This job market is just plain weird

Anonymous

February 28,2023 at 6:59PM UTC

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This job market is just plain weird

So, I just finished up a job search. I submitted approximately 30 applications and I heard back positively from 5. I also got about 5 auto-rejects.

The other 20 places that either never looked at my application (if I applied on LinkedIn) or didn't acknowledge it other than "we received your application."

From that, I got 5 screening calls, 4 second and then further interviews with 3 different companies.

Now here is where it feels like the job market is a bit wonky these days.

One job I applied for was a very close match for my previous job but at another company. I was told that I was not a good fit with my qualifications even though this was a smaller company using the same tools.

Another job sent me an email saying the job was filled within 24 hours of my screening call but asked me to re-apply for other roles.

Still another one told me they decided not to fill the role a few days after the most detailed interview process.

The worst one was one where the person interviewing me was the marketing person, even though my job has nothing to do with marketing and he didn't seem to know what it was that I would be doing with the company.

Perhaps what is the strangest for me is is that while the smaller companies were being nitpicky and at one low point a bit insulting, I landed a role with a more prestigious company that actually bumped my base because of my experience.

So, if you are looking for a job, and feel weirdness abounding, it may not be just your imagination (or it is our shared imagination).

I would also love to hear if others are experiencing a similar weirdness in the job search and what you think may be behind it. Is it post-COVID? Is it tech layoff jitters (I am in tech)? What do you think is going on?

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AnonymousFebruary 28,2023 at 7:38PM UTC
I'm so grateful to see your message today as it's been a trying few weeks. I've been job searching for almost a year and sadly those scenarios are everyday occurrence. My 'favorite' is after interviewing for a few jobs, they keep the same job description and lower the title and salary. This isn't a one-time thing but keeps happening. If it wasn't so frustrating it would be comical as they left the same description in the body of the JD stating the original position forgetting to put the lower title. A position that I interviewed for as Director of Marketing is now as low as Assistant Manager with the same requirements.
I'm trying for all different levels and can't even be considered for a lateral move. Other times, I have too much experience for other companies. I wish job searching came with instructions as the months of navigating is taking its toll. Good luck and thank you for posting your experiences.
AnonymousFebruary 28,2023 at 8:47PM UTC
It is really strange. I have applied for so many jobs. Had 3 zoom interviews, 2 phone interviews, and several rejections.
But what I get mosts more that replies are scammers and spammers taking up my time with text messages, phone calls and email in fields I have not expressed any interest in or have any experience in. They just don't relate at all to anything I do. One spammer called in the middle of my phone interview today. Thanks a lot! That did not look good at all and totally threw me off.
AnonymousFebruary 28,2023 at 8:54PM UTC
Yes! I had one call at 7:30 in the morning. I picked up because I thought surely it was urgent. Nope, it was some random guy wanting to know if I wanted to be a Java developer (and may or may not have thought Java and JavaScript are the same thing)
S.February 28,2023 at 9:55PM UTC
I think in many cases and depending on the type of job someone is going for, the search is now taking longer..
also, when I was interviewing during Jan 2022 I came across a large number of scams. That's gone up, too. So I believe it - staying focused, determined and positive is really important these days.
Christi Hudgins; SHRM-CPMarch 1,2023 at 12:04AM UTC
First, congratulations on your new position.
Now is the time to look forward and focus on your professional growth. I am sorry that the journey to get there was disheartening.
As a professional who not only trained people how to write resumes/interview and now interviews people the following things came to mind as I read your post:
30 applications, 5 positive contacts, 5 auto responses and the remainder no contact- In my opinion that is a pretty normal return. Not good, just normal. Overwhelming workloads sometimes make us (HR professionals) forget our manners. :)
Note that some companies use untrained individuals to do the first review of submitted resumes before the internal recruiter/hiring staff sees the resumes. Some use scan programs looking for key words in resumes and don't even read all the resumes submitted. Based on your experience, you may have had all of the experience, but did you use the language they used? (Always use language used in the job posting and adjust resume accordingly.) I also believe it is still an employee's market, so companies may not be able to review the vast number of resumes received. If you did not get an automated response, the companies may not have the financial strength to invest in streamlined hiring platforms (thinking small companies). More food for thought to reassure you that I think that your response was pretty good.
Small company; Not qualified - Again, since it is a small company, there is a good chance that this was a canned response. Here is where you have a chance to be reflective? Could you ever work at a small company? I have done both; they both have their pluses and minuses.
Job was filled; Reapply - I hear "we would love to have you as a part of our team". Send a thank you email and ask them to keep you in mind for future opportunities. Then follow them on social media platforms to expand your professional network. I personally save key candidate resumes and interview notes for approximately a year in case another position arises! Many of us do keep a resume database of some nature!
Lastly, the marketing person - sadly this happens a ton if HR/Recruiter/Hiring Manager does not properly prepare the person doing the interview with a detailed job description and interview questions. People are often interviewed by people who they will be working with (teammates) and then the team members will meet as a panel to discuss the candidates fit with the team. I will ensure that I prep my next hiring manager extremely well in honor of you! ?
COVID - is it ever going to be the same? I really do not think so. I think companies, for the most part, have made adjustments to meet their staff’s needs - but we definitely have more to do. And I can’t speak to the tech fear...just wish it wasn’t impacting so many.
Good luck with your new adventure!
LIVE WIDE,
Christi
AnonymousMarch 1,2023 at 1:17PM UTC
I agree with most of your observations. I also agree with Christi that 5 follow up out of 30 is pretty good. My ratio is lower than that, more like 5 out of 50-60. What made me puzzled is that I applied for positions for which I am over 90% qualified. And to receive the automated message that I am not a good match for the majority of them means that companies rely too much on ATS or recruiters are not doing their jobs. I also have several notifications set up so that I apply to newly posted positions. I have also noticed that in the IT field where I applied, the candidates who appear to have been hired were mostly men. Just commenting, not a statistical sample, but it worries me.
I understand the importance of networking, but it really didn't work for me very much so far. I notice that people are not jumping up to refer you unless there is a bonus attached to it. Or they just send a resume without follow up, so not sure how much hiring managers pay attention to that.
AnonymousMarch 1,2023 at 1:48PM UTC
I agree with this completely. What I found too is ageism is completely a thing. I applied for roles where I met every criteria and my resume was jumped on and a quick video interview was set up. The interviews go very well but I get a rejection stating I’m “overqualified “ (aka: too old). It’s very defeating and unfair the judgement.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 2:12PM UTC
Oh boy would I follow that up with a note about that. I never leave that one alone.
AnonymousMarch 1,2023 at 1:52PM UTC
While I do not have statistics to back it up either, when our team was laid off we kept in touch. I was the only woman in my role. The men in my role tended to either over-report their success in getting interviews (which may also be true) or actually got interviews at a hirer rate. Considering we shared and reviewed each others' resumes, it was not a significant difference in the actual resume that was submitted or the experience on it. So, also just an observation but I felt the same thing. And it worries me about DEI and women in tech for the future as well.
Anne R.March 1,2023 at 2:42PM UTC
The job market is weird and I am experiencing similar things since being laid off in January.
The candidate experience is non-existent 50% of the time. In my opinion this is due to the large number of layoffs in January and employers are receiving hundreds of applications. Praying it gets better sooner than later. This was an interesting article on the job market getting weird. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-01-19/all-street-job-cuts-layoffs-at-goldman-sachs-gs-pay-bumps-at-citigroup-c
AnonymousMarch 1,2023 at 3:36PM UTC
You got 10 responses from 30?applications? Congratulations! Good luck on your new job. Most people send out 100-200 applications to hear from 10.
AnonymousMarch 1,2023 at 4:25PM UTC
Except for the fact that you heard back positively from five in 30 applications (that is an unusually good ratio) these examples are not weird. They are par. I speak as someone who is on my third job search in three years.
And as both a job applicant hiring manager, I’ll say that yes, we write job descriptions, and you may have the perfect experience match on paper but you literally never know what the hiring manager will respond to so I always advise not to dwell too hard on it.
Angela Day DentonMarch 1,2023 at 7:23PM UTC
The job market has been weird since the pandemic started. I think you have done really well getting the responses that you did even if they are weird. Lots of places just don't respond at all. So glad that you have found a new position!
AnonymousMarch 1,2023 at 8:08PM UTC
I think its a combination plate of things. I firstly blame automation in recruiting. Most of the rejection notes are pre-baked into their ATS - applicant tracking system and get sent out in bulk either at the end of their search or when they decide you are not a fit. There are robots where the recruiter can put it into an auto reject after 48 hours or at the end. Some companies don't have the internal budgets to pay for real recruiting. This is especially prevalent in smaller and startup companies where funding is tight so they generally hire screening type recruiters who are key word searching or just filtering through things. Sometimes it's not the recruiter who has done the screening but the hiring manager who is often shopping against the tide of applications which if its a hot company or role can often be in the thousands. You may get lost in that mess. Now your stats based upon what you shared IMHO are quite good. To get a role that quickly is great especially since the current market is taking 3-6 months to fill most roles. Competitive companies who spoke to you might only interview you to check in on the competition as well for their own internal knowledge. With the advent of remote work there is also complexity around hyperlocal salaries and WFH and in-office thinking which many companies still have not quite figured out. From the HR side of this trust me its not any easier for us, we have to live in this mess and often give a less than optimal candidate experience. Congrats on finding your next big thing!
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 1:29PM UTC
I agree the job market is wild and some of the decisions made just have no rhyme or reasoning. I am brand new to tech (about 6 months into my position) and we are crazy short staffed, but I also work for a small IT company based solely in the Northern New England.
What I've told everyone, and I'm sure everyone here has had similar or the same experiences, is to try not to read too much into it and if a company doesn't respond or doesn't choose you it's their loss. I've had job rejections from companies to only reach out a couple months later admitting they made a mistake and should have offered me a position and if I was still interested. This NEVER happened pre-covid and pre-great resignation. There's been so many changes I don't think companies know how to really navigate things anymore and are adjusting to the fact job seekers now have more control than ever about where they're going to work.
GirlBossanova934974March 2,2023 at 1:32PM UTC
In my view, you are dealing with what happens when a good chunk of managers retire much sooner than people thought they would. The replacements are not exactly up to speed and are spending a lot of time tripping over themselves. We add to the problem by the younger managers not wanting to hire older workers aka more experienced personnel. Nitpicky means no one can make a decision or wants to make a decision. It's all up in the air. Is the economy going up or down? Wiser and cooler managers have seen this a few times and KNOW how to deal with it.
Balanced372207March 2,2023 at 4:08PM UTC
And it is annoying to hear that "no one wants to work", when so many people are applying and being "nitpicked out of contention."
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 2:01PM UTC
Yes, the job market is crazy and unpredictable on both sides of the coin. I am heavily involved in the hiring side at my company and am finding the following to be true...people apply for everything and anything online because it is simple...click a button, upload a resume, done. And over half of the applications received are from people who are not at all qualified, extremely over qualified, live in a city/country far away from our location but have no intention of moving, or don't even remember applying for the position. Seriously, this occurs with almost every position we are seek to fill. I'll be honest, it creates a sort of doubt that the applicants are seriously looking for employment. This makes screening very difficult as a lot of time is spent reviewing and selecting applications that are viable. I spend all of this time in pre-screening only to reach out to invite for an interview to be told "Oh, you mean its not remote? sorry not interested" (clearly says on the ad it is not remote) or no reply ever to my email or phone call message. I might whittle the apps down to 5 candidates and only get a response from one. Talk about frustrating!! While I get where you are coming from, the 'weirdness' goes both ways. The companies you mention in your post are very likely going through the same things I am. And dont get me started on LinkedIn. I get so many applications via LinkedIn and over 2/3rds are not seriously looking for a job.
Congratulations on your new job though! You and your new employer got lucky!!
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 3:13PM UTC
Thanks for adding this perspective. As a job seeker, it is hard to think about the "other" side and not turn them into a cartoonishly evil lot laughing at your resume!
But it sounds like the process is overwhelming for everyone. And it is 2023. Shouldn't there be a better way by now???
Danielle SimonMarch 2,2023 at 7:44PM UTC
What in the world does "extremely over qualified" mean, and why in this economy is that such a strike? I get that there's a threat they will leave if something "better" comes along, but that's true nowadays for everyone--especially dealing with hiring younger millennials and Gen Z.
AnonymousMarch 6,2023 at 3:17PM UTC
Example: Advertising for an Administrative Specialist with the min qualification of High School diploma....Preferred: Associates Degree but get applicants with a bach or masters and a job history far and above what an Admin does. When contacted the first question inevitably is 'how much does it pay?' and once informed of the salary....they literally laugh at me. That is what i mean by extremely over qualified. I get the 'foot in the door' mentality, but if you are really wanting to get your 'foot in the door', why do you apply for entry level when you know you aren't going to accept that position?
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 2:03PM UTC
I can agree with this. I have been looking to leave my current role because they keep closing stores, there is nowhere for me to grow, and it’s become so hard to find any reliable staff. I see that my application gets looked at and I meet the qualifications and I get no call backs. Or, I will get an automated email that they appreciate my interest and would like me to apply for other roles. I feel stuck.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 2:05PM UTC
This rabbit hole goes deep and it isn’t just happening in tech. And I agree that with “older” employees either retiring or leaving the corporate grind to do something less stressful and more fulfilling, younger employees are moving up the ladder faster without the training, experience, and maturity to hire and manage people. Job searching is a sh**show these days.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 3:37PM UTC
I felt this "younger employee" maturity issue at one of the places I applied to. The person I interviewed with was a bit aloof and stuck to a script. But it seemed very important that I perceived her as in charge of the entire interview and when I attempted to talk about my experience, she interrupted and told me how she did it. I really liked the company but my journey ended there (did not get a callback) and while it stung at the time, I am glad. It would have been a nightmare to work for someone who always had to one-up you even in conversation. (I suspect it was insecurity).
Balanced372207March 2,2023 at 4:06PM UTC
Yes...this happens to older employees all day every day.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 2:16PM UTC
I hope this post helps people. I hope this post doesn't get deleted.
It's info to maybe help people in the interim between employment. It's an option.
https://upshift.work/upshift-reviews/upshifter-of-the-week-olimpia-c/?utm_source=sendfox&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=try-before-you-commit-our-plans-for-2023
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 3:36PM UTC
Have you tried this yourself? Does it really work?
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 2:21PM UTC
Curious to know when is the last time OP had to seriously job hunt? Everything you outlined in your post (while absurd) has been the norm for some time now.
Angela P.March 2,2023 at 2:36PM UTC
It’s not just you and also your conversion rate is insane! I envy your interview skills, kudos. I myself am in tech and I'm seeing people with 50-200 applications getting a couple of round 2 and no offers (or an offer that was clawed back).
I think companies are shopping for 'replacement' talent but aren't really serious about filling the roles as much as they are window shopping.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 3:33PM UTC
I agree that there is window shopping going on in tech. Not as much me, but when my team got laid off my coworker very aggressively sought out recruiters and got interviews with major competitors. They talked to him for > 1 hour in one or 2 interviews and then did not get back with him again. I got the feeling that some of them may have been interviewing him to get an idea of what was going on with the competition more than seriously hiring him. He ended up with a job but not at any of the direct competitors who seemed eager to talk to him. But with all the laid off tech workers, I do think some are seeing it as a 'sale' on tech talent.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 2:49PM UTC
In my 2-year job search, I applied to well over 200 jobs, with only about 15 screening calls. Of those 15, I got maybe 10 first interviews, then only about 5 second interviews. I got the "you're not qualified" for jobs that I had 10+ years relevant experience, and "have you thought about a career in... (fill in the blank)" too many times to count. This is the reality of the job market.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 2:57PM UTC
I got a particularly notable rejection, from a job I was asked to apply to, was perfectly qualified for, and well networked with the company. My field is pretty niche so many of us know one another through conferences, continuing ed. etc. The person they chose to fill the role instead is underqualified on both paper and in experience, definitely not the refined face of the company they told me they were seeking, and frankly I happen to know has been let go twice for unprofessional conduct. I honestly think everything is a complete cluster and no one can call it one way or another. I hope you find something you like soon!
Danielle SimonMarch 2,2023 at 7:34PM UTC
They'll get what they deserve, hiring someone like that. Unfortunately, this story makes sense and explains a lot.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 3:01PM UTC
I agree it has been an odd search. Most of the roles I have applied for would be lateral moves for me, but very few companies have shown any interest. Those who have shown interest have interviewed me as if I was a recent college hire and then most of them did not follow up even after two interviews in some cases. Very strange, but I will continue the search.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 3:10PM UTC
I do not feel seen, heard, or considered. I used an "Easy Apply" with Linked In for a job I am clearly highly qualified for, and got the famous auto-reject "although ....we have another candidate is more perfectly matched." I call bull. FYI: ageism is clearly alive and well.
jen masonMarch 2,2023 at 3:31PM UTC
Oh, yeah...ageism is alive and well
Balanced372207March 2,2023 at 4:04PM UTC
Yes. A few years ago (not too many) I applied for a $10.00 an hour customer service position. My background of 25 years was doing constituent service for three Pennsylvania state Representatives and one Pennsylvania state Senator. The young lady who interviewed me was quite insulting. First of all, she said she could not "relate customer service to constituent service", and how my previous experience was not "relevant." Secondly, she asked if I had a 4 year college degree, and I said, "no." She then proceeded to tell me that the job required a college degree, and my 25 years of experience was not equivalent, because a college degree meant that a person "could stick with something." I was outdone.
Rachel BulkoMarch 2,2023 at 7:04PM UTC
What a mess. That person might have been projecting whatever she had going on onto the interview. It’s hard to not take it personally, but rejection hurts.
AnonymousMarch 3,2023 at 7:51PM UTC
You are better off not getting that job, believe me! This person was plain ignorant.
Balanced372207March 3,2023 at 8:01PM UTC
No, I didn't get that job. Since then, I have gotten two other jobs that are below my skill level, which, is okay. I even keep quiet when people talk to me using small words in short sentences.
Jessica Hill-KnudsonMarch 2,2023 at 4:11PM UTC
If you think there's ageism going on, feel free to update your resume to list your last 15 years of experience. Anything older than that might no longer be relevant information since it was a long time ago (in skill-years).
Tomi Hughes MorrisMarch 6,2023 at 10:02PM UTC
Hardest part is the job I got "restructured" out of is where I spent 13 years.
KathrynMarch 2,2023 at 4:51PM UTC
I have been invited to interviews where they apparently forgot they scheduled one. I was interviewed by a manager that had been there 3 months. I redid my resume to reflect 10 years gotten better interviews currently waiting on a background check to start a job (finally got laid off week before thanksgiving)
Wendy ScottMarch 2,2023 at 6:07PM UTC
Re the job being suddenly filled or withdrawn that’s usually due to the hiring manager or senior team not being able to decide what they want.
Nothing sinister, just disorganized people who can’t decide what direction to go in.
Good luck with the new role :-)
Adrianna Baca KaneMarch 2,2023 at 7:26PM UTC
I can relate to your experience, I get auto-rejects daily and have been out of work since October. I have a Tech and Pharmacovigilance background and I'm starting to look in other industries to gain more experience and insight in the rest of the world and finding it refreshing. I seem to have better luck when I can put my resume in front of recruiters and referrals from people who know the hiring manager. It can get exhausting, and I have had to step away for breaks often, especially over the holiday season and just now starting to put myself back out there. Hang in there and continue to reach out and connect with others here for support.
Danielle SimonMarch 2,2023 at 7:26PM UTC
I know it's not just me. I've applied for more than 30 roles, which is unusual for me in and of itself, this time...so, I have way more odd experiences. I wonder what LinkedIn looks like for the employers when they're doing searches, because I have been contacted about jobs I don't really fit several times and the recruiters never actually viewed my LinkedIn page. I ignored some of them, but others raved so much about my background and then ghosted me when I sent them my resume--and those were the times when my background fit better. I've had at least 3 people not show up for phone or video interviews. I think more scams are happening on LinkedIn right now, too--I've had some weird encounters and decided to stop pursuing some jobs because there were signs they weren't legit. And I am seeing a couple of listings that are not real job listings, but are more so recruiting people for programs or schemes.
I've had tons of great interviews that would have gotten me the job in the past, but this time they've resulted in everything from skills tests about topics we never once discussed in the interviews and those getting me eliminated (this after being told an offer would come after the interview) to the interviewer claiming they hired someone else and then reposting the job listing for a month or more afterwards! There also suddenly seems to be tons of people who are more qualified than I am out there for one of the least popular and newer areas of marketing, judging by the rejection emails I've received and the number of applicants on every remote job to which I apply. A year and a half ago, employers were fighting over me, and now I've been applying for jobs for 6 months and I'm having to compromise on what I want in terms of pay to get more traction! I'm starting to wonder if there are tons of people out there who are simply doing a good job of lying about their qualifications!
In my field, I do know part of the problem is my area of marketing was booming during the pandemic because people were almost solely using the internet to shop, and now it's coming back down to earth. So, it has been hit by layoffs, and there's more competition out there for jobs, leading to employers being really picky and trying to find people to seemingly do 3 areas of marketing in one for less pay, for example (one reason why I question whether people are lying about their qualifications). I would think tech was booming during the pandemic, too, because so many people worked from home and were clamoring to use technology to do that more/better. Now so many employers want people back in the office.
Also, I think one reason employers ultimately decide they're not going to fill a position is because they're so picky that they don't like any of the candidates enough and would rather not hire anyone than to hire someone who is not perfect for the job in their mind. Employers also seem to be scared to death that a recession is coming, so they're on the fence about hiring and seem to be looking for ways to draw the process out or delay it to see if definitive answers pop up about the economy.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 8:48PM UTC
I am with you on the skills tests. I applied for an event manager job at a tech company, and was forced to take a skills test that was geared toward computer engineers. I felt like I was taking an SAT. I got eliminated from consideration because of the test, when it had nothing to do with the job.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 9:25PM UTC
Lying about qualifications? What! Who would do that on a resume? ?
Look where lying and fabrication got George Santos. Not qualified for the job but was hired and rewarded for fraud to the tune of $174k annually excluding benefits and perks.
Sam BurnsMarch 2,2023 at 7:56PM UTC
I don't think its your imagination, there is weirdness in the job market and I think some marked inconsistencies across market segments small to large. In tech, both large and small companies experienced COVID-related over-hiring and are now shedding some positions, whereas others in the same spaces are growing. Still others are finding out mid-stream they are not forecasting as strong an outlook as they thought even a few weeks ago. That's probably the source of the open-then-shut positions you are seeing. Bottom line, you're seeing a mixed bag of responses because its not a homogeneous environment, and it has to do with how well these companies (again, large and small) were positioned when they hit the headwinds. Some can plow through, while it gives others pause. That's why it's critical for people like me in Talent Acquisition to be transparent not only about what we know, but what we don't know. Part of our job is to help candidates understand risk and benefits at the same time. And that's what's going on out there, in a nutshell - risk, some known, some unknown. Glad to hear you got a positon, however.
GlennMarch 2,2023 at 8:10PM UTC
A few comments from this thread are on target (1) hiring mgr. not really sure what they're looking for, 2) hiring manager or recruiter too picky, exacerbated by the high volume of candidates, 3) ageism alive & well -- no benefit to listing any yrs. of exp. more than 10-15 years ago, particularly if it doesn't match level of target opening & you're hoping interviewer can pick out relevant things & ignore others). Compound this by many companies not having efficient, objective ways to compare candidates.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 9:16PM UTC
After a lot of the same thing you describe, I got a job that I thought I would love but the people "training" me are completely out of their realm.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 10:13PM UTC
I am very sorry to hear that.
AnonymousMarch 2,2023 at 10:40PM UTC
It’s definitely not your imagination. I’ve recently gone through most of your scenarios after a company layoff. I even had to call off one of the interviews half way through it as the questions I was asked were irrelevant to what I applied for. Luckily, I finally landed a job offer with much higher than expected money.Now I’m ready to move on and start a new chapter of my career.
Kathy LeskiMarch 3,2023 at 1:09AM UTC
Glad you were able to find a better role!!!
Not unusual. I think there's a few things at play... an over-dependence on recruitment filtering. A job that appears to be a perfect fit gets no response. Second, if your in tech, due to the layoffs specifically in that market, lots of postings just to see the quality of candidates with no actual open roles. Last, I'm starting to think that some recruiters, rather than just saying they went with someone else- say the job is on hold, or they changed their mind and promoted someone from within. While some may be true... it's just weird to hear that from multiple recruiters (almost word for word).
AnonymousMarch 5,2023 at 10:06PM UTC
I came across one case where I found out HR was dishonest about the reason why I was unsuccessful with the role. I had to sit for a one hour test including thinking skills and SQL questions after 1st round phone screening.That’s when I realized that the role might be too technically challenging for me but decided to give it a go. As expected I received the rejection email from HR saying that they decided to move with the candidates who had strong results. No hard feelings…I’m not a good fit for the role anyway if that’s how they assess the applicants.One month later, I got a call from the agent for the same role and they are still looking for candidates.Apparently, no one has ever passed the test !! I think the job description is somehow misleading so they were not getting the right applicants for the role. And I gave that feedback to the agent.
Kristin ElliottMarch 5,2023 at 12:17PM UTC
It's definitely not just you, on all points. I've also had calls for things that aren't even on my resume, nor do they have anything to do with what I've applied for.
DebMarch 7,2023 at 3:29AM UTC
1000000% join the club. The job market has been tough! It's been about 2 months of the same issues you're experiencing since I began job searching. Honestly, I don't understand what's going on.