Disclaimer: This is just a rant about my suffering regarding the job market. There is no gyan here. I just want a place to rant and I can't post this on LinkedIn or any other platforms since people in my org will see it
Hi Everyone! So I've been trying to switch to a new job for the last year or so and I have gotten nowhere. Here are some of the problems I've faced:
Job Boards/Portals
Jobs that have a direct apply from the app/platform are useless. My status stays in "applied" status for months! Even when it moves to "Application Viewed" nothing happens. Aren't companies/HRs paying money to use these portals? I feel this is just an unnecessary waste of time and resources if you take the time to post on these portals and not check it afterwards.
Jobs that have a "apply on company page" are even worse! You have to go through those awful long job applications (Yes, I'm looking at you Workday!) and all you get from that is a 'Thank you for applying' email. Not even a rejection email if I'm not shortlisted. Why even use such a complex and costly system if you don't even want to use it? Some people might argue that "HRs receive 1000s of applications and how will they reply to all?". To them I say that's why those complex systems are in place. It automates most of the shortlisting work. You just have to bother to automate a reply and for those that need manual shortlisting, is clicking a button 'Not Shortlisted' difficult???
Referrals
Well... this has become mainstream now too. Everyone has a referral now. Like people have become the new job boards. So, HRs ghost even referrals these days.
Posting about referrals has become a way to increase your following and connection count on LinkedIn now. Irrespective of if the referral is provided after someone follows and pings them about it.
Shortlisting Process
90 Days NP. The bane of my existence. Nobody in the job market is ready to wait. Can't quit and search because RESPONSIBILITIES.
One time, a HR calls me about a role (in the initial days of my job search) that I had applied for. Asks me for my NP. I say, officially, it is 90 days. She said that does not work for her org. I then said I can reduce that NP to 30 days. She said that too won't work. She needs someone with 15 days or less so we couldn't reach an agreement and ended the call. Now, a year after, that company is STILL looking for someone for the SAME role(Actively)!!! Wth!?
Unknown job requirements. I sometimes get rejection emails saying that I've not met the job requirements that the org is looking for. Ok, fair, but what WAS your requirement? Just to experiment I sometimes have edited my resume and job application to match the exact JD that the company has given. Even when put in an ATS it would've gotten a match rate of 93~95% but still gotten a rejection. So I'm not sure what is going on there.
Interview Process
Ghosting. This is so prevalent now. I feel this is worse here than it is in the dating world. Below are a few situations I've faced.
One time, for a prominent MNC, a HR calls me (on Monday) to inform me that I've been shortlisted for the role I had applied for and that I will have an interview on Saturday. She tells me that she will send interview details shortly. Nothing after that. I called, messaged and emailed to follow-up. Nothing. Everything was ignored.
Another time, a HR calls me for a role, asks me about the usual details (Location, NP, CCTC, ECTC). Agrees to everything during the call and schedules interviews. After 3 rounds of interview during the HR round the SAME HR asks me for ECTC and I tell her the same figure I gave during the initial discussion. She then says I'm asking for too much and tells me that she will think about it and disconnects the call. After that ghosts me.
Another time, a HR finds my profile from a job board and calls me telling me she has shortlisted me for a role. I explain my experience and during the call she realises that I'm also a perfect fit for another role that the org is looking for and informs me. She tells me that she will forward my profile to the hiring manager for both roles. Few days later ghosts me on all of my follow-ups.
Most recent, for a role that I was shortlisted. After a period of 2 months and 7 rounds of interviews (calls and assessments), HR forgets about me. When I email her boss to ask for an update, she calls me and tells that the role has gone "on hold" and to not "waste my time" advised me to apply elsewhere and if this position opens-up in the future I'll be the first one to be considered for it.
Sigh... I have so many such stories. At this point in time I'm just sick and tired of problems with my job search. I just want to curl up in a corner and not think about jobs at all.
Anyway... Thank you for reading my rant. Hope you have a nice day ahead.
How did you feel like putting so much effort to write such a long post!! 😄
Haha... It's a funny thing actually. I honestly didn't realise it would be this long. I just keep writing what was on my mind and before I realised it was this long. Also, my profession helps. I'm used to long, detailed documentation😅
I can feel your pain buddy even nowadays TCS looking for people who can join in 30 days.
The workday applications though, are absolute pain in the ass. What is even the point. Why do you want to collect so much data before interviewing.
Exactly!
Also, every company's job application needs a new registration. I'm sure Workday could've atleast figured out a common login logic for each user🤦
My notice period is 30 days but whenever a recruiter reaches out to me, they are looking for immediate joiner. What the hell requirement is that? No company in India has less than a month notice period unless you are someone who has nothing to do in the team , that they are ready to let you go immediately.
I say if you are looking for an immediate joiner, you should have released the offer by yesterday itself. Only one can do this when you don't need a job
I think it's pretty obvious that they're doing this to scoop up the talent laid off in previous rounds of layoffs by companies.
Every single thing you described is on point man, and it's everything that's wrong with recruiting today
the only way to do it is cold emails/pings at startups/mid sized orgs For large orgs -> You need to be noticed by the recruiter or just try endlessly with referrals and hope something sticks
My foremost questions to all HRs is if you are not ready to hire someone with notice period of 30, 60 and 90 days.....why do you have that kind of notice period in your organisation in the first place? How do you explain this? Honestly, majority people are done with handover activities within 2 weeks and those who are not will not even do it unless forced to do so and even in that case they will do it just for the sake of it.
I think these questions are on everyone's mind. This kind of hypocrisy is heavy in the Indian job market
The best answer I got to this Question is from HR itself, is nowadays candidates are picking more than one offers and then after commiting to the first company joining another is like ditching at the end moment due to which hiring managers and HRs used face awkward situations in front of client on providing the resource on time. So to compensate this they have reduced the availability time to 15 days so that you won't pick any further offers.
Well many can question this but thats the first hand information I received. Thank you 😉
100%
I started my job hunt a year back got calls, attended interviews, and got ghosted. I even wondered whether I wrote this in my sleep.
Thanks for putting the struggle and pain in words.
That's the thing for long NP , folks would say it's like trying to negotiate, but as soon as you have NP larger than 30 Days nobody sees you. You are just nothing to the hiring team.
The practical solution i found is say notice is 30 days, get the offer resign and keep the interview going with other firms. We have to play an try to secure rolling offers until actual NP ends.
Drawbacks: This works well in good job market or hot job profile. No surety of no job offer at the end of NP, and have to be jobless for some time.
Not the best way but i feel its the most suitable for my scenario 😉
Yea... I think practically everyone with a long NP is following the same strategy
This is a little risky, instead what I think is to put up good words with the manager and ask him to relieve early. Give a good KT session and within 15 days, you will be able to get out. At the same time, tell HR that officially NP is 30 (or 90 days) but you believe that you can be relieved earlier. If HR is a good guy (luck factor over here), they will understand.
Sadly, this is super on point.
Everything you said about job boards and the shortlisting process hurts even bad. Interviews are still fine, I understand companies don't have a lot of time.
I'M SOOOO TIRED OF THE WHOLE JOB SEARCH PROCESS NOW!
I no longer have any hope left in me!
The whole job search process itself is sooooo longggggggg.
Is it me or everyone facing the same. Applying for jobs on Linkedin and naukri but fed up of this "Unfortunately" reply. Anyone facing the face...?
Shitty and frustrated feeling - I have been applying for the better part of the year on LinkedIn (Premium) btw, for over 500+ roles on LinkedIn across various companies for a role in Business Intelligence, is it shitty for everyone out t...
