Applied to a Job

As a rising junior majoring in computer science, I feel like I'm lagging behind in gaining job experience. I've never had an internship before, and my resume mainly consists of club involvement and personal projects. I'm really hoping to secure a fall internship to help me get on track. However, I've noticed that there are significantly fewer listings for fall internships compared to summer 2027 opportunities. I've applied to hundreds of positions but have only received a few responses, and I had one interview that ended with no follow-up. I'm feeling quite overwhelmed and would appreciate any tips on how to land a fall internship.

I just graduated with my MFA in May and was set to adjunct at a school, but they lost their funding, leaving me with zero income and no savings. To make matters worse, my health benefits are ending soon, and I’m currently dealing with a severe chronic illness flare-up. I’m in a tough spot without family support or a partner to help with bills, so I'm desperate to find a full-time remote job with benefits as quickly as possible. I've applied to 53 jobs so far but only landed 3 interviews. I need to pay rent and buy groceries, so I'm open to any position in customer service, data entry, or insurance claims. I have over 9 years of experience in program management and customer support, so I can handle fast-paced environments. If anyone knows of companies or staffing agencies that are hiring quickly, I would really appreciate the help.

I'm a 24-year-old female currently facing a tough situation. My dad just lost his job, and despite my best efforts, I'm still unemployed. I've applied to countless positions, but nothing seems to be working out. I'm feeling really lost and unsure of what to do next. I've been considering some advice from others, like exploring opportunities in my local community or even looking into government jobs since my dad has a degree. I'm also thinking about leveraging my skills to help local businesses, like gyms or clinics, instead of just waiting for a job offer. It's a challenging time, but I'm trying to stay proactive and explore all my options.

I had an initial screening call today with an HR recruiter for a QA Automation Engineer position at a company in Mumbai, and it took a turn for the bizarre. I currently work from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM, so I requested a virtual interview either early in the morning or late in the evening. The HR recruiter responded sarcastically, insisting that 11:00 AM is 'early morning.' When I explained that I was already at work by then, he mockingly suggested I could have the interview at 6:00 AM instead. Things got even stranger when he insisted on knowing my Date of Birth. I declined to provide it, questioning why it was necessary during a brief introductory call. He tried to pressure me by saying that all applicants share it, but I stood firm, stating that my DOB is sensitive personal data. After some back and forth, he finally dropped the issue. Mid-call, he received another call on his cell and completely lost track of our conversation, jumping to a different topic abruptly. He also pushed hard for an in-person interview on Wednesday, despite my commitment to a critical production deployment at my current job that day. I can't help but wonder if this kind of behavior from HR is becoming more common, especially with demands for personal information like DOB at such an early stage. I'm definitely holding my ground on privacy, but I'm curious if others have experienced similar situations.

I started my job search about a month and a half ago and was thrilled when I finally got hired as a fast food worker at a local restaurant. However, things took a frustrating turn when the manager who hired me completely ghosted me. From the beginning, communication has been a nightmare. She didn't provide her contact information and only gave me a robotic number as part of the hiring process. I’ve been calling the restaurant's number to reach her, but it feels like I'm talking to a wall. On my first day, I waited for an hour, only to be told to come back another day. After that, I called again a week later, and she asked me to fill out my minor's working permit, which I did. I left messages for her to get back to me once it was approved, but no response. Now, I'm stuck in a loop of calling the restaurant, only to be connected to a bot asking for a remote access code. I’ve started applying to other jobs because I feel like I’m in limbo with this one. It’s frustrating to receive emails and physical mail about payment when I have no idea if I’m even going to work there. My friends initially encouraged me to stick with it since it was the only place that hired me, but now they’re telling me to move on. I’m really worried about the situation and just want some clarity.

I recently found myself in a tough situation at my company where it feels like they want me to quit. Despite my strong performance and decent salary, it seems their goal is to let me go and replace me with someone who would earn 40% less. I even received a poor performance rating this time around, which I escalated all the way to the SVP. After some back and forth, my manager had no choice but to change the rating to 'meets expectations' and they increased my bonus by $12,000. I know I deserve better, but at this point, I'm not going to make it easy for them. I've started to contribute less at work and I'm actively looking for new job opportunities. I plan to inform them when I decide to leave, rather than waiting for management to make that call.

I recently completed an unpaid internship at Texas Lifestyle Magazine as part of my journalism program in Texas. Initially, I thought it would be a great opportunity to explore the lifestyle niche, but it turned out to be one of the worst experiences I've had. The onboarding process was chaotic, and I didn't even meet my boss for a week. When I finally did, she apologized for the lack of clarity, which set the tone for the rest of my time there. Throughout the internship, I noticed several issues: my boss frequently changed meeting times last minute, the editorial content was more PR than journalism, and communication was generally poor. I submitted my own writing piece, and they advised me to avoid mentioning any negatives, which was frustrating. As the semester progressed, my boss offered me a chance to return as an unpaid editorial intern, but I was already in the final round for a paid internship elsewhere. When I declined the offer, my contributions went unacknowledged during our team meeting, which felt disheartening. To make matters worse, I learned that my internship would extend beyond the semester without prior notice, which I hadn’t planned for. I had already completed my class credit and was juggling multiple jobs and classes. I reached out to my boss for analytics on the posts I created, which garnered over 100,000 views, to help build my portfolio, but I never received a response. This experience has made me realize how some companies exploit unpaid interns, and I’m now actively applying for more legitimate internships for the fall.

I’m currently working as a dishwasher at a restaurant, but I've been told by management that the higher-ups believe this position is unnecessary. This has put me at risk of being laid off, and it’s been really stressful. My managers have been supportive and encouraged me to learn new skills or consider leaving the job altogether. Since I learned about this situation, my anxiety has skyrocketed. I've applied to several jobs but have either been ghosted or the interviews haven’t led anywhere. The last interview I had was in early March, and since then, I've had no luck. I’m a hard worker, always punctual, and I keep my work area organized. I’m looking for a position that offers better pay and a more favorable schedule, but I feel stuck between learning new tasks at my current job or facing the possibility of being fired. I’ve been feeling overwhelmed and anxious about the potential layoff, and at times, it’s made me cry. I don’t have any certifications or a portfolio for my dream job, but I’m trying to stay hopeful that there’s an opportunity out there for me.

I was recently terminated from my job at a large retail grocery chain after working there for three years. The situation became dire when they started cutting my hours, and I found myself struggling to make ends meet. In a moment of desperation, I made the poor decision to steal hundreds of dollars from the cash drawer over a few shifts. Unsurprisingly, I got caught and now I feel terrible about my actions. I’ve been applying for unemployment, but I learned that theft disqualifies me from receiving benefits. Now, I'm feeling lost and worried that I’ve ruined my chances for future employment. I've been applying to jobs everywhere, but I’m unsure if I can recover from this mistake. I know I need to take ownership of what I did and learn from it, but the thought of explaining this in interviews is daunting. I’m considering looking for jobs that might give me a second chance, like bartending or serving, where I can start fresh and eventually leave this incident off my resume. I’m trying to stay positive, but it’s tough when I think about how my actions have impacted my life. I just hope I can find a way to move forward and prove that I can be a responsible employee.

I recently graduated high school a few months ago and have been struggling to find a job for steady income. It feels like every application or interview I go through ends with a rejection. I’m starting to wonder if this is a common experience for new graduates like me or if I should just wait until I start college. I’ve been advised that it’s normal for many people to face challenges in the job market right now, especially with the current economic climate. I've been told to focus on positions that don’t require prior experience and to apply in person at smaller companies. I’ve also heard that summer help opportunities are coming up soon, so I need to act fast. Fast food jobs seem like a viable option, and I plan to fill out an online application and then visit the manager in person. I know these suggestions might not lead to high-paying jobs, but I’m feeling the pressure to find something soon.

Applied at Lidl for Management Team Position

I have a phone interview scheduled for a corporate marketing support position at a large CPG company that competes directly with my current employer. I meet all the minimum and preferred qualifications for the role, which gives me confidence going into the interview. However, I've noticed that the salary range for this position is quite broad, with a difference of $64.1k between the minimum and maximum. To make the transition worthwhile, I'm aiming for a salary that falls between the 55th and 65th percentile of that range. I believe my experience and knowledge, especially coming from a direct competitor, justify a higher salary. I'm looking for advice on how to approach salary negotiations during the phone screen next week, as I want to be assertive yet realistic about my expectations.

I had a second stage final interview on Tuesday for a position based in the UK. I felt that the interview went well and ended on a positive note. The interviewers mentioned that I would hear back this week, but as of now, I haven't received any updates. I reached out to the recruiter this morning to follow up, and they informed me that they are still discussing my application internally. I'm starting to worry that I might be ghosted.

I recently found myself unemployed after 12 years in my field, and it's been a challenging journey. For the past six months, I've been applying for jobs, but I've only landed one interview, which resulted in a job offer that was significantly lower than what I earned a decade ago—$20k less, to be exact. This offer wouldn't even cover most rental costs in my high cost of living area. As my savings dwindle, I'm starting to consider a complete career change. I'm wondering if my skills are transferable to other fields or if I should consider going back to school. However, I'm hesitant to take on more student loans since I just managed to pay off my previous ones. Still, if the job market doesn't improve, I might not have a choice. Unfortunately, moving isn't an option for me due to family commitments. I'm reaching out to see if anyone has advice on tools that can help identify what other jobs my experience qualifies me for, or if there are career advisors who specialize in helping adults like me. I'd also love to hear from anyone who has successfully pivoted in their career, whether it was a voluntary choice or not, and what resources they found helpful.

I've been on the job hunt as a teenager and it's been really tough. I've applied to almost every place in my town and even the next town over, which is about a 30-minute drive. Despite my efforts, I've either received no responses or been rejected outright. I even tried applying to Chipotle and Target, but both said no. I've gone into a few places to introduce myself, but they told me they had no openings. I'm feeling pretty discouraged and I'm not sure what else to do. I'm wondering if calling the places I've applied to and introducing myself might help? Any tips would be appreciated!

I applied for a position at Target back in June with a start date in August. During the interview, there was a bit of confusion as the interviewer thought I could start immediately. I clarified that I would be available in August, and she was very understanding, expressing her desire to hire me for that time frame. She advised me to call the store's HR in late July or early August to kick off the hiring process. Now that it's late July, I'm preparing to make that call and wanted to gather some insights on the best approach. I'm considering the best time to reach out to HR, as I've heard mornings during weekday business hours are ideal. I'm also unsure whether I should ask for a specific person or just reach out to whoever is on duty in Team Relations/ETL-HR. Additionally, I'm curious about how Target typically manages candidates in my situation. Will they have my information on file, or should I reintroduce myself and remind them of our previous conversation? Any advice or tips on how to phrase my call would be greatly appreciated!

I'm currently exploring new job opportunities while working at my current position, which pays well enough for me to manage my finances and pay off debt. However, the long commute is becoming unbearable, and there are other factors motivating my search for a new role. I recently interviewed for a position at a smaller company that is closer to home and aligns well with my skills. This new role has a sales component, which I find appealing since I have some background in sales. The compensation structure is base pay plus commission, which is new territory for me. The base salary is $12,000 less than what I currently earn, but the on-target earnings from commission could potentially add around $10,000 annually. Additionally, there's a quarterly bonus structure that could bring in another $1,000 to $2,000. This means that if I perform well, I could end up making a similar or slightly higher income than I do now, despite the lower base pay. I'm still in the interview process and trying to gauge whether the drop in base pay should be a red flag for me. I really like the job itself and believe it would greatly improve my work-life balance due to the shorter commute. However, I'm hesitant about the commission aspect, as I've never worked in a role where my income could fluctuate based on performance. I'm wondering if I'm overthinking this or if I should be genuinely concerned about making the switch.

I recently went through an intense job search and managed to secure 3 job offers in just 3 weeks. I want to share what my experience was like, even though I don't think I did anything extraordinary. I focused on applying only to positions that were a genuine fit for my skills and interests, and I made sure to tailor my resume for each application. It really came down to timing and a bit of luck, but I also stayed consistent throughout the process, even when it felt discouraging. I was thrilled to see the results of my efforts pay off!

I recently went through a frustrating experience with a company while applying for an account coordinator role. After making it through a recruiter screen, an interview with the hiring manager, and a panel interview, I was feeling optimistic. The recruiter informed me that I was one of three finalists and scheduled a final interview with the department director for Tuesday at 2 PM. I took half a day off work to prepare, but just ten minutes before the interview, I received an email saying it was canceled due to an urgent conflict. The recruiter promised to reschedule, and I promptly replied, offering my availability for the rest of the week. However, after waiting for a few days without any updates, I followed up on Friday and again on Monday, reiterating my interest in the position. To my surprise, that same afternoon, I received an automated rejection email stating they were moving forward with candidates whose enthusiasm matched the team's needs. The recruiter later clarified that my communication after the cancellation didn't show enough urgency or interest. I was taken aback because I had responded quickly and followed up multiple times. It felt like they expected me to chase them down repeatedly, which seemed unreasonable. After investing a month of my time and effort, including taking PTO and preparing for a meeting that was canceled last minute, I was left feeling relieved that I didn’t get the job. It highlighted a workplace culture that values desperation over genuine interest, which is not somewhere I want to be.

I've been job searching for several months now, and despite having solid experience in my field, I feel completely lost. I've applied to numerous positions, revamped my resume, and updated my LinkedIn profile, yet I'm still getting very little feedback. It's frustrating to see others with less experience landing interviews while I'm left in silence. I'm really curious about what has worked for others who have managed to break out of a similar rut. Did you find that reaching out directly to hiring managers made a difference compared to just applying through job boards? Did any job search coaching or services provide real value, or were they a waste of resources? I'm not looking for generic advice like 'apply to more jobs'—I've already been doing that consistently. I want to hear about the specific strategies or changes that actually made a difference for you.