Job Seekers Stuck in Endless Rejection
Individuals are experiencing extended periods of unemployment, marked by relentless job applications, frequent rejections, and a lack of communication from potential employers. This leads to financial strain, emotional distress, and a sense of discouragement as they navigate a challenging and unpredictable job market.
SOURCES (60)
“I'm shopping around for long term career options. Based on your experiences and observations, which careers are not worth it. submitted by /u/MaleficentComment359 [link] [comments]”
“I know what to do. I have a network built up over the last 10 years (anything before that is unimportant) of decision makers, proven experience, BigTech on my resume, etc. A new college grad doesn’t have any of that. They are competing in a crowded market against people with experience. Absolutely none of your advice is actionable for a new grad without experience . You are giving advice from a playback pre-AI and when companies were hiring like crazy and not laying people off like crazy. You an”
“Yeah I worked as a contractor for a startup "style" (brand new department in an old company) job and was hired early enough to both be part of and then watch the frenzy. The client would send my contract house a req and expect to have someone hired within 2 weeks. That's barely a week to find people, interview, and choose so they could spend the second week signing the offer letter and get their drug test. Half the time, the client asked us to just have them start and we'd wait”
“Honesty in the resume part will never work unless and until you give the links to your portfolio that prove your work. This isn't enough either. I have a portfolio of 1:1 work and am still often asked to create full campaigns for wildly time consuming take-home assessments. I find unless there's a dedicated technical recruiter or team lead directly involved it's a black hole.”
“Make sure it's ATS compliant. Remove about 1/3 of the current text, it's way too much to read.”
“I am basically at my wits' end. I don't know how many more rejections I can take before I finally snap. This job market is rigged and I don't know how the fuck we're going to un-rig it”
“Hi guys, I'm almost graduating with a BSIT bachelor's degree, and I'm looking for advice on what type of job I should take. The problem is that I'm really slowso slow that following verbal instructions can be difficult, and I sometimes struggle to understand logic or complex tasks. I honestly feel like I might have some kind of disability. I chose BSIT because it offers a lot of career options, but I'm worried about whether I'll be able to keep up. Right now, I'm in t”
“So exactly how do they “stand apart” from new grads when every open req gets hundreds of applications? How exactly do they show “soft skills” if they can’t even get in front of hiring managers? Do they go into the office and give the hiring manager a firm handshake and give them their cover letter and resume on good stock resume paper? This advice does not line up with the realities of 2026”
“Purely anedonectal. I think the average for me and friends around were 6-12 months. The time is usually longer but then again once you find the job you stay in it for long”
“I think it’s multi-faceted, which is why it feels so dire. I’m in public health/science and lost my 18 year career due to HR 1 cutting SNAP. A lot of my colleagues at the university can’t get grants anymore.”
“This isn’t uncommon, many companies/firms invest very little into the internship experience. Just keep asking for work and reaching out to people. Summer is a slow time in accounting, so yeah, even first year associates might be struggling to find work.”
“I have about one full year + some left of software engineering to finish my degree, but every single time I open up job searches and communities all I see are postings about how you now need 2-3 years of experience + projects and just overall unrealistic things for a junior / entry-level role these days. That with the addition of AI, I find myself opening up my study material with this overarching feeling of "why am I even doing this, what happens when I go into debt and the job market is n”
“Hey everyone, I'm reaching out here because I'm in a tough spot and honestly starting to panic a bit. I am finishing my PhD focused on Data Privacy, and I've been job hunting for months. I've sent out over 150 applications with almost no traction, and the constant silence/rejection is getting really heavy. My only hard requirement is that the role has to be 100% remote. I need to move back home to support my family right now, so in-office or hybrid setups just aren't an optio”
“Hey thanks for commenting. Please suggest ways? I wrote everything straight and true.”
“Agreed. They also need to try to tailor their resume to each individual job they're applying for. If they're resume contains 0 buzzwords from the job description, there's not much of a reason for the organization to give OP an interview. I realize it's far more difficult with no real accounting experience, but it can still be done to an extent.”
“I’m a very recent grad, and I’m worried that I might not be able to shore up my profile in time come may for this coming cycle. Could anyone tell me how unfeasible it is to get in solid amounts of clinical experience in the upcoming months? I also need to study for the MCAT. I’d really appreciate insight on what sort of clinical experiences (or other experiences!!) might be good, especially in the NYC area. I’m very worried about my ability to be a competitive candidate at T30 schools, so I apol”
“Pretty down about my career search. In my mid-30s and havent had any luck finding a permanent job or starting a career. Ive had internships and contract roles since Ive graduated college (IT field), but none of them led to anything permanent. Ive been unemployed for awhile now and feeling depressed about it. I've saved up money from my previous jobs and am planning to start studying again and take my masters, but worried I'll be the old one with everyone else being in their 20s. If I do”
“Hey everyone. Not sure if anyone else is going through this. I have 2 1/2 years of experience. And only one very minor private accident (NON-DOT) recorded at the beginning of my career. So essentially 2 years and 5 months of clean driving. Ive gotten 2 interviews, 10 rejections, and 2 callbacks with no official offers after 55 applications in the last month. It is absolutely brutal for specifically *home daily* jobs. I have no problems getting signed on with companies hiring regional home weekly”
“So, I was laid off from Meta couple of months back (20th May ), https://www.reddit.com/r/Layoffs/comments/1trxs3n/laid_off_in_23_days/ I have left the city and moved to a smaller city. Earlier (like in Dec - Jan), I wanted to quit this 9-5 and then got offer from Meta and i thought they are paying decent so joined them. But, once i got laid off, it somehow triggers the ego part, like how can someone fire and that too on 20 days. Over the days, that feeling has been reduced, i dont get much of an”
“27F still stuck at support job in tech earning 5-5lpa…a bcom graduate …thinking about upskilling and changing domain…i have seen a lot people in tech who earn 30-50lpa that too before 30…it just makes me wonder am i below a considerate bracket……anyone who has done significant number of company switches please let me know if i can still get there or 27 is a little late and should have started earlier ? what should i do going forward to get to that income level..or am i being delusional 😂…i under”
“This sounds like a “near miss” to me. Please don’t blame yourself. I know it’s really tough out there but you probably just saved yourself from more trauma. Hang in there…it’s tough for so many people finding work!”
“Oh I got stats! I graduated in December 2025. What helped was going to my career advisor provided by my university. And going to group therapy because I started losing my mind. There are job searching groups that you can attend just for the community and solidarity because looking for work right now is horrific. I also started applying nationally and in different fields. I ended up taking a job where I have to drive an hour away.. but I get paid more than $80k, have fantastic benefits, and a gre”
“I honestly think all of you are focusing too much on these online applications rather than networking. Sure this ain’t business or finance so it’s not the same but the logic is the same. But I got so lucky with my job by sending a risky WhatsApp message saying “hey, I got your contact from xyz we met two years ago at the xyz convention and I would love to sit down for coffee and ask for some advice as both my parents are not in the industry and I’m finding it incredibly hard steer in the right d”
“I was just complaining about this today as I’m on the hunt. I’d say about 5% or less of the jobs I’ve come across ask for 0-2 years of experience. Most are in the 3-5 years range, and the egregious postings are 8-10+ years.”
“Im thinking that maybe a fast food job sounds nice, an honest days work with a different sentiment. At the very least I'm ready to do something different. Idk if I can stay on my feet that long though im a hot kitchen im old and been around a lot of toxic manufacturing”
“I graduated (BA International Studies) in 2025 and was fortunate to get a few internships/jobs throughout college. Since graduating, I've applied to at least 500+ jobs in law firms and policy research through Handshake, a few recruiting agencies (never rlly heard anything back after the initial few conversations), LinkedIn, etc. I've fixed/tailored my resume and cover letter countless times and try to network (it hasn't gotten me very far). i currently work at a clinic as an admin as”
“That penultimate sentence says it all really. The desire and hunger to learn and do good on the job should always be the first assessment point before heading into skillset and all the other stuff”
“she said she believe so, but she doesnt know for certain. you push like he is incompotent guy like you know the guy personally. she said he doesnt even get the chance to talk to someone, even an interview, you said he is failing the technical questions like he gets to talk to recruiters and interviewers regularly. is this a comprehension issue or am i missing the meaning of your comments? like the word valedictorian triggers something primal in you? lol.”
“So during the interviews stages I tried my best to be outgoing and extroverted. I got the job, but Im more of quiet person and a bit awkward not really that outgoing, is this something that will come back to hurt me? Can they fire me for this? Im trying to talk to more people, but I kind of sit in a corner and the office is generally quiet, I also eat lunch by myself lol submitted by /u/AdObjective5502 [link] [comments]”
“I have just graduated as a B.Sc in medical science, and I am quite struggling to find a white collared job in my current county (I graduated overseas), because of language barrier and also the fact that my major is not highly seeked here. I am planning to take 'a year off'. I am currently got an offer as an English teacher, and I am planning to take them. So here's the catch, I wanted to try and apply for scholarships in probably European countries (bcs it's my dream to go there)”
“its me again. i know its only been like nine days since i’ve been let go but i am having so much trouble securing a job that fits with school. i have an offer for a job thats across town, has horrible hours and pay, and has dozens of horrible glassdoor reviews. i dont know what to do i havent slept more than three hours in days due to anxiety. should i just say eff it and take the job? submitted by /u/sharkpeach [link] [comments]”
“TL;DR: early 30s single South Asian T25 MBA dude frustrated with the job market, considering pivot to law, any advice or people in the similar boat? I am an early 30s single South Asian dude living in the South and have been working in corporate finance for the past decade or so. I did an MBA from a T25 part time program while working full time at my FP&A job at a F500 tech company. I entered the program during Covid and by the time I came out, ChatGPT had completely changed the world. I was”
“Hello, I am trying to find a new job in another state on the other side of the country (because of the cost of living of where I am). I was just wondering is it even realistic to have gotten a job offer after only doing online interviews not meeting face to face? I've seen people say that that's happened to them but I'm just not sure how realistic it is in this day and age. Any one have this happen to them? submitted by /u/Beautiful_Guard_8893 [link] [comments]”
“TL;DR: early 30s single South Asian T25 MBA dude frustrated with the job market, considering pivot to law, any advice or people in the similar boat? I am an early 30s single South Asian dude living in the South and have been working in corporate finance for the past decade or so. I did an MBA from a T25 part time program while working full time at my FP&A job at a F500 tech company. I entered the program during Covid and by the time I came out, ChatGPT had completely changed the world. I was”
“TL;DR: early 30s single South Asian T25 MBA dude frustrated with the job market, considering pivot to law, any advice or people in the similar boat? I am an early 30s single South Asian dude living in the South and have been working in corporate finance for the past decade or so. I did an MBA from a T25 part time program while working full time at my FP&A job at a F500 tech company. I entered the program during Covid and by the time I came out, ChatGPT had completely changed the world. I was”
“Mass apply to jobs on different platforms and take a sick day to interview. If you're scared to leave then wait until you have another job lined up. And don't listen to people who complain about the job market. In the meanwhile take long showers and make yourself feel squeaky clean because it really helps to feel better. Also try part time if you can afford it!”
“I am not sure how important a portfolio website is for getting a dev job. It can help, but I don’t think it’s the deciding factor. Two months is not a long time in today’s market, keep applying, improve your projects, and focus on networking and referrals too. Also, sorry about the stolen paycheck, that’s rough.”
“You have no idea how happy I am you shared. I'm really good at something I've grown to hate. When I finally let myself start exploring other avenues, I got really excited about what the future could be. I'm thrilled to hear you are happy and it worked for you!!”
“I feel like job hopping is becoming more normal in order to get better opportunity and money? The current job I’m at has so many red flags - lots of people have left in the year and a half I have been here. For “better” jobs. Three people also got let go. Tons of negativity and unhappiness. Doesn’t matter how positive I am or dig into my job, something happens and I ask myself - do I wa t to deal with this.. I dont see the point of being loyal. I have a couple job interviews that have gone reall”
“Need experience to get hired, cant get experience cause no one will hire without crazy amount of experience.. is this just a limbo that we are living in nowadays? you just waste so much time, building projects, upskilling, learning all for that not to really matter in the job market cause 99.99% of companies don't care about it. submitted by /u/Adept_Act867 [link] [comments]”
“To everyone working in nonprofits, universities, and research organizations: A single referral for a position can completely change someone's future. It isn't just about filling a position—it's about opening a door that may have been closed for years. Many talented, hardworking people are overlooked simply because they don't have professional experience, even though they have the passion, education, and willingness to learn. Sometimes all they need is one person who beli”
“Iv applied to numerous entry level jobs i ideally want to get something like a beginner accounting role say as a bookkeeper or something like an electrician apprenticeship but iv applied to everything and i get no callbacks and im just kinda lost i dont know what im doing wrong and come here for advice as well as maybe advice on how to improve my resume? submitted by /u/leader425 [link] [comments]”
Patience is all I have and I am just in free flow state rn
“I have been working my ass off to try to look as competitive as possible for a quant internship and it just hasn’t panned out. I didn’t get any internship offers for quant despite my best efforts. I’ve talked to people in the industry who have told me that if you can’t get an internship you’re not gonna get an offer either. Everyone online who publicly is a quant or was a quant all come from the same demographic. They come from big cities, affluent neighborhoods, expensive private highschools, d”