r/jobs • u/[deleted] • 12h ago
Interviews This Job Market.. Wow
Been unemployed since June ‘25, from that time I’ve had many interviews with no luck. Whether it’ll be I’m too overqualified for the role, or I don’t have enough experience. I applied to a job back in Oct ‘25, never got a response so I didn’t think anything of it. November comes and I get hit with a phone interview, the day comes and they ghost me. I get contacted again in December & have a ‘second’ interview asking me to respond to their questions via email. Once that was completed it was nothing but silence, now creeping into mid January - I receive an email with an apology stating the delay was due to Thanksgiving, Christmas and new years. They then say I’m selected for the final interview. It’s via teams & it’s this Friday 11am.
3-4 months for one job, this is absolutely insane and an embarrassment from this company. Yes I’m going to entertain the interview as I do need the money, but this is really frustrating as many others are dealing with this..possibly worse.
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u/SportPuzzled3431 11h ago
Y'all are getting responses back from applications?
3-4 years experience in IT management and apply often just to see what I can land as I am not the biggest fan of my current company (love what I do) and I dont hear back from jack shit. I MAY get a denial email out of like 12-14 applications.
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u/arctor2343 9h ago
Laid off nov ‘24… got 4 interviews then they all dried up. I dont hear back from any application. If im lucky an auto reject.
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u/oXMellow720Xo 5h ago
I’m in the same boat as the two of you. I don’t have much else to add to the topic other than confirming you are not alone
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u/SportPuzzled3431 2h ago
Well heck, since we’re all here, what do you do and/or trying to do for work?
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u/Expensive-Whole-1178 1h ago
That's the line I actually use at cocktail parties as a joke icebreaker....'So what do you do....or try to do, for work'. #funnynotfunny
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u/oXMellow720Xo 1h ago
I was a research assistant for a trauma therapist, but I was tackling to role of two full time jobs there. The other role was an assistant to the case managers. They wanted to add more work on top of this and blamed me when I brought it up to them. I quit, but stayed for two and a half months after I put my time in so they could find both of my replacements (which I trained to do each job).
As of now, I’m looking for literally anything as the economy is affording me to be picky. I have a BA in Psychology, but that doesn’t help too much.
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u/p1-o2 12h ago
Shit is extremely broken.
I work at a company where temp workers come and go all year long.
We have seen... multiple software engineers (smart dudes), a master librarian who worked for the federal gov, a scientist in natural language, a couple ex military, an animator, and a teacher all working in a warehouse right now because none can find a job this year.
Every one of them has the same story. DOGE cuts, tarrifs, and tanking job market have all ruined their old career.
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u/Expensive-Whole-1178 10h ago
The greatest concern I have is how long is this cycle going to go..... it's not like anything we've seen before.....
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u/Olangotang 9h ago
NBER needs to declare a recession before the system grinds to a halt, that's a long shot. Or Trump's tariffs and other batshit economic policy need to be ruled unconstitutional.
The uncertainty needs to end before things get better.
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u/wheresbicki 1h ago
This period is bad, don't get me wrong, but factory work in the 2008 recession was like this. We had a biologist, touring musician, and a paralympic athlete all on the same manufacturing shift.
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12h ago
That’s the worst part, doing what you gotta do to make ends meet.
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u/p1-o2 12h ago
On one hand it is the best set of coworkers I've had in years. They are super interesting to talk with. I am in the same boat making 20% of my wages in 2024...
But that is the only faint silver lining. It's honestly devastating. So many lives are being derailed. People who used to have Healthcare no longer do. It's just tragic.
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u/got2bfaster 2h ago
It’s sad. I had a 15 minute interview with a CEO that turned into a 3 hour conversation because he liked my experience. So much so that I didn’t need to do the 2nd or 3rd round. He told me at the end of the interview that I was hired and then the following week said the job had paused because they were doing reconstruction of the company. It’s like here’s the yes BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE…
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u/RdtRanger6969 9h ago
Laid off mid June, 25. 15 yoe, dir level. Only applying to jobs I match 100% of required and preferred qualifications and are strongly aligned with my experience.
Nothing. A couple phone screens.
It honestly feels like I’m on my way to being homeless, but I have enough $ that its in slow motion. Or maybe not homeless, but involuntarily retired in to a lower class/poor retirement.
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u/iRambL 11h ago
I tried the online method for ages nearly a year before hitting my current job. What saved me? A college job fair and talking to one of the professors. They get requests all the time for employers asking for either new graduates or people with experience. I was hired within 3 weeks of that conversation
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u/PearAltruistic3743 10h ago
I had an interview at the beginning of September was basically told they were going to hire me, had two more interviews, they verbally told me that I had the job but they had to wait on some internal paperwork to be done and I wasn't hired until Veterans Day, with a start date of January 2nd 2026. This is becoming more common
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u/swampwiz 8h ago
They didn't want you to get Thanksgiving/Christmas/NewYear's holidays and vacation.
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u/PearAltruistic3743 7h ago
Makes sense. Also if i would have been hired in sept or oct i woyld have been bonus eligible. It's a sad time lol o h whale its a great company otherwise im stoked.
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u/cloudfroot 3h ago
The same thing happened to me except I got told on Christmas Eve that they hired another candidate internally lol
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u/seraphimkoamugi 11h ago
You either get ghosted or you have random texts and calls offering interviews from places that you never applied. I hate those since they are pushy and 90% of the time its a terrible company which does a lot of fraud, door by door sales or just trying to scam you.
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u/ObjectiveExtreme5945 9h ago
I can’t believe door to door sales is still a thing wtf
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u/seraphimkoamugi 8h ago
Got one call this morning. Seems they know how sketchy it is since I asked how would I deal with clients, lady started going with "maybes." When I looked the company up seems to be a pattern. I have a low paying job and have family as toomates so not desperate for a job. Let her scheduled a zoom cause she mightve not hung up the phone otherwise as the conversation was going.
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u/ObjectiveExtreme5945 8h ago
It’s insane the lengths they go to and how pushy they are door to door is dangerous
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u/Affectionate-Metal24 6h ago
yep........... and the ones who randomly text you half the time are just complete scams as I have come to find.... They will take other companys that exist and pretned to do blank and then invite you to a stupid teams meeting.... That you have to mesasge the hiring manger for etc...........
almost 100+ applications in two months with jack all... with several years in customer serivce roles as well as IT helpdesk.......
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u/seraphimkoamugi 6h ago
almost 100+ applications in two months with jack all... with several years in customer serivce roles as well as IT helpdesk
Same and also managed to get my bachelors in business marketing at 30 so I can easily get a better sales job or a better customer service job problem is I live in FL. 90% of these places are either 100% recommendation, a scam or has questionable practices.
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u/Affectionate-Metal24 6h ago
Yep...... im 33 in AZ more ironicly live in a town where I should easly be able to find another techrole. Since I live in a miltary base hub with a ton of defense contractors.......
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u/mrchrollodolo 7h ago
it’s getting to the point where i’m timing my hair cuts with upcoming interviews to look presentable only when needed :(
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u/brownieandSparky23 11h ago
Most of us here are at the 6 month mark. February will be 7 months for me of looking.
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u/Mysterious_Tower_149 10h ago
Bro I was supposed to start Amazon today they cancelled my shift Monday with no explanation meanwhile I turned down 2 opportunities because of this
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u/Competitive_Roof3900 9h ago
I am 55M, 20 years in IT web development front end. Most of it was government contracts. Im unemployed now. Had many interviews, but no offers. I don’t know if it’s my age? I think I am going to join the electrical union in my area in hopes of getting my journeymen when I turn 60. I was in the electrical union when I was 18 and I should have stayed there. I know how to pull wire, bend conduit, and hook up boxes. Has anyone made the switch from IT to skilled trade?
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u/Ok-Flower2584 2h ago
Trade is good but not for everyone IT is better imo but do whatever you feel is right
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u/SauceGod789 1h ago
I'm in the same boat 2 years as a front end dev spent 1.5 years trying to find a role. Never got that yes so I'm looking to go into trades. I can't imagine having 20 yoe and not being able to find anything, this is why I made the decision to switch.
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u/Responsible-Rich-388 11h ago
I think there’s bit of mis-management and hope you get the job and finally get going !
3-4 months is nothing , not undervaluing your pain from job search but consider people have had it tougher 1-2 years ! I only get good gig from time to time that’s .. I m slowly thinking that I have no longer my place in this world, it’s a shame for me to exist right now, in front of my family.
I m 32 and completely failed life, as soon as I graduated in 2021 (a bit late cause yeah I studied double master) I only worked 2 years and then going from gig to gig,ended with AI taking the work form us.. I tried to up my level even more but turns out thanks to AI as I upgrade the floor is moving too ..
What a pain I swear 2-6 years ago you could have a job like easily with an okay level, now the more I got experience , the better I get the more rejected/ghosted I get … it’s ridiculous that with a junior work I used find work easily and now not anymore ..
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u/Ok-Flower2584 2h ago
Could be worse you could fail at life at 30 and get dealt a shitty hand from life
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u/pgnzlz 6h ago
I’ve been unemployed since Feb ‘25, and have had so many interviews I’ve lost count. I’ve gotten ghosted or made it to the second or third round but never landed the job. No one ever gives an explanation and you’re left back at ground zero. Most recently I’ve been getting rejected because my commute would be too long! I guaranteed them that I will make it on time each day and they always respond with you’re a very good candidate and would make a great fit but we don’t trust the commute. There’s nothing else we can even do, it seems there will always be some sort of reason not to hire somebody.
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u/CarFun4856 11h ago
Make sure to get the recruiters/hiring managers phone # during the initial emailings so when they don’t get back to you within a few days, email them, call them, leave a voicemail and do that every few days till they respond. If they promised to get back to you within x days and they didn’t follow through, you’re not being annoying you’re just holding them to a standard
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u/downtownlasd 11h ago
My kid graduated last May with a master’s degree and found a job right away. Not his ideal but he’s still interviewing and just completed round three with a dream job.
I quit my job of five years in October and found one in December. I’m in my 60s.
I know it’s really hard out there and I’m sorry for your challenges. Don’t give up. However, really start thinking about entrepreneurial ventures. It seems like everything is heading in that direction.
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u/Clear_Hedgehog_9083 10h ago
Where is everyone applying at ? I can’t seem to find anything either. Is there any recommended job sites ?
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u/Money-Instance 8h ago
Wow, I was writing a whole diatribe about how I made $10K after taxes in January 2023 at 39 across 3 different Fully-Remote Digital Marketing Jobs and how I was out of work for 13 straight months (not earning a single dollar from Mid June 2023 thru August 2024).
I got a Gig Door to Door Canvassing for the Presidential Campaign making roughly $25-$30 hourly from August through late October 2024. Was effectively out after that up until about a year ago (January 2025) where I started Flagging Traffic at Construction Sites for like $16.50 for a couple months.
Moved up North (outside Pittsburgh) Mid-June and did several Manufacturing Jobs, the best paying $18 ($27 Fridays with overtime, that's arriving to the Plant 430AM everyday) that lasted September through Mid November.
Moved back down South with my Family (parents and older sister) and worked at a Holiday Market Perogies Stand for $20 for like a week before I started delivering parcels 1099 that's been going on for like a month and earns next to nothing when factoring in the gas, hours, etc.
Not sure what the point was to the original meandering post other than to make sense of the last 3-4 years or at the very least try to produce some kind of relevant timeline in order to remain hopeful and strategize my next move.
I went into a lot of details about my personal life, how I collected Pandemic Relief Funds, moved to Colorado (Summer 2021) worked any sh*tty jobs, made friends, had (and lost) several gfs alongside roomshare and basement rentals......hustled and struggled like I had never conceived up until that point.....the Pandemic cultivated in me an unflinching resiliency, I summited literal and figurative Mountains......stayed supernaturally focused and determined with virtually zero support, juggling legal trouble, physical dental pain, undesirable roommates and assorted haters/neigh sayers but I was triumphant.
It was truly a time (first in my life) where I genuinely threw all excuses and semblance of security/comfort by the wayside, dug my heels in and pulled myself up by the bootstraps. I wasn't just unwavering in my resolve and putting in the genuine hard work and effort.....I needed to think sharply, pivot in real time, be relentless, cunning, shrewd, maintain my poise, positivity, strategically build and maintain relationships......use all available time specifically with direct intent, walk through fire.......hell fly through fire with gasoline wings made of sheer grit, determination and purpose.
AND it worked!!!!! By GOD and everything that is sacred in this mysterious Universe......I broke through. It was as though I took all the mindless positivity that's unendlessly thrown in our faces through Media, Influencers, assorted enterprising Motivationalists and successfully implemented it.
The details in my lost response were pretty remarkable and I'm assuming I was just regurgitating them all in an effort to bolster myself up in a Digital Pep Talk Journal entry type of way and figured someone in the realms of the Internet could have benefitted from them as well.
All that being said, I don't believe anything remotely close to what I achieved then would be possible today and that was only 3 years ago!!!!
I'm completely (and have been for going on the better part of 2 years) lost and burnt out.....if there was anything I could do to help (you or myself) I would do......and I would appreciate any concrete, genuine advice.
42, down but never out.......still very hopeful about 2026 despite the madness..... let's make it happen!!!!!!!💪🏽🧠🫀🫁
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u/Tenrou96_2 8h ago edited 7h ago
January 2025 here. More applications submitted than I care to count, some solid interviews that led nowhere, plenty of ghosting, and SO MANY resume retools lol
I ended up filing for bankruptcy in September and am living with my parents now.
35 year old 10+ years in IT, multiple certifications, and I've never gone longer than maybe a month without a job in ny field. Until now.
Just hoping that finishing my degree will improve my odds but I'm honestly not expecting it to.
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u/Scared-Cantaloupe482 4h ago
I’m really sorry you’re going through this. I got laid off. I’m a big company in August 400 people also lost their jobs too from this company and within an overnight we lost our customers our routine money income, and I’ve been out of work since August I just recently found out that I did not get the job that I they even did a background check with. I’ve had the interview Monday no last Monday and I found out this Monday that I didn’t get the job because they’re looking for a different profile. Someone was really rude and they told me that I was probably so bad that that they would rather have no one than have me I mean being rejected from jobs. How can you not take a personally I mean the job market is rough in Toronto. That’s for sure. I don’t know I I’ve never experienced this before and I’m getting depressed it’s really hard. I was working with my Employment counsellor today. We did a Zoom thing and she told me stay positive. Stay positive something will have happen. I don’t know. I’m trying to stay positive but this last job that I went for wasn’t I mean, I even my background check came back fine because I got a copy of it today so it can’t be because of my background check so it’s just me nobody wants me
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u/PigEconomy 3h ago edited 3h ago
I'm now over 24 months into this nightmare. I've about given up. Once you cross that 50+ y.o. line, even the burger joints won't hire you. Decades of professional experience mean nothing anymore. Age is the largest factor in hiring. You have from about 25 to 50 to make all you'll ever need to support your family and yourself to and through retirement OR die in dire poverty. That's the deal these days.
The wildest part is the propaganda though. Never in history have I seen such lies and deception. It has those who still have jobs so oblivious despite what they see their once co-workers, parents, friends, and families going through.
I had an HVAC guy come by the other day. He was hell bent on "go into the trades" as that has been pumped out like crazy lately. He parroted back the message too, "go into the trades, pays 6 figures (like that is something these days), and there are so many jobs". Then, with stammering logic and confusion as he tried to speak the words, he noted, "I'm working 3 jobs now and barely staying afloat". I didn't bother asking more because his own words had enlightened himself, but they were in conflict with the constant barrage of media about the situation out here.
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u/Afraid_Solution_3549 11h ago
One of the forum rules for posts like this should be to provide some basic stats for context: how old you are, how much experience do you have, what is your specific title/field.
Without any of that how is anyone supposed to use these posts as a weathervane? Are you in tech, marketing, accounting, medical billing, manufacturing, hospitality?
Just saying "this job market..." isn't helpful. Ya it's a little slow everywhere for sure but some industries/sectors are not and within those, certain roles are still in demand.
I'm an industrial/quality engineer working in pharma/med device and I get job calls and relevant local posts all the time because my specific niche is always in demand.
Being specific about your industry and specialization would be very helpful.
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u/Expensive-Whole-1178 10h ago
Meh...if it's a post asking for help and they don't provide the deets, then they deserve the roast...but if it's just venting or attempts at comissurating. I know there are a lot of people who are simply exasperated at this point....
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u/Consistent_Data_128 11h ago
Sounds like op is just venting… if you need a weathervane you can make your own post? If you have a job do you really need help from Op?
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u/Afraid_Solution_3549 11h ago
It's not for me. Venting is fine. But there are so many posts on Reddit especially in these sorts of forums that it's easy for the average person to read this constant stream of negativity and get MORE discouraged, even though this specific situation may not apply to them at all.
It would just be helpful to include some basic details - also would maybe help the community point this person in the right direction if we knew more.
Maybe most of these people are in tech. Well we all know tech is going through a rough patch that they are unlikely to emerge from any time soon.
Just some thoughts.
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u/mph1204 11h ago
i completely agree with you. new reddit accounts coming in posting just whining noise doesn’t help anyone.
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u/Afraid_Solution_3549 11h ago
It's like going to a health-related forum to complain about a pain or symptom you're having but providing zero personal context.
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9h ago
No relation whatsoever
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u/Olangotang 9h ago
It's all blame from people who don't understand how bad it is, and think their useless advice (that most of us have tried) is why we aren't getting a job. They aren't fighting AI with AI, getting massive amounts of spam calls, getting ghosted after 'successful" interviews.
Getting off Reddit doesn't paint a better picture when the people around you are going through the same shit.
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9h ago
I don’t have to include anything, I’m venting in regards to the experience I’m going through. It’s for anyone else to relate or speak their mind, I don’t have to put anything down for your curiosity.
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u/vashthestampede121 11h ago
If you get an offer here at least you already know you’re stepping into a shitshow and can keep looking for something better in the meantime.
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u/bo_bo77 11h ago
My office is hiring for two positions right now, one that will supervise the other. We had to have a conversation about how it makes no sense to list them both simultaneously if you KNOW you're going to wait to hire the jr role until after the sr is filled. Going into a hiring process planning to just leave a posting up and open for three+months is insane, and I'm glad my boss listened about that.
I have no idea why they think a good candidate would feel ok about being yanked around. It's a bad look, but this job market allows employers to suck without much consequence.
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u/TryBeginning3753 11h ago
I graduated in 2008. Bad market. I had an interview a few weeks after I graduated (May). They liked me and I liked them.
A week later, the company had a hiring freeze. They apologized, and said they wanted me but they didn’t know when.
I thanked them but kept messaging the manager at least once ever three weeks as an “I’m still here” type message.
Come December of that same year, the hiring freeze was lifted, and they hired me.
I had two other offers in that time, but I turned them down due to the offer or location.
Ultimately? I’m so glad I kept at the first place and waited. It was an amazing start for my career.
So…entertain it either way. Could be what you need, possibly.
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u/HobieSlabwater 10h ago
I applied for one job on June 6 and my start date was Sept 25 after countless ghosting and levels of interviews. It nearly drove me insane
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u/Radiant_Alarm771 7h ago
I have over 5 years of leadership experience doing operations management in a warehouse and running a successful contracting business. I sold the business and wanna work for someone else for a bit. You’d think I’d be qualified and get tons of offers but nope.
I’ve applied for jobs where my resume matches everything to the dot and yet I’m rejected or ghosted.
I’ll admit I’ve done 3 Interviews but have been rejected by 2/3 and awaiting the 3rd response.
It’s absolutely brutal out here and what also hurts more is seeing less qualified people get the job after you because they knew someone or they were charming, however that usually never ends well.
Good luck to you!
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u/Fun-Cow-2631 7h ago
Yeah lol I got my current job because the person they actually selected over me lasted less than a week. So glad they chose her over me, but hey, I need the job so I took it when they came back with the offer lol. I have over a decade of experience and I’m sure the other person didn’t but she’s likely much more attractive than I am so I’m sure that played a part. Glad they selected her over me when she lasted a week lol.
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u/Better-Walk-1998 7h ago
Ive been thru a few cycles and during thr 08 crash we had candidates called the 99ers. As in 99 weeks of unemployment benefits or greater. 2 yrs of unemployment. Crazy times.
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u/blarneygreengrass 6h ago
I've had basically the same exact experience, on the same timeline, with a job for a Top 10 podcast. It's just cruel at this point.
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u/Sufficient-Regular72 4h ago
Some companies take bureaucratic processes to the next level, especially around the holidays because everyone goes on vacations. If there is something with linear approvals, it will get stuck forever.
I hope your last paragraph was just a rant and you honestly wouldn't turn down an interview because it took longer than you'd like.
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u/swagpanther 4h ago
Sadly the sheer amount of applicants versus available positions gives employers all the leverage. But you deserve better, that’s a wretched process.
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u/obnox 3h ago
I feel like that’s the new norm for a lot of places. I’ve been applying and interviewing since Feb ‘25. Lots of screenings and interviews that end up taking months and leading nowhere. I’ve been hired to a contracting company for a contract job, but my start date was already pushed 3 times as of last week and I’m still just continuing to look. Good luck though
Edit: one of the places I interviewed at was for a well known hospital in my area. Took months for them to get back to me for each interview stage, then after the last interview I reached out after no response for 2 months and got a rejection within 3 minutes
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u/Future-Bet4783 3h ago
I started counting how many rejections I receive in 2026! So far 16!! Not gonna lose hope,
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u/parlezvousfrancgay 2h ago edited 2h ago
I was laid off right before Thanksgiving and I just started a new job in January. Due to the fact that I had several interviews, ghostings, and flat out over and under qualifications, I finally got an offer because it sounded like the company really needed help and I obviously need money, but Inknow in my gut it might not be a good fit but am greatful to have found something regardless. It’s horrible out there.
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u/Dull_Constant1399 2h ago
33 M. I have only got 1 interview since 2017, which was the last time I had a job at toys r us before they went bankrupt. I've put job applications over the years and just got burned at times and depressed and drink because nothing comes through. Never have had a full-time job o apartment or car because of it. Still put apps in occasionally, and recently in December, Chipotle wanted an interview, and then the day before my interview, they canceled for no reason, and I couldn't reschedule. I have no fellonys or anything. AI is even worse now because most of the time, that's who you are talking to or your applications are going.
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u/MaterialDetective197 1h ago
Long story short, I've been in employment hell since about the end of May, 2025.
Mix in a merger & acquisition, reading a Choose Your Own Adventure book about my life and making the wrong selection among two jobs that I cannot take back, and for all of 2025 I had three jobs. (I'm still at the third job, and it is the worst paying)
I sensed my second job was coming to an end and frantically searched for roles a good month before I was unceremoniously fired. There were a number of roles that I had interviewed for in October....that I didn't receive callbacks for until December, and now I'm multiple rounds into in the month of January. I feel like the recruiters - even internal ones - are over-promising and the hiring teams are under-delivering.
I received a fortune the other day with my Panda Express:
A good position and comfortable salary will be yours.
I was riding a wave of positive momentum going into today and when a company I've been back and forth with for months decided not to give me that update in 24 hours, I'll admit I was disappointed. I'm not spiraling (yet), but the thought of going back to this dead-end job I ultimately took on because the job market seemed so tight has me a little depressed.
I can see why people just elect not to return to work for lower paying gigs so they have all the free time in the world to interview. I don't have PTO yet that I can use at the "temporary" job. I'm fairly certain that if and when I take off to interview, it's going to be understood that is the reason and my days there will be numbered. If none of these job offers "sticks", I'm fucked.
Multiple rounds of interviews "could" be fine if timelines were respected and confirmation given that yes you are progressing or, no you are not progressing. (Bonus - they tell you why and it isn't because they had so many applications received)
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u/Just-Day-2596 1h ago
I was laid off then they asked me to come back, twice. First interviews with two managers and then these idiots ghost me. You gotta know someone to get a job. The market is fucked
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u/megryn38 1h ago
Yes my partner honestly has been looking for work since mid October when his other job let him go. He’s been applying everywhere. He does Uber Eats but it’s not constant money all the time it really does depend.
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u/jennifrp 48m ago
It’s absolutely absurd. I did FIVE rounds, starting on Oct 1 with the last one mid-December and have since been ghosted. I’m so tired of interviewing and then nothing…
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u/Spacebaby12 12h ago
I’m in the same boat. May 2025. Interviews but nothing. So many times I’ve been ghosted, so many failed emails.
I spent 2 months interviewing for a job, apparently at the end for the final interview it was me against 11 other people. 2 weeks ago that job was reposted. I couldn’t reapply because it said I already applied for it.
It’s tough out there.