Companies Can Do Better — Here Are The 5 Most Frustrating Things About Job Searching Today

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AnnaMarie Houlis4.87k
Journalist & travel blogger

We feel you: Job hunting is hard. It can feel isolating, uninspiring, daunting and incredibly, painfully frustrating at times.

You're not alone in feeling these ways, however. On our community board, FGB'ers are talking about what boils their blood the most in their own taxing job searches.

"What's the most frustrating part of the job search today?" asks FGber Angie Lopez. 

Her own biggest frustration is being strung along in the hiring process.

"For me, the worst is when companies feel they can string you along, baiting you with their supposed interest in hiring you, only to never actually commit with an offer," she says. "I interviewed at one media company that made it quite clear they wanted to hire me, but they were restructuring at the time. Still, they didn't want to lose me as a candidate — so they essentially kept me around for months, sending me on a series of interviews for multiple positions that led nowhere. I was simultaneously interviewing at other organizations, but I did have a lot of interest in working for this particular brand, so I let myself be breadcrumbed for awhile before ultimately accepting another job. Two months after I'd started that job — so, six months after I'd first interviewed with the media organization — an editor there reached back out asking me to come in and interview for yet another role. As you can imagine, I passed!"

Other FGB'ers are sharing their own frustrations. Here's what they have to say. 

1. Getting the bait and switch.

"For me, I've recently encountered what feels like a 'bait and switch,' where I will go through several  rounds of interviews — even to the point of being one of two (or a few) finalists — only to have the hiring manager either decide to reframe the duties of whatever role I am a candidate for, or suddenly become unsure of what skills and experience they really need on their team," says Natalie Dunbar.

2. Getting ghosted.

"My most frustrating part of the job search was being actively solicited by a recruiter, and then after putting everything I had into a resume and interviews, suddenly getting silence: no emails or calls returned, not even a generic 'Thanks, but no thanks,'" says LadyPele.
Others agree.
"Not hearing back in a timely manner or at all is [the biggest frustration]," says SariBrooke. "It takes so much time to apply to these roles. If you give time to chat with someone on the phone or in person, the least they can do is say, 'Thanks for your time.'"
In fact, ghosting is painful for a lot of job seekers.
"For the past couple of months, I have been applying to jobs through staffing agencies, and they are quick to call me to say that I am a great fit for this job and that job, but once they submit my application or resume... nothing from them," says laaforsythe. "I have to call to get updates."

3. Receiving vague rejections.

"Another thing that frustrates me is the blanket rejection letters," adds laaforsythe. "I think a sound e-mail that states why would be great versus telling me, I am so great and my experiences and skills seem so impressive, but chose to go with someone else.  What is that?"

4. Being judged by algorithms.

"[For me, it's] being judged by an algorythm as opposed to a human reading actual skills and finding out about my personality," says Jill Kubatko.

5. Being deceived by job descriptions.

"A job description where the job ends up being nothing like described [is my biggest frustration]," says Kjv78. "They want a senior-level worker but the work is entry- to mid-level work. I was told they didn't want to have to train anyone. I explained I would not be challenged and would not have a chance to grow in my field."

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AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about women’s empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog, HerReport.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram @her_report, Twitter @herreport and Facebook.