Job Search Difficulties and Grad Failings

Why is getting a job so damn hard? To set the scene, I have been applying to entry-level positions for the past month and a half. And I am not talking about just entry-level corporate roles. I’ve applied to local businesses, grocery stores, bartending positions, and service roles. I have applied to, what I will dub, more “corporate roles” as well. But I will discuss that experience in a few paragraphs. 

So why can’t I work at my local Wegman’s or Target as a store associate? I don’t have concrete evidence, but I think they assume I won’t work in the position longer than a few months. My resume shows that I hold a Bachelor’s Degree. And my running theory is that they toss these resumes to the side, almost without consideration, because they assume a high turnover rate. I can’t really blame them, I suppose. But many of the store positions at corporate powerhouses like Target and Wegmans are filled by students who also leave after the summer. Not to mention the “equal employment” opportunities these corporations promise. Pure hypocrisy. The time it takes to secure one of these positions is also absurd. For a position at Whole Foods, I was given an estimate of three weeks, until my start date. If they even hired me. For Whole Foods and a bartending role at Longhorn Steakhouse, AI was used to submit the application. This was so irritating. “Sage” the AI, had a conversation with me in place of the standard application submission page. What was the benefit of an AI accepting my application? I saw none. A normal application page would have been preferred. Companies are rushing to use AI and replace old systems when they don’t actually improve anything. Not to mention, the use of AI felt wildly impersonal. It created even more distance between me and the mega brands. A solid 0/10 for me. Can’t say I ever liked Longhorn Steakhouse or that I ever shopped at Whole Foods, but I definitely won’t be going there now.

Too often, you also submit your resume and hear nothing back. They should just hire me to personally respond to applicants, since they can’t even seem to automate a system to do it. 

Now, onto the “corporate roles.” I applied for a position at PETA. An entry-level role paying less than $20 per hour. Somehow, I made it past the hundreds of applicants and onto the interview stage of the process. One interview later, and I am onto the next round. Except, here is where it gets ridiculous. PETA asked me to work six hours, unpaid, completing essay questions and tasks to vet my abilities and person further. The tasks I was assigned would theoretically resemble a typical day in the office. Three handwritten essay questions later, and a slew of six assignments, I was finally finished. A few days later I received an AUTOMATED email rejecting me for the position. I followed-up, asking, very kindly, for recommendations on how to improve my application. Nothing. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting a response due to potential legal troubles with their hiring process or liability or whatever, but a 6 hour mock workday? For an entry-level position, paying less than $20 an hour? Fuck off. 

Most places, like Target and its sister companies, don’t even respond with a rejection. You are left wondering if your application even passed before someone’s eyes. Or was it shot into the void that is the internet cesspool of job application pages?

My theory is that job applications have been ruined by the internet. And let’s say you want to skip that and apply in person? Good luck, they will likely just say “apply online.” At least LinkedIn shows you that more than 100 applicants clicked apply. But with those odds? It really is just a numbers game. Most jobs also require 1-2 years of experience. Where do I get this experience? Please enlighten me. Yes, I had internships in college. So, another answer please. Just train me on the position. Have a little faith that I actually earned my degree and can use my brain. You have to LEARN in college to graduate. So teach me how to do the damn job. I and many people my age have done harder things…

For a society that places so much value on work and productivity, it is awfully difficult to get work. Insane standards, online applications, and a lack of personability in the hiring process has changed the face of both the hiring process and job search. Sure, there are benefits. People can look all over the country for jobs from the comfort of their bedroom. But I see mostly drawbacks, especially for younger generations who are trying to break into the so-called “workforce.” We need to stop removing face-to-face interaction. Hiring should be personal; I mean, isn’t the profession called HUMAN RESOURCES! A machine can’t communicate who I am. But this isn't just a hiring problem. Automation tends to remove the human from the process. Maybe we should question if unending increases in productivity are really as virtuous as our society seems to project.

One perk of no job is the option to play a lot of Mario Party :)