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Applying for jobs is exhausting and soul-crushing
- Thread starter Moofers
- Start date
Seriously, it is.
A few months ago I was applying for other jobs and the process of writing letters and filling in forms and answering stupid questions is absolutely draining. Add getting anxious waiting for phone calls or e-mail replies to that and you have a recipe to exhaust the life out of anyone. Then you have interviews and whatnot and everything is very, very, very, very, very mentally and physically tiring. Luckily, for me, everything went well and I was able to get a position in another company, which has been quite nice so far. So I guess it was worth it, but I definitely agree with you OP. It is soul crushing.
Best of luck.
A few months ago I was applying for other jobs and the process of writing letters and filling in forms and answering stupid questions is absolutely draining. Add getting anxious waiting for phone calls or e-mail replies to that and you have a recipe to exhaust the life out of anyone. Then you have interviews and whatnot and everything is very, very, very, very, very mentally and physically tiring. Luckily, for me, everything went well and I was able to get a position in another company, which has been quite nice so far. So I guess it was worth it, but I definitely agree with you OP. It is soul crushing.
Best of luck.
TheUsual
Gold Member
I'm in the same boat. I (luckily) have been at the same position for 3 years now, but there is no advancement. My boss tried at my last review to get my job title changed to a higher one, but he was told it wasn't going to happen (higher job title = higher pay grade in my company). He's trying again this year and I should find out soon.
Over the past year, I've submitted probably near 50 applications to various companies. I've been through several interviews (phone then in person) and only one company gave me an offer. I had to refuse as their offer was only $2K more than I make and I would have had to quadruple (from 20 miles round trip to 80 miles roundtrip daily) to work. I wasn't able to negotiate what I wanted paywise and turned it down.
I had an interview for an internal position for something in my company three weeks ago and didn't hear anything back. And then yesterday, I noticed on the company job board the position was pulled down and I started worrying that they selected someone. Turns out they're still interviewing candidates and I'm still one, but I'm assuming they just aren't accepting any new applications (I talked to HR to see if I was still in the running).
But still, I'm so worried about it. I'm still searching though, but every application feels like I'm draining myself more and more.
Over the past year, I've submitted probably near 50 applications to various companies. I've been through several interviews (phone then in person) and only one company gave me an offer. I had to refuse as their offer was only $2K more than I make and I would have had to quadruple (from 20 miles round trip to 80 miles roundtrip daily) to work. I wasn't able to negotiate what I wanted paywise and turned it down.
I had an interview for an internal position for something in my company three weeks ago and didn't hear anything back. And then yesterday, I noticed on the company job board the position was pulled down and I started worrying that they selected someone. Turns out they're still interviewing candidates and I'm still one, but I'm assuming they just aren't accepting any new applications (I talked to HR to see if I was still in the running).
But still, I'm so worried about it. I'm still searching though, but every application feels like I'm draining myself more and more.
A Fish Aficionado
I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
Many businesses also specifically state not to contact them about your application status. Only to use their third-party career software. It's a pain.
I started my first career job on Monday after sending out probably over 100 resumes and doing around 20 interviews. It was very frustrating, but I'm happy with the job I've landed. Just hang in there. You'll find something eventually, and at least you have a means of income while you apply
hydragonwarrior
Member
Was unemployed for a year and a half OP, and yes it is. Often you'll find a good job when you least expect it - just keep looking!
Yep. Fuck hiring managers.
I had a phone interview a couple Fridays ago with a company I'd love to write for, they loved my resume, wanted me to come in for an in-person interview the following Wednesday and said they would follow up later with a specific appointment time. Come Tuesday, I still don't know what time I'm supposed to come in, so I send an email back asking about it. Their response: We'll get back to you in a day or so with the info. But the interview is in less than a day...
A week passes, still nothing, so I call to follow-up and the HR woman sounds surprised to hear my voice again. Promises to get in touch in the next few days, but of course, nothing.
What the fuck, people. If you don't want me for the job, or you've offered it to someone else, then just fucking say so, why is that so wrong?
I have yet to encounter a hiring manager that responds in a timely manner.
A Fish Aficionado
I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
HR is another term for incompetence.
I'm so fucking tired of having to deal with IT Recruiters. Every other job I apply for requires me to first speak with a Recruiter on the phone, THEN go to their office to talk to them. Of the six recruiters I've completed this process with, only one has gotten me an actual in-person interview.
BeforeU
Oft hope is born when all is forlorn.
Telecinision
Neo Member
Here's one.
If you are in Los Angeles, can pass a background check, and are interested in a receptionist position for ~$12 an hour plus benefits, send me a PM, I should be able to get you in touch with the manager doing the hiring. I don't think there's anyone in the running right now for the position, they're trying to find someone via employee recommendation and it isn't listed on hiring websites. It is a Post Production company between south Glendale and downtown LA.
When you start feeling bad about yourself keep 1 thing in mind: You are not your job.
Seriously, if everybody in the world would get 3k a month for doing nothing, tons of people would do exactly that. Not having a job does not make you less of a person, period.
I also recommend doing volunteer's work, you can put it on your resume and it will help in preventing that feeling of being worthless while you are also helping out others.
Seriously, if everybody in the world would get 3k a month for doing nothing, tons of people would do exactly that. Not having a job does not make you less of a person, period.
I also recommend doing volunteer's work, you can put it on your resume and it will help in preventing that feeling of being worthless while you are also helping out others.
Dragoon En Regalia
Member
It's not the lack of transparency in the application/interview processes, necessarily, but the refusal to correspond after a period of no communication that bugs me. They should know how many individuals have been looking for a job for months, annoyed that previous hiring opportunities have fizzled out for seemingly no voiced reason. Sure, I have a job now, but I don't feel like I personally earned it, more that I happened to be in the right place talking to the right guy who referred me to the right office needing an open applicant. Bleh.
Yeah I hate it.
Someone did phone me but I wasn't available so I tried calling back later no response and then emailed to say I missed it and wondered when I could call.
A few days later I got an email saying the position had been filled.
I'm still hopeful something will come up soon but it's a frustrating experience.
Someone did phone me but I wasn't available so I tried calling back later no response and then emailed to say I missed it and wondered when I could call.
A few days later I got an email saying the position had been filled.
I'm still hopeful something will come up soon but it's a frustrating experience.
Kotetsu534
Member
Been unemployed five months now after graduating with a strong degree from a good university. I have a mountain of rejection letters and e-mails all with the same "too many strong candidates" response. I have a philosophical attitude about life but I'll admit my mental state is not too great right now. I know I'm competing against 100s of people to get into my field (law) and my skillset doesn't seem to be appealing to employers in other fields.
I don't know what the point of this post was beyond giving my own anecdote. Good luck.
I don't know what the point of this post was beyond giving my own anecdote. Good luck.
No need for this in here.
It's encouragement.
As exhausting as looking for a job may be, as long as you find one, it's better than being unemployed when you need a job.
terrisus
Member
terrisus
Member
We did have a NeoGAF Employment Thread.
It fizzled out after a couple of months.
That said, if anyone has anything worthwhile for someone with a BS Mathematics, Master's Education, a bunch of coursework toward a PhD Education, and in the process of trying to re-learn computer programming and such, send me a PM >.>
This worked well for me. The day I graduated, a recruiter contacted me through the school and got me working within a month. Going through them had me working pretty cheap for half a year, but landed me a decent enough job and let me bypass the interview process.
Yeah. Right now I'm at a phase where I don't even feel like applying for jobs anymore. I just have a gut feeling that nothing will come of it. I don't even feel like playing or doing much entertainment because I didn't earn it.
A Fish Aficionado
I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
I've been unemployed since May after getting laid off, I feel for you OP.
I lucked out and finally got some contract work recently that isn't beneficial for the career I was advancing in, so that takes care of money issues for a while, and I might have a shot at a company my buddy works at, but the future is still uncertain.
I lucked out and finally got some contract work recently that isn't beneficial for the career I was advancing in, so that takes care of money issues for a while, and I might have a shot at a company my buddy works at, but the future is still uncertain.
TrAcEr_x90
Member
You have to have the patience of a monk and keep trying. I went from being laid off, to grabbing a cool job where I could work from home but finding out later on the owner wasn't running things in a professional manner and was missing my paychecks from time to time. Had to in a hurry try out freelance and contract work. That lead me a company asking to hire me full time since I was doing some cool stuff as a contractor. All of that in one summer. I was just hussling the whoooole time, never had a moment to rest but I did go out and have fun still. Was hard to not think about money situations though. 1 year later I haaate this job, but I had to take it to get back to being stable. 6 months in and I started looking for something better and sending out resumes with all the experience I acquired from this crazy time. Not one resume I send out doesn't get a hit. One company that I think I'll be really happy at, has had me on a 3 month long interview process. I am sooo close but its rough out there. Even if you get a hit you really need to practice with the process of a new job, phone interviews, formal interviews, email presence etc...
Purple Cheeto
Member
I went through 8 months of unemployment where I couldn't even get a contract gig. It was frustrating. The worst part was when I'd come close and think I was just waiting on an offer or a start date, then a week would go by and nothing before they either stopped calling or told me something had changed.
It's been almost 2 years since I started working again and I still haven't recovered financially. I'm looking for new jobs because I want to get paid more but I'm so over the process. If I wasn't broke I wouldn't bother.
It's been almost 2 years since I started working again and I still haven't recovered financially. I'm looking for new jobs because I want to get paid more but I'm so over the process. If I wasn't broke I wouldn't bother.
obijkenobi
Member
I have a job but will be moving cross country with the gf in January. I have been applying for jobs in that area for the past month and I'm terrified I won't get anything before then. :/
well, I half-agree with you.
Actively looking for a job and getting several rejection can be pretty devastating for your self-steem, specially if you combine it with other personal factors that can be related to the situation. (lack of money, problems with your SO, watching your friends having success on their careers)
when you don't have a job and you just give up and "accept" the fact that you're unemployed, it's a different mind set, and in my own personal opinion, has less impact on your self-steem.
See You Next Wednesday
Banned
How do you people deal with the bullshit questions they throw at you.
Like what did you dislike about your last job or tell us one flaw of yourself?
Like what did you dislike about your last job or tell us one flaw of yourself?
AstroNut325
Member
It is very painful trying to find a job right now. My wife has been searching for over 8 months now. Nothing yet! She has lost all motivation and showing signs of depression.
A Fish Aficionado
I am going to make it through this year if it kills me
Practice. Some job centers offer interview rehearsal.
I've gotten those. In my experience, being totally honest about those questions give the interviewer an idea of how fit you are for the job you're applying for. They'd usually followup with another question like, "And what have you done to fix those flaws?"
It's completely true and why I don't like my current job, so for the "dislike about your current/last job" I go with "it's not challenging enough to keep me engaged, that I have more to offer than the position will allow".
I'm curious about the flaw one though... never sure if I should go with the truth that I'm not much of a leader (rather be the guy behind the scenes that keeps everything running smoothly for everyone else or collaborate as a team instead of being the sole one in charge) or make something up.
Just have to keep trying. Keep applying. Keep searching. My current job came from a recruiter, but my other 2 jobs I landed through Craigs List.
A few years ago I had a job that, while they pay was good, had no opportunity for growth. So after about 4yrs there I started searching for a new job, and it took me over a year to find one. It was so frustrating. A few close calls. A bunch of bullshit job requirements. Nobody willing to train all that much. A lot of it has to do with luck.
I can't stress how important it is to land a job that will give you opportunities, either at that job or future jobs. A job that will keep training you, earning new certifications & such. That kind of stuff is so valuable when looking for a new job down the road.
A few years ago I had a job that, while they pay was good, had no opportunity for growth. So after about 4yrs there I started searching for a new job, and it took me over a year to find one. It was so frustrating. A few close calls. A bunch of bullshit job requirements. Nobody willing to train all that much. A lot of it has to do with luck.
I can't stress how important it is to land a job that will give you opportunities, either at that job or future jobs. A job that will keep training you, earning new certifications & such. That kind of stuff is so valuable when looking for a new job down the road.
ThLunarian
Member
"I've always had a problem with procrastination, and as I got further into my career I realized that it was usually because whenever I would get assigned a project, I didn't know where to start.
So, one day I started approaching my professors whenever they'd assign a big project, and ask them their opinion about where I should start. Their response would inform me about what I'd need to do, and that gave me the motivation to get started.
Nowadays I've moved beyond that, and more often than not I'm able to supply my own motivation to get things done. Every day I struggle with the temptation to procrastinate, but now I'm equipped with the tools to deal with it."
That's my go-to answer to the "What's your biggest weakness?" question. I stole it from someone else; feel free to steal it from me
So true. I wanted to make a give a GAFfer a job thread but I never got round to it. Time on GAF may be better spent discussing whatever dumb shit Miley or Microsoft are doing and possibly helping other gaffers get work. There was a time I was throwing potential job offers away
Strongly disagree.
I think it all depends on when you're contacting them and what you're contacting them about. A lot of times, believe it or not, HR won't respond because responding would put them in a position where they have to disclose sensitive information. For example, if you just had an interview and you send the "Thanks for the interview!" email that everyone else who also had an interview sent, the hiring manager on the other end can't issue much of a response other than "Thank you for your time" or "We'll be in touch!". Aside from legalities (you can read all about them on SHRM), most companies view hiring and staffing as a very confidential process that should only be discussed after it's over.
A good friend of mine works in HR for a very large company, and based on what she's told me, an overwhelming majority of people take job rejections very very poorly. It's human nature - we've been 'programmed' to look at failure negatively, so we respond to failure negatively. A level-headed individual who doesn't land a job will either a) Keep it moving or b) Ask the hiring manager for advice on how to land a similar job in the future. You ever wonder how someone doesn't land a job they applied for yet ends up working for the company down the line? HR don't forget the mature and reasonable folks who don't get a job. They also don't forget the immature and psychotic folks who don't get a job, so unless you plan on changing your name down-the-line, it's really important to handle rejection with as much professionalism as possible.
Most people don't deal with denial in a level-headed manner - especially recent graduates and people who are new to the job hiring process. I've heard stories about people showing up with their parents to companies, literally like something out of that Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand movie. Unlike the movies however, there aren't many (if any) laughs to be had, because most parents will instantly dislike a person who doesn't treat their kids like Kings and Queens. A lot of stories about security having to escort a party out of a building.
You have to remember one very important thing about companies. Companies are made of people. Ask yourself this - have you ever procrastinated? Have you ever found yourself being lazy or slow on purpose? If you're human, then the answer is probably yes. We've all taken our sweet time to do something - we've all had days where our performance just wasn't at its peak. Companies are no different, because, why would they be? They're made of people, and if the person at a company isn't on their A-game then guess what? You're gonna have a bad time.
The best advice I can give anyone looking for a job is to have a set of skills. Your skills can literally be anything - it can be your communication style, your Illustrator capabilities, your reading speed, the languages you can speak fluently, your ability to follow cooking instructions, how fast you can drive a nail into wood, your sense of humor, anything. The reality of virtually all businesses across the entire world is that they need someone (or something - software is pretty powerful nowadays) that can do something for them. In other words, they will hire you if you can do something for them that will make them money. This is the part where having a skill comes into play. A skill gives you the edge over every other person applying for the exact same job, because it's your skill that actually sets you apart from others.
It's not about what you know - it's about what you can actually do. Being skillful is very different from being knowledgeable. An example I've used in the past is this: let's say your brother has a flat tire. He comes to you, tells you he's never changed a tire in his life, and asks you if you can help. You go, "I know everything about your flat tire! It's a Goodyear tire, it can go about 3 years before it needs changing, it has a 4 year warranty, it has a secret sauce tread that allows it to connect to the cloud etc."
That's great, but can you actually change the flat tire? Let's say you can't.
Now, let's say your brother goes to your best friend and asks him/her the same thing. Your friend goes, "I don't know anything about that tire but I can change it!"
Guess who's useful to your brother? It's about what you can do. Knowledge is very important in the job application process, but if you don't have a set of skills, then you're going to be at a significant disadvantage come hiring time. Keep this in mind. The deadliest person in a room is the person that's both knowledgeable and skillful, because they're typically the kind of person that can very quickly translate knowledge (information) into a skill (action). They can effectively connect the dots before anyone else. If you're this kind of person then your future is in very good shape. If you're not this kind of person, then go to Google.com and start from there. In today's world, there's no excuse for being average.
Death Metalist
Member
You just have to keep going and going at it. Never giving up because when another person may give up on an application you have one extra chance of being the one they choose so yeah, Always keep going no matter how hard it is. I feel for you.
lightzGamin
Banned
May I ask what degree those of you who did not find a job have ?
Big Chungus
Member
It's been 3 months for me, applied at 20 places and not even one phone call for an interview.
That is a feeling. Nothing more.