ineyks's journey

I lost my job as a professor in January due to a significant drop in enrollment at my university, which left me without classes to teach. I then took a contract position as a writing tutor at an elementary school, but that ended in May. Since then, I've been applying for jobs non-stop with no success. In June, I found a retail job that requires a two-hour commute, which I dislike but took out of necessity. Recently, I thought I secured a full-time position close to home after going through the interview process, only to be hired and fired within an hour. Just today, I completed my fourth interview for another full-time job nearby, but I received an email stating they are freezing the hiring process because they are unsure when they will open in my area. To make matters worse, my rent just increased, and I’m now scrambling to find a way to afford it while also looking for a roommate. I also faced three job rejections today, which has left me feeling completely exhausted. I just want to work and find a stable full-time job, but it feels incredibly difficult right now. To top it off, I received an invitation to my ten-year high school reunion, but I’m not going because I don’t want anyone to see how I feel like I’ve failed. I’m just so tired of everything.

I recently applied for a job through Indeed and was surprised when they responded with a requirement to submit a 20-minute video answering interview questions as part of their application process. If they think I'm a good fit after that, there's a follow-up Zoom interview. Given my current financial struggles, I'm going to go through with it, even though I feel that some of these application requirements are excessive. Why not just a simple phone screening? It's frustrating how the job market has evolved into this. I feel like I have no choice but to comply.