Job hunting today can be pretty ridiculous, and many job seekers will attest to that. Even compared to last year, Americans need to send out more applications to find a job. In 2023, the average number of applications job seekers had to send in the U.S. was 254. In 2024, it's now 294 applications on average.
Unreasonable screening requirements, recruiters who "ghost" applicants, and laughable salary offers: looking for a job today is really like going through Dante's nine circles of hell. And the Recruiting Hell subreddit documents them all. So, for your exasperation, here are the most bonkers situations its members had to deal with.
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No Idea If This Will Work, But Hey - Worth The Try
"Minority Drawers" Should Be A Crime
"This Is Your Only Means Of Interview" - So I Simply Refused
The unemployment rate in October was 4.1%, but that doesn't mean that those who are looking for jobs have it easy. In fact, the worrying trend of "ghost jobs" still persists after a year since major publications first started reporting about it. According to The Guardian, 40% of job listings aren't actually real.
In a previous interview for Bored Panda, leadership coach Robyn L Garrett explained that some companies "test the waters" with their job listings. "They aren't obligated to hire (or even interview) any applicants," she said. "They might just be collecting information about things like salary requirements or job titles."
I Am So Sick Of These Ridiculous Screening Questions
Correct answers (so far as the employers are concerned) are "Fox News", "the Democrats", "a desk I can sleep under overnight", "being able to work for minimum wage". Submissions lacking those phrases are automatically rejected
Goddamn This Felt Good
Reminder: You Are Good Enough
I applied to an add for a blast technician with training. Went back and forth w emails as the owner emailed saying they weren't looking for a secretary. I'm a woman. I explained it said trainee in the ad. I went in explained my knowledge. The owner asked if I thought I was on jeopardy. Sorry I read up on the type of work it was and products used. Was given a tour of the warehouse and then asked to lift a 50lb bag of media. Basically heavy grit sand. I did. Put it on my shoulder and asked what else? After a month the called me to come work. But apparently never asked any men to lift the bags or give them the grief. All ex-cons working via a 50/50 paid program from the state. But I got paid by the company. Horrible insurance too. But I wound up running my dept with basically only me on 5 machines through out the day. But my eye and hand skill made me quick. I quit when an injury wasn't taken seriously. Don't judge people. Some of us like working dirty hands on jobs.
The saddest part is that it can be very hard to determine which job ads are real and which are not. "You're never going to know for sure," Garrett told us last year. "If you find yourself in an 'interview' that seems predatory or misleading, don't feel obligated to stay. You can politely say, 'I don't think this is the right fit' at any time."
Garrrett also pointed out that sending out as much resumes as you can is part of the process. "Job searching is a numbers game. You never know where the business is in the hiring process, so you have to cast a wide net. Sometimes your resume just needs to be in the right place at the right time, so keep applying," she encouraged.
I Would Watch That
I Had To Take A Walk After This
Out of curiosity I googled "Sun Asian Kitchen" and the website it linked to popped up a message saying "Due to the shortage of staff ..." so maybe their rudeness ticked off too many potential applicants
A Linkedin Laugh
Recruiting hell starts from the very beginning of the process: spotting ridiculous ads listing unrealistic requirements. Job seekers often think to themselves: how do recruiters keep getting away with asking for 4+ years of experience for an entry-level position and inquiring about unemployment gaps for when the applicant was 14 or 15 years old? The reasons might be that either the managers are out of touch with reality or they believe in an old-fashioned work ethic.
Interviewer Cancelled An Hour Before The Meeting. I Know My Worth
Change the last sentence to "I am withdrawing my application." Nothing "unfortunate" about this at all. Quite the contrary.
At 58, A Recruiter Says ‘Too Old To Code’—heartbreaking 😭
I lost a job to the pandemic, at age 59, and applied to countless jobs with no luck. I realized my age was the reason, because ageism is rampant, even though I look and act much younger than I am. Hell, I got along great with classmates who were thirty years younger than me when I went back to college at 51. I even considered lying about my age with a “typo” on my application. Luckily, since I had gone back to college as an adult (bachelors and masters), I could’ve gotten away with it, at least until the face to face interview, based on my graduation years. Of course, if they asked my high school graduation year, for some reason, my cover would be blown. Then my husband and I started a business, and I no longer had a need to lie. Our business has turned out to be very successful and profitable—-very much into the black after the first year—-meaning any company that hired me would’ve gotten a diligent worker who would contribute to their profitability, so it’s their stupid and ageist loss, and my gain. However, having worked for a******s and been humiliated in interviews ourselves in the past, my husband and I run our company fairly, equitably, and ethically. We pay a generous wage, offer good benefits, give good bonuses at the end of the year, don’t overwork our employees, are very approachable, do not fly off the handle, and do our best to be good bosses whose company people want to work for, and help become more successful, until they retire. Why that way of doing business—-which is absolutely not hard or unprofitable to do—-isn’t taught in business schools everywhere, I don’t know.
The Only Acceptable Application. 2 Seconds If You're Slow
"Some employers are completely out of touch with reality," Robyn L Garrett told Bored Panda in another interview. "They can't understand why people won't be breaking down doors to work their low-paying, do-everything job. To them, whatever meager salary they're offering is a lot. They're not researching enough to realize that it's not."
The Companies vs. Me
Naming And Shaming Done Right
I applied for a job in an office and i went along for a trial day so i could see how they worked i was supposed to be replacing someone who was leaving. While i was there they convinced the person who was leaving to stay. The next day i got a call from the agency and they informed me that they liked me but didnt have a job for me. Wasted an entire day spent money i didnt have on bus fare to go half way across the city where i live to an area i didnt know only to be told that.
Gap In My Employment History, In 2017 I Was Fourteen
Back in April, manager trainer Ashley Herd, the founder of Manager Method, told us something similar. She explained that many recruiters don't know how expensive life has gotten. "And those that do think that means they can take advantage of people who need income," she added.
I Cant Do This Anymore
This should read. "We went through the motions for legal compliance reasons, and you were never going to get the job. Sorry, not sorry for wasting your time. "
I See Why Recruiters Ask Stupid Questions Now. I Apologize
That actually kind of makes sense. I worked retail for a bit and I had to answer some dumb questions. My favorite was "Where is the vegan goat cheese?" It was not unreasonable I showed them except then they said, "No the one that comes from goats." Me: ????? "That's not vegan?" them: "Where is the cheese that comes from vegan goats?" I did not have a response to that one. EDIT: if anyone has a good response please tell me.
Well!
Another reason for making absurd requirements for potential hires is that some companies and managers still have an old-fashioned attitude towards younger people in the workforce. "Many employers believe 'paying your dues' is necessary," Ashley Herd said. "Including doing long, hard work for minimal pay."
Just Going To Leave This Here
Believe it or not we had that happen at my current place about a year ago. Not college grad though; in the between 18 & 21 range. In his case, it was because she was so overbearing he couldn't stop her. Felt sorry for the kid but still couldn't hire him.
Load More Replies...Felt bad for one guy we interviewed by phone. He had a new pup and the little thing was being, well a puppy. Told him not to worry about it, I could get past the yapping etc. Did well enough to get the job.
Most important questions - did you get to see the pup and was it cute?
Load More Replies...OK, but hear me out (even as the old fart): Does the job in question actually required skill making eye contact well? Define "unreasonable compensation" when the employment seeker is forced to make the first offer? Define "inappropriately." HR should interview for job skills, not job interviewing skills.
If I was told outright that I was denied a job due to lack of eye contact, (assuming the job didn't absolutely require eye contact) I would consider speaking to an ADA lawyer since I'm autistic and struggling with eye contact is an aspect of that.
Load More Replies...By “unreasonable compensation”, you know damned well they mean either a liveable entry level wage, or a wage that reflects what they’re actually worth, based on education, experience, and talent. That’s what the corporate mfers consider “unreasonable”, because the more they pay their employees, the less they can pilfer for themselves. I will never understand the logic behind paying the suits ridiculous money to do virtually nothing but come up with stupid ideas that rarely, if ever, work, while crying poor about raises to their already underpaid employees on the floor/front lines who are the only people actually making the company its money.
Not a reliable source. Fox News really? One in five candidates brought a parent? Right.
One in five interviewers has had this experience. Each interviewer interviews multiple people. So they are not saying 1 in 5 people bring their mom.
Load More Replies...This is a BS statistic. First, they ask the hiring managers the questions. Obvious potential for bias. Second, this is how many managers have EVER seen this behaviour. So, if there are 100 interviewed hiring managers, and 15 of them had ONE person EVER bring a parent along, it'd say "15%". So, take this with enough grains of salt to get sodium poisoning.
The only thing off on these stats is the second one. It's too low. 70% would be closer to reality.
Load More Replies...Every single one of these is true. I have witnessed all of these. The first time I saw someone wearing joggers to a customer service interview my eyeballs just about fell out. You would think it was a one off right . Nope. There were many young men in the waiting room dressed like this.
This doesn't mean much to me without the context of how this compares to prior generations. Also, who gets to decide what compensation is "unreasonable"?
Fox "news" made the news in Finland and Sweden a while back by claiming we're preparing for a nuclear war because of Biden. Like what the hello?!? Edit: for the doubting Campy https://www.iltalehti.fi/ulkomaat/a/7b533a8a-229f-43d1-82db-6e74921054ec You'll need to google translate if you want to read the Finnish article, but there's a link to the original fox news bit at the end
Fox Noise is not a source for anything other than fascist propaganda.
Not saying these things never happen, but it's absolutely not common. Fox News is motivated to show that college students, who have historically been opposed to the atrocities of the Republican party, are stupid and useless. And let's remember that Fox News also went to court to win the right to lie to their viewers.
Once interviewed a young woman for and admin. assistant position who brought her boyfriend with her because they were going out afterwards. He didn't wait outside, came in with her and looked bored. She had mentioned on her resume that she was extremely organized and I asked her give me an example: "Well I organized my whole DVD collection."
Change that to brought a parent or friend and it will jump to at least 70%. I've seen it first hand and it's almost a guarantee you won't get the job because of that one thing. It's okay as long as the other person stays in the car or leaves and returns. But if they come in, forget it.
Eye contact: young people are often a bit shy or insecure. No prob. Unreasonable compensation: "unreasonable" in whose opinion? Dressed inappropriately: just tell them how to dress, no biggie unless they wear a pyjama. Inappropriate language: depends. Refused to turn on camera: so what, in the past we had phone interviews; are we to feel sorry for you that you can't filter out the wrong skin colour, sex, or 'ugliness'? Parent to interview: finally something that is really a complaint, though it might be an overbearing parent - give the kid a chance. NEXT
I have seen all of the above from young people. So many places scream they cannot find employees who perform, yet they only want to hire people under 30. If you only want young, don't b***h when you can't find someone to do the job who isn't socially r******d.
I would appreciate it if you could avoid using the R-word. I get your point but it can rub people the wrong way. I'm on the autism spectrum and I've had people use that word as an insult so it bothers me to see it used that way.
Load More Replies...Um…no?!?
I'm Flipping The Script On Employers
Don't think I would like to work at an office where everyone is eating chili and drinking Pibb all the time. Sounds like it would smell of farts as soon as you walk ing the door.
Making sure you know as much about the company as possible can help you avoid getting into such situations as listed here from r/RecruitingHell. LinkedIn, for example, can be a hellscape of job advertisement scams. "Anyone can set up a company and job posting on LinkedIn," Garrett told us back then. She recommends doing some research online. "If they have very few employees or you can't find a proper corporate website, be wary."
Yep…
not to mention how the stabbing silence of an empty (email) inbox can rapidly degrade ones soul
Recruiter: No One Wants To Work!!!
I've hear this a lot and what it really means is "No one wants to work for the crappy pay and conditions that I'm offering"
The State Of The 2024 Job Market
Although, as we've discussed earlier, casting a wide net is beneficial, sorting out through "the weeds" may be a better option. A thorough job search involves many hours looking through job ads. "'Green flag' signs of employers include putting pay ranges even where not legally required, giving an overview of the interview process and what you can expect in a role," Herd explained to us back in April.
After 6 Months Of Unemployment And Hundreds Of Rejections, This Is How I Started Seeing Other People. I'm Not Ok
I've been there, when I was homeless, I started to get really bitter and saw everyone as "having a home"
Got Hired To The Local Taco Bell, Did All The On-Boarding Paperwork Then Got This Message From Them A Few Days Later
Girl- What?
I was in my fifties interviewing for a sales position. Years of experience in sales.The twenty something HR screener asked me in person what my favorite animal was. Really? You can ask that with a straight face? They are usually looking for something like a tiger or a bear or a shark or something. I answered it truthfully as I do have a favorite animal. It's the magnificent platypus. Incredibly capable little survivor, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, hard to pigeon-hole and if you really p**s one off, it will sting you. The HR person looked stunned and had no idea how to react. Also, I didn't get the job but I did get to educate somebody on the virtues of the platypus :-D
Herd also suggested a different approach to job searching. Instead of the good ol' sorting through advertisements, try reaching out to friends. Either directly, or via social media. Posting something along the lines "If you like your job or boss, where do you work and what do you like about it?" may bring in some surprising answers. It even "may lead to referrals for open positions," Herd said.
Your Linkedin Job Application - The Real Numbers
Finnish unemployment services require you to apply to a certain number of places every month or they'll punish you by taking away some of your benefits. This means people are applying even to jobs they're not qualified to
Sick Of People Who Think Like This. Do You Live Under A Rock?
Have fun trying to get in the door without an appointment, unless you enjoy being escorted out by security. Times change, people. I’m old enough to remember driving from place to place to ask for an application to fill out while I’m there, or to drop off my resume—-hell, I remember using the yellow pages to call places to see if they’re hiring (and sometimes I called right before they were going to put the want ad in the paper), and that was only around 2004 or 2005—-but those times are long gone. Everything’s remote now, until they actually decide they want to see you in person.
Hiring Manager Accidental Reply All
I was at a job interview where the interviewer asked me "If you could be any kind of cow, would you be a chocolate cow, a vanilla cow, or a strawberry cow?" I simply responded, "I'm not going to play this" and left.
Eating or paint colour? or if you mean breed of cow probably a feral station shorthorn.
Load More Replies...My last company made me go through 4 rounds of interview. When they called me for the fifth one, I refused. Told them I can't keep doing it. Either they hire me or reject me. They promised it's the last round with the client and I got hired after that interview
I doubt anyone can convince me that there's any job on Earth that needs more than 2 interviews. If you can't figure out your applicant and/or your needs by then, you need to hire someone who knows how to hire people or close the doors.
Load More Replies...Gonna downvote every article from now on until they stop cutting it off with this BP premium nonsense.
I got my job practically at the interview. The recruiter was super happy I wanted to start at the next possible date, and I got my equipment right on the spot
I hate recruiters because they too often have no feel for how a person will actually fit in with a specific job or location. And when the chips are down, they have no stake in the matter. Hired the wrong person? Oh well, doesn't affect them, they don't work there. I've seen it go wrong far too many times. The people that pay the price are the actual employees.
Load More Replies...Usually BP "polls" contain stupid options. This one has four good ones, but leaves out a fifth important one: lying. Employers lie about the position, lie about the money, lie about the responsibilities, lie about the location, etc.
I've applied to literally hundreds of jobs over the past 5 years, some of which were such perfect fits they may as well have had a picture of me in the job requirements. I have yet to even be asked in for a single interview. Not once.
Oh, I have one of these. I've been offered an 8-month assignment in Australia for 600 USD/ per month. In return, I will be paying my flight, visa, insurance and all personal costs including travelling between sites and have to be available at all times. Believe it or not, this was a legit “opportunity” with a well-known employer in my country who has his head so far up in his own a*s, that an oral surgeon would be needed to dislodge it for him. I humoured the interview just out of curiosity to see how unhinged they will be getting. I didn't get the offer because I showed lack of commitment when I said I would be using my legally mandated days off (European employer) for networking. Apparently, I was expected to volunteer my days off for unpaid work.
I was at a job interview where the interviewer asked me "If you could be any kind of cow, would you be a chocolate cow, a vanilla cow, or a strawberry cow?" I simply responded, "I'm not going to play this" and left.
Eating or paint colour? or if you mean breed of cow probably a feral station shorthorn.
Load More Replies...My last company made me go through 4 rounds of interview. When they called me for the fifth one, I refused. Told them I can't keep doing it. Either they hire me or reject me. They promised it's the last round with the client and I got hired after that interview
I doubt anyone can convince me that there's any job on Earth that needs more than 2 interviews. If you can't figure out your applicant and/or your needs by then, you need to hire someone who knows how to hire people or close the doors.
Load More Replies...Gonna downvote every article from now on until they stop cutting it off with this BP premium nonsense.
I got my job practically at the interview. The recruiter was super happy I wanted to start at the next possible date, and I got my equipment right on the spot
I hate recruiters because they too often have no feel for how a person will actually fit in with a specific job or location. And when the chips are down, they have no stake in the matter. Hired the wrong person? Oh well, doesn't affect them, they don't work there. I've seen it go wrong far too many times. The people that pay the price are the actual employees.
Load More Replies...Usually BP "polls" contain stupid options. This one has four good ones, but leaves out a fifth important one: lying. Employers lie about the position, lie about the money, lie about the responsibilities, lie about the location, etc.
I've applied to literally hundreds of jobs over the past 5 years, some of which were such perfect fits they may as well have had a picture of me in the job requirements. I have yet to even be asked in for a single interview. Not once.
Oh, I have one of these. I've been offered an 8-month assignment in Australia for 600 USD/ per month. In return, I will be paying my flight, visa, insurance and all personal costs including travelling between sites and have to be available at all times. Believe it or not, this was a legit “opportunity” with a well-known employer in my country who has his head so far up in his own a*s, that an oral surgeon would be needed to dislodge it for him. I humoured the interview just out of curiosity to see how unhinged they will be getting. I didn't get the offer because I showed lack of commitment when I said I would be using my legally mandated days off (European employer) for networking. Apparently, I was expected to volunteer my days off for unpaid work.