Landing a job these days is much more complicated than it was around a decade ago. In a 2023 survey, 70% of 1,500 job seekers admitted they needed to put in more effort than usual, and 67% found their recent job searches more difficult than their previous ones.
Dealing with incompetent, inconsiderate recruiters can be a more frustrating experience for job seekers. This list of screenshots of email and text exchanges between talent acquisition professionals and candidates revolves around that theme.
They’re all from the Recruiting Hell subreddit, a safe place where job hunters can share their woes and grievances.
If you’ve been through an exasperating job hunt, these stories may make you feel empathy or echo the same annoyance these people felt.
#1 Found This On Linkedin, Thought It Probably Belongs Here...lol
Image credits: skullnuggets
#2 Solid Advice
Image credits: Adriendel
#3 Seen In NYC, Are They Starting To Understand?
Image credits: ZakA77ack
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about the Great Resignation when people left their jobs en masse in the spring of 2021. This resulted in a labor shortage, leading to companies scrambling for workers and offering various perks and benefits.
But that was three years ago, and the job market has since shifted to a point where companies have become more conscious about costs. If you want to boost your chances of getting hired, you must reframe your thinking, says Bert Bean, CEO of staffing firm Insight Global.
That change in approach may include skill development. According to Forbes, online courses and workshops are ways to gain valuable and relevant experiences.
#4 Someone Pls Try It And Tell Me If It Worked
Image credits: maramara18
#5 Counterpoint: If It's Taking 6 Months For An Upper Manager To Fill A Position, The Company Should Be Looking To Fill 2 Positions
Image credits: Background_Touchdown
#6 Felt So Good To Talk Back For Once
Image credits: sabasena
A global recession loomed in 2023, frightening companies and urging them to pause the expansion of their workforce. According to Glassdoor’s lead economist, Daniel Zhao, many businesses continue to live in that fear.
“They don’t want to overhire into a recession and then have to lay people off,” Zhao told CNBC.
As a possible solution, Bean advises looking into other industries that have increased their hiring efforts in the past few months. These include healthcare, government, and construction.
#7 Just Stop Please
Image credits: Zaiik
#8 Recruiter Moment
Image credits: [deleted]
#9 "How I Got A Job At Big 4 Being In My 20s."
Image credits: IndieDiscovery
If you’re fresh out of college, landing a job would be an uphill battle in 2024. According to research by SHL Global, companies are downsizing their hiring of new graduates by 5.8% in 2024. The reason: AI is slowly replacing entry-level jobs.
But surprisingly, it hasn’t deterred the optimism of graduates from honing their skills and building a career. Handshake’s report noted, “[Graduates] are clear on their priorities—stability, location, and an employer’s reputation as a great place to work.”
#10 Seems About Right
Image credits: supercitrusfruit
#11 And Being Told "You're At The Upper Salary Band"
Image credits: supercitrusfruit
#12 Damn, That Felt Good!
Image credits: closedmouthsdonteat
You may want to narrow down your choices if the job market is overly saturated. In a viral TikTok video, recruiter Kourtlynn Faith advises being more intentional about your approach to the job search.
Instead of applying for multiple roles in every LinkedIn job opening in your industry, Faith recommends going after specific roles you know you would be a good fit for. A more strategic approach may boost your chances of landing a job that suits you best.
#13 Solid Advice From The Man Himself
Image credits: EliasAinzworth
#14 Ayo This Lady Working For UPS Really Tried To Get Free Labor Out Of Me Lol
Image credits: Internal_Gift_185
#15 Beautiful Text Exchange With A Recruiter
Image credits: meganisawesome42
We’d also like to hear from you, readers. Have you been in a frustrating job search where a recruiter made it more difficult for you? If so, how did you handle the situation? Let us know in the comments!
#16 Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
Image credits: SpaceMyopia
#17 Oh No It’s Totally Cool, I Love Booking 3 Separate Meetings To Be Bailed On Each Time By Someone With Crap Grammar
Image credits: grandoldduke500
#18 Just Why Tho
Image credits: SquidSlothXL
#19 I'm So Fed Up With Recruiters Reaching Out To Me With Insultingly Low Rates For Short Term Contract Work When They Can See I Have A Full Time Job Already
Image credits: Beastly173
#20 Oao
Image credits: ItsRiyu
#21 Rejection Letter For A Us Remote Job. Company Thought New Mexico Was "International"
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#22 I'm Tired Of Recruiters Avoiding My Questions And Playing Dumb
Image credits: reddrick
#23 Listen Up!
Image credits: misticpoetry
#24 Absolutely Stupid Hr
Image credits: CookieMonsteeUmUmUm
#25 Reality vs. Linkedin...?
Image credits: According-Aioli7951
#26 Aaaahhh I Can't Wait To Have This Feeling
Image credits: astral_soul
#27 What's The Asterisk For Subway? What's The Asterisk For!? [oc]
Image credits: Desert-Frost
#28 They’re On To Us, Boys!
Image credits: Fyrepit
#29 Onion
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#30 It Feels Good To Reject An Job After Again After 6 Years
Image credits: yes_u_suckk
#31 Was Looking At Truck Driving Jobs And Saw This
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#32 Already Had A Bad Feeling About This Job So They Made The Decision Easy For Me ?
Image credits: Garden_ho_9681
#33 I Am Seriously Out Of Words..... There Needs To Be A Hell On This World Also For Recruiters
Image credits: Budget_Green
#34 Applied For This Job 2 Months Ago, Now The Recruiter Wants A Same Day Or Next Day Interview. Asked Me To Use Skype To Schedule. Should I Say Noon Again? Maybe In All Caps?
Image credits: spiciestkitten
#35 Called Out For Being Stingy. Butthurt Company Further Tarnished Own Reputation With Their Explanation
Image credits: Hammerlight98
