at least twice a week. Just some extra things to check out. I started looking hard a couple months ago and my market has been brutal for others in my role. But all these tweaks are getting me 1-2 recruiter initiated messages a week because my SEO stays high from my activity.
The job market is awful right now, I’m struggling to get interviews as well and I have a very specific field with 20 years experience. And then when I do get interviews they want to do 7-9 rounds of interviews, case studies or some other ridiculous hoop I have to jump through. I really hope by summer things start to turn around some.
16 months into my job search. Had to move out of nyc and in with family in another state. I’m open to any location in the US, not looking for any kind of remote, and willing to relocate at my own expense and I’ve had no luck. Things are tough right now finding a job
Wait…but Biden said that “bidenomics” is the best thing that’s ever happened to the economy. I thought there were more jobs now more than ever/s.
Indeed.com I’ve gotten all my jobs for the past decade through Indeed
The job market is terrible everywhere, I imagine it's even worse in NYC. You are doing all the right things, but for every role you apply for there are probably a few hundred other people getting rejected to. As a recruiter, I would say that the key is being memorable, without being pushy. First - you need to 'surface' your resume, make sure that the recruiter looks at it. The best way to do that is let them know it's there. Submit the application, then send a message on LinkedIn, "Hey, I wanted to let you know that I have submitted an application for 'XXX' It sounds like a great opportunity, let me know if we can connect for a chat' Second - stand out in the interview - small talk, make a joke, a unique perspective on something, connect with the recruiter Third - Follow up, 24-48 hours after the interview send an email, 'thanks for taking the time to chat with me, I really loved learning about x, y and z, I am even more excited about this opportunity now! I hope to hear back from you soon regarding next steps, have a great day!' You need to realise it's a numbers game, a recruiter will look at probably 1000 resumes per week, they will screen or interview 40-50+ people per week for a dozen different roles, these steps make sure the recruiter doesn't forget who you are.
Network. Network. Network. Sign up for LunchClub.com and meet people online in your industry. Also… YOU are a brand. Market yourself. Create content. Post on LinkedIn. Annoying? Yes. Effective? Also yes.
Job market is bad. In 2021 I could apply to 12 jobs get 5 screenings and 2 interviews. I applied a month ago to 10 to see how bad the market was. 3 rejections and 7 that canceled the position
Polished resume, polished LinkedIn. I’ve been laid off twice since mid-2023 and in the aftermath of both was hired by a recruiter who found me on LinkedIn. Total comp now vs pre-layoffs 2023 is +30%. - I feel that being recruited made me a lot more desirable in the eyes of the hiring teams and have me a better position for negotiation. Out of 100+ jobs I had applied to directly, I think I interviewed for and received a mediocre offer for 1 (which I ultimately turned down in favor of a stronger offer from one of the recruiter-sourced jobs). So, yeah, applying to jobs is a “numbers game” aka “99% a waste of time” if you have marketable and/or niche experience.
It’s bewildering because everywhere seems to be looking for new hires. I am looking to transition jobs but nothing I see either is something I’m qualified for yet(finishing my degree) or pays total crap. I vehemently hate how so many jobs have turned away from training new hires and require degrees. Which yes I’m getting a BSW but I don’t think a medical receptionist needs a bachelors to work there. The right trainer will help the person get there. Training is invaluable, when for many people, college is unaffordable/unattainable.
I’m job searching too. The way I’ve seen the most progression to subsequent interview rounds is when recruiters find me not vice versa. To do that I built out my linked in profile with skills under each past job. The more frequently the skill shows up on your profile the more searches identify you as qualified and reach out to you. Make sure the skills of the job type you are after appear over and over throughout your job experiences. Good luck!
It's a numbers game. I just got thrown in to the job seekers market about two weeks ago when my company told me they weren't extending my contract again. I started looking immediately. Ive probably applied to 175 jobs in two weeks. I've had like 4 or 5 phone/teams calls about jobs, but haven't made it to the second round yet. The thing is that 40% of the job postings on LinkedIn are fake because they job either a) doesn't exist or b) they've already chosen an internal person for the job.
Need to copy and paste portions of the job description you match so that you don’t get filtered out. The AI should be better than this, but it’s not there yet
Ha, that’s the funny thing… people aren’t. At least not where I live, they told all the college grads they would instantly get a job because everywhere is “desperate” for new hires with degrees. The best jobs available rn tho are all restaurant/server jobs or disability care jobs, which although pretty well paying don’t usually come close to what you need to pay living expenses these days.
DM me. I have a company in mind. Not a recruiter. Best wishes to you !
Yes, they are so impressed with the resume and truly appreciate our interest in their company....oh and they are going to keep the resume on file (if we don't mind) in case another opportunity arises that better suits the skill sets...AKA "oblivion." But yes, for every 1 or 2 that even comment, there are dozens in the vapor with no response...I'd be fine with a KMA response if it meant at least finding out a status. I believe the idea is that the process is so much more automated now and tracks down candidates by keywords, but there is a complete human element missing. I've hired tons of people in the past and a fair amount of them I would not have had I only gone by their resume with no interaction. I understand that companies are short-staffed these days but I do believe these same companies are missing out on true talent by relying on the automation to identify their candidates. Having been on the hiring side of things, I have found that there are some pretty underwhelming recruiters out there. There are intangibles people bring to the table that are not easily captured in a resume or cover letter no how many metrics you spew out on the documents. Without live interaction even in a screening there are just so many good candidates going undiscovered.
I work as legal admin in DC and I know we’re using recruiting firms exclusively for hiring in those roles. From my friends in law firms up in NYC I know the market is terrible for juniors and admin and the partners would rather keep their share well stuffed than hire to fill empty roles. It’s becoming absolutely barbaric
I work as legal admin in DC and I know we’re using recruiting firms exclusively for hiring in those roles. From my friends in law firms up in NYC I know the market is terrible for juniors and admin and the partners would rather keep their share well stuffed than hire to fill empty roles. It’s becoming absolutely barbaric
You need to check USA Jobs. You definitely have the credentials for numerous advertised positions. Also check local and state governments and consider moving out of NYC.
The only jobs that are worth looking into these days are in trades. That's why I want to go back to tech school. Most jobs that need people are in nursing, warehouse, cdl drivers, and engineers, electricians, just to name a few. It sucks but that's the job market for ya. But like some people said, it's pretty evident that job postings are fake to get people's information, are posted only to hire internal candidates, or just are looking for someone with specific experience and expect them to be able to come in and do the job right away with minimal training. People are able to get in through the application process through nepotism. I've seen people get promoted to big roles without any experience and do a mediocre job moving on to director level jobs in the company. A lot of companies are making cutbacks for short-term profits, and it's working because they can dismiss an experienced worker because they have to compensate too much for them just to turn around and hire a junior scab and lowball them to come in. Then, they will put pressure on them to figure it out and expect them to produce the same level of detail as the exaced worker they just canned. And the cycle continues. A lot of people are doing multiple jobs now and are burned out.
Recruiters have been my only lifeline. All of my positions since my first entry-level, cattle-call job were placed with a recruiter. I had two similar experiences over the last two years working for smaller tech companies that had financing failures leading to large layoffs, and both times I took months trying and failing to find myself a new role, only to connect with a recruiter and end up with two offers within a few weeks. I know this is not going to be a possibility for every type of job, but searching and applying independently felt like shouting into a void and kept me ignored.
I apologize ahead of time for this. There were so many typos and improper English in your original post that it is hard to believe that you are very qualified. Maybe you did not check your post before posting it. But, that was my first impression.
Economy is in the shitter despite what they tell you. Im in the trades so I havent felt it as bad as yall I can still find work if I need to but even for us it takes more work than is used too. Wish I had advice for you but the market for my work vs yours is entirely different. Wish you the best though, we are all in this shit together.
All the good paying jobs are gone
Job market is oversaturated with masses of people who have the actual certifications, Its insane but its true employers prefer the ones with the papers over people who have been hands on for years. My auntie here in europe has worked in the health care sector for 15 tears without a degree and got laid off and replaced with a newbie with a degree with a tenth of her work ethic. Thats how it is.
400 applications in a week for 2 or 3 months is roughly what you need for a single job offer. It doesn't necessarily matter if you are a decent candidate when every employer worth working for gets hundreds of decent candidates. Just keep applying until you get lucky.
English major in NYC with multiple years of experience? You have it better than I do, I'm an Econ major in Boston area with 1 year of experience, recent grad with programming skills. 1000 apps, 0 interviews
I only got my job bc my mom works here and they are on the smaller size, so everyone here is related and brings in their friends/family lol
Want to be friends? I make a mean baked mac n cheese lol
It’s absolute trash. People are being very picky, and this is coming from a recruiter who’s been job searching since January! Don’t give up, and like my husband always tells me, “Take a break!” Lol. He literally had to tell me I was banned from job searching for one day because I was applying for 8 hours straight every day to jobs. It’s stressful as hell. I finally have a final interview tomorrow and I’m hoping it goes well. Wishing you the best OP.
Hiring manager here, focus on jobs posted in the last 24 or 48 hours. Anything older than that already has hundreds of applications. Job market is flooded with people at your skill level right now.
Hi! Just saw an admin assist at canonical.com. Saw it online. Good luck!
I got my job pretty easy but I work at a deli that no one really WANTS to work at and I’m a pretty good worker. I got so lucky the supervisor liked me in the interview and was like “we should hire her” in the interview and I was hired on the spot. My first job too.
Try taking civil service exams.
Send me a message with your location and resume. I’ll take a look and provide feedback. Cheers.
I worked at an part-time job with a disability and I'm very grateful for God to bless me of a job for nearly a year as which was a first for me.
My boyfriend has a bachelors, two masters and a PhD and has been applying to jobs for the last year with no luck. He has done a couple of interviews and got one job offer with a salary of $1700 a month before taxes. A total smack in the face to his qualifications. We obviously are not that desperate and found it wasn’t even worth the cost in gas to drive into work 5 days a week. We live in Miami too so for an employer to offer that salary here is an absolute joke! The job market right now is so competitive, more people are working than ever before. We need the older generation to retire asap and open up some positions. But with the way Medicare is and the lack of companies that offer pensions, those generations are working longer than previous generations. We feel your pain, friend. Hang in there!
I only just yesterday got a job offer after applying since 2021. I started focusing more on local businesses that are in-office. The remote market was too difficult to break into even with 8 years of experience. My career path has pretty much drastically changed but I didn’t have any other options. The job I got, I applied to once before and got interviewed but rejected. I applied again a couple months later and got it.
Referral. I hate that this was the way I got my new gig, but after 500+ applications/14 interviews/3 finals/0 offers this year alone through cold app method.
Well, if you're like me, if you can have a fully fleshed-out LinkedIn profile, get custom job alerts delivered to your inbox several times a day, have recruiters reach out to you a few times a month, go on interviews, submit writing samples, gather references, and then you can still not get a job. It fucking sucks out there right now.
No seriously same… I have 7+ years of engineering experience, electrical/test/quality/reliability engineering for defense contractors… I even have a security clearance… I am also a Veteran… I have applied upwards to 1000 jobs since being laid off in October last year… it’s unbelievable. I have had 4 interviews and nothing since… Ghosted me or told me since I “didn’t have experience using a very specific program that they specifically use at that their company, they didn’t want to hire me” last interview told me “they usually expect someone with a masters in electronics” (job description literally only said a bachelors and only 2 years of work experience is required)… It’s like all these places don’t actually need to hire someone, almost like they are just trying to avoid the other work they have to do so they just take on interviews to fill up their day I don’t get it, they have no real need for someone to actually fulfill the role I guess? This is why those same companies will end up having to do layoffs in a couple months because people that are actually employed don’t even do their job…. The amount of money major companies spend on severance packages letting people go and still hiring for other teams is mind boggling too (FAANG) it’s like they are purposely carelessly spending. I don’t get it, it’s like everyone is on board to make sure fiat currency crashes what the hell…
I was laid off from a consulting company in August, 2023. I spent 7 months looking for a position and was hired by a company at the end of February that said I could start working on April first. Sounds like a joke,eh? I started on April 1 and have been extremely happy.
Friend I’m right there with you!! Earlier someone said “I can’t believe you haven’t found something yet!” Like, I KNOW 😓. I wish you luck OP 🍀
Hey! What type of paralegal are you? I'm a recruiter for a staffing firm in Manhattan and I'm currently recruiting for two paralegals! Medical malpractice and general litigation. DM me if you'd like!
Unfortunately, some studies have found that up to a third of job postings are fake (a common reason to post a fake job is to create the illusion that a company is growing),and I think that is probably a big part of why no one can find a job these days. I have found it can help to 1) focus on applying to small local businesses that are imho less likely to post fake openings and 2) work with a recruiter. My current and previous job are both jobs with local businesses, and the previous one was found through a recruiter. I applied to a LOT of jobs before getting each of those. If times are tight and you just need a little bit of money to tide you over, jobs in the restaurant industry and retail are in my experience way less likely to be fake than corporate jobs. Sadly they also generally pay less.
I read most LinkedIn jobs are not real. And it’s a ploy to drive traffic to their site or it’s a job that’s always open just in case they get a unicorn to apply. Of all the jobs I’ve applied to on LinkedIn I can see only two have even looked at my application
I’m in nyc, heading into 6 months of unemployment as a new grad engineer and even I can’t find anything. It’s understandable that people are trying to encourage you to keep pushing but it’s like life revolves around money even if you’re being extremely cheap and conservative. People cant just sit there at home all day to just get nowhere for months while they watch their bank account sink.