Snaggletooth wrote: Sat May 23, 2026 11:30 amDon't Give Up!
Okay, so I have done quite a bit of recruitment. This is thae advice that I always give: don't give up and don't take in personally.
To the applicant, it all feels like a personal judgement on them- they don;t see all of the other people in the process.
For a typical job, we might get 25 reasonable candidates that we pick 4 to interview. Think about that.
Firstly, it means that it is reasonable to expect 100 applications to get you one job. I have spoken to people who get disheartened because they have applied fo a job 4-5 times and got nowhere. People who have applied for one job and got it have no idea how lucky they are. People who have had good careers often job hunt all the time. Not when they need to. One you have a CV just keep it up to date and keep a list of work stories that you can polish and use.
Secondly, it means that getting an interview is actually harder that getting the job. Be pleased, not disappointed.
Getting the interview is a judgement on you. But, from then on, everything depends on what the other candidates say. And you have no control over that and you never get to hear it. So prepare, prepare, prepare.
Recruiters are just a lazy as everbody else. They do not waste an hour of their time interviewing somebody that they would not give the job to. Don't say "Yes, I can do that". You would not be in the interview if they did not already think that you could do that. Use is as a hook for one of your prepared stories. "I did that last week because we had this problem. I had forseen it, so I did this thing. As a result this happened".
Come prepared with pen and paper and ask if you can write the questions down. This helps you in the interview because it gives you a pause before answering. More importantly, after the inteview you can write down what you should have said. That way, you build up a bank of questions and answers for the future.
That's all really helpful. Thank you.
Question. If you fail to get an interview and the same job gets re-advertised, should you apply again? That keeps happening to my husband who is applying for retail management roles. His attitude is that if they were interested they would call him back.
Yes, you should re-apply. It might not be literally te same job. They might just want a bigger application pool. At the very least, it makes you look keen. If possible, contact them and ask for more information. Tell them that you really want the job, you notice that this is a readvertisment so what are they looking for?
No, they will not call applicants to see if if they can get more information about them. Only headhunters do stuff like that. Remember that you are competing with other people who you cannot see. Those people are talking to the employer.
Snaggletooth wrote: Sat May 23, 2026 11:30 amDon't Give Up!
Okay, so I have done quite a bit of recruitment. This is thae advice that I always give: don't give up and don't take in personally.
To the applicant, it all feels like a personal judgement on them- they don;t see all of the other people in the process.
For a typical job, we might get 25 reasonable candidates that we pick 4 to interview. Think about that.
Firstly, it means that it is reasonable to expect 100 applications to get you one job. I have spoken to people who get disheartened because they have applied fo a job 4-5 times and got nowhere. People who have applied for one job and got it have no idea how lucky they are. People who have had good careers often job hunt all the time. Not when they need to. One you have a CV just keep it up to date and keep a list of work stories that you can polish and use.
Secondly, it means that getting an interview is actually harder that getting the job. Be pleased, not disappointed.
Getting the interview is a judgement on you. But, from then on, everything depends on what the other candidates say. And you have no control over that and you never get to hear it. So prepare, prepare, prepare.
Recruiters are just a lazy as everbody else. They do not waste an hour of their time interviewing somebody that they would not give the job to. Don't say "Yes, I can do that". You would not be in the interview if they did not already think that you could do that. Use is as a hook for one of your prepared stories. "I did that last week because we had this problem. I had forseen it, so I did this thing. As a result this happened".
Come prepared with pen and paper and ask if you can write the questions down. This helps you in the interview because it gives you a pause before answering. More importantly, after the inteview you can write down what you should have said. That way, you build up a bank of questions and answers for the future.
That's all really helpful. Thank you.
Question. If you fail to get an interview and the same job gets re-advertised, should you apply again? That keeps happening to my husband who is applying for retail management roles. His attitude is that if they were interested they would call him back.
Yes, you should re-apply. It might not be literally te same job. They might just want a bigger application pool. At the very least, it makes you look keen. If possible, contact them and ask for more information. Tell them that you really want the job, you notice that this is a readvertisment so what are they looking for?
No, they will not call applicants to see if if they can get more information about them. Only headhunters do stuff like that. Remember that you are competing with other people who you cannot see. Those people are talking to the employer.
[/quote]
That's all really helpful. Thank you.
Question. If you fail to get an interview and the same job gets re-advertised, should you apply again? That keeps happening to my husband who is applying for retail management roles. His attitude is that if they were interested they would call him back.
[/quote]
I know I am not the person you asked, but IME this totally depends on the company and the situation! I have approached companies and asked if I should apply again and been told no, they've already ruled me out for whatever reason (sometimes personal e.g. 'Not the right fit' sometimes because they'd changed the hours of the job to something I'd already stated I couldn't do or such) and I have also reapplied and got the job/got through to second stage, and been told they were very pleased to hear from me again. I guess it is always worth a try!
sephi wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2026 9:56 am
Not high jacking but I am job hunting for the first time in 5 years. It’s horrid - 56 applications so far and 8 rejections. AI gatekeepers
I applied for a job that literally listed my skills and experience and I've dealt with the guy who had the job previously. Didn't even get an interview despite me being who they speak to if they get stuck. I'll be opting to ignore any future requests.
"I love you, I support your endevour, I'm not registering because I waste enough fucking time on the internet already" - wishfairy 2026.
I am having a moan of a bit of a different nature.
As part of my job I help with interviews, I don't 'do' the interviews but I help put the paperwork together and list points etc.
I understand the merit behind point based interviews but, I also think it can put people at unfair advantages/disadvantages.
One applicant sounded perfect in their answers but they hadn't hit the points, so that's that. Their answers clearly demonstrated that they had the experience and enthusiasm and they were over-qualified, but because they hadn't answered to the tailored system, nope.
I don't think I like that. And now I am wondering if I have missed out on application success due to similar.
sephi wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2026 9:56 am
Not high jacking but I am job hunting for the first time in 5 years. It’s horrid - 56 applications so far and 8 rejections. AI gatekeepers
I applied for a job that literally listed my skills and experience and I've dealt with the guy who had the job previously. Didn't even get an interview despite me being who they speak to if they get stuck. I'll be opting to ignore any future requests.
That is beyond frustrating.
I’m at 94 applications now. 2 interviews, didn’t get the job from the first interview and the second one is in 1 hour. Don’t particular want this job but I also don’t want to lose my house.
sephi wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2026 9:56 am
Not high jacking but I am job hunting for the first time in 5 years. It’s horrid - 56 applications so far and 8 rejections. AI gatekeepers
I applied for a job that literally listed my skills and experience and I've dealt with the guy who had the job previously. Didn't even get an interview despite me being who they speak to if they get stuck. I'll be opting to ignore any future requests.
That is beyond frustrating.
I’m at 94 applications now. 2 interviews, didn’t get the job from the first interview and the second one is in 1 hour. Don’t particular want this job but I also don’t want to lose my house.
Didn’t get that job either.
120 applications.
Had my first face to face interview in 7 years yesterday - waiting for feedback/offer now. Got another 3rd stage interview tomorrow and a 4th stage one on Monday.
It got very busy this week! All 3 jobs are different too, although those looking outside to in would say they’re the same.
Applied for a job, one of the desirables is a an industry qual that I have and about half a dozen other people in the UK. At least 3 of those work for the company I'm applying to, and one of the others has retired.
Instant rejection via AI.
I think I might have to actually contact the technical director, because that's fucking stupid.
"I love you, I support your endevour, I'm not registering because I waste enough fucking time on the internet already" - wishfairy 2026.
Some of what bothers me about the whole thing is the 'point based' system a lot of them use. I understand why it is important, to avoid discrimination and the like however, in one of my interviews a while back I was given very good feedback, but advised I didn't hit the points on some answers because the interviewers had no experience in the context. E.G asked what my biggest employment challenges had been, I told them, but they weren't familiar with the industry in which I had faced these challenges. They understood that some of the things I had dealt with would make me a good candidate, but they couldn't be certain because of things they didn't have familiarity with. I cannot help but think that puts certain people at a disadvantage, and I did give them feedback to perhaps rethink their questions. Perhaps that one could have been 'biggest challenge in a related field or (given this was an internal application) biggest challenge in my current role.
I am also not completely naive and know that personality does come into some final decision-making. I understand that in the context that I wouldn't employ a quiet, studious person to be a kids entertainer or such. But I also feel that it goes against me a lot, just for being a bit weird I suppose.
I'll be starting my new job at LCC in a few weeks. They've phoned me today to say they're still waiting on a reference to come back, and they're relying on that one. The other employer has a policy to only confirm that you worked for them, no more info.
I've messaged my former boss who I describe as 'flaky' to beg her to please send it asap. She's promised me she'll do it today. This is the woman that often forgot to pay me though, so I'll believe it when I see it.
I had to answer a few health questions too. I will need some small accomodations to be made. I need a decent office chair with armrests, access to either a disabled loo or a toilet frame to be supplied and I'm a bit worried about doing home visits as I can't get up from low seating. I could do with a camping chair or something that I can take with me. I've had my eye on an Ozzgear chair for a while. Maybe they'll pay for one?
There'll be a medical assessment done anyway.
I'm getting nervous now. If my old boss lets me down with that reference, or it doesn't say what they want to hear, I'll be back to job hunting again. I hit gold with this one and I can't see anything else suiting me so well.
Lorraine wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2026 12:17 pm
I'll be starting my new job at LCC in a few weeks. They've phoned me today to say they're still waiting on a reference to come back, and they're relying on that one. The other employer has a policy to only confirm that you worked for them, no more info.
I've messaged my former boss who I describe as 'flaky' to beg her to please send it asap. She's promised me she'll do it today. This is the woman that often forgot to pay me though, so I'll believe it when I see it.
I had to answer a few health questions too. I will need some small accomodations to be made. I need a decent office chair with armrests, access to either a disabled loo or a toilet frame to be supplied and I'm a bit worried about doing home visits as I can't get up from low seating. I could do with a camping chair or something that I can take with me. I've had my eye on an Ozzgear chair for a while. Maybe they'll pay for one?
There'll be a medical assessment done anyway.
I'm getting nervous now. If my old boss lets me down with that reference, or it doesn't say what they want to hear, I'll be back to job hunting again. I hit gold with this one and I can't see anything else suiting me so well.
Would being a 'squeaky wheel' work or would you be nervous about her then becoming irritated and not giving you one at all?
I've forgotten to give people references when I have been overwhelmed with other things and have appreciated a reminder, but I mean I have forgotten once, for a couple of days, not weeks!
Lorraine wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2026 12:17 pm
I'll be starting my new job at LCC in a few weeks. They've phoned me today to say they're still waiting on a reference to come back, and they're relying on that one. The other employer has a policy to only confirm that you worked for them, no more info.
I've messaged my former boss who I describe as 'flaky' to beg her to please send it asap. She's promised me she'll do it today. This is the woman that often forgot to pay me though, so I'll believe it when I see it.
I had to answer a few health questions too. I will need some small accomodations to be made. I need a decent office chair with armrests, access to either a disabled loo or a toilet frame to be supplied and I'm a bit worried about doing home visits as I can't get up from low seating. I could do with a camping chair or something that I can take with me. I've had my eye on an Ozzgear chair for a while. Maybe they'll pay for one?
There'll be a medical assessment done anyway.
I'm getting nervous now. If my old boss lets me down with that reference, or it doesn't say what they want to hear, I'll be back to job hunting again. I hit gold with this one and I can't see anything else suiting me so well.
Would being a 'squeaky wheel' work or would you be nervous about her then becoming irritated and not giving you one at all?
I've forgotten to give people references when I have been overwhelmed with other things and have appreciated a reminder, but I mean I have forgotten once, for a couple of days, not weeks!
She apologised for not sending it sooner and promised she'd do it today.
I applied for a job that literally listed my skills and experience and I've dealt with the guy who had the job previously. Didn't even get an interview despite me being who they speak to if they get stuck. I'll be opting to ignore any future requests.
That is beyond frustrating.
I’m at 94 applications now. 2 interviews, didn’t get the job from the first interview and the second one is in 1 hour. Don’t particular want this job but I also don’t want to lose my house.
Didn’t get that job either.
120 applications.
Had my first face to face interview in 7 years yesterday - waiting for feedback/offer now. Got another 3rd stage interview tomorrow and a 4th stage one on Monday.
It got very busy this week! All 3 jobs are different too, although those looking outside to in would say they’re the same.
So an update:
Face2Face interview - didn't get it - was a coin flip between myself and another (apparently)
4th round turned into 7 rounds - hiring freeze so didn't get that either
3rd round turned into a bizarre face2face interview in London but the fellow interviewing me was in Barcelona. So I was sat in their company offices on a google meeting... Granted I also met with the hiring manager and hr person. Was just odd - waiting from an offer should the beancounters OK it.
Over 250 applications.
Had one last Thursday - during the interview the lead guy said it was a "cathartic" discussion... Got feedback today saying that we weren't aligned, we had a different approach to the problems the company solved (they had already decided the way and clearly I wasn't signing from their hymn sheet)
