After 11 months of searching and submitting over 600 applications, I finally landed a job. I lost my position in the hospitality industry last September due to a sudden physical disability, which forced me to look for roles that accommodate my need to sit. Throughout this challenging period, I went on numerous interviews, revamped my resume countless times, and even changed my appearance and interview attire, desperately trying to stand out and secure a position. Each time I faced rejection, I felt like I was reaching my breaking point, but I had no choice but to keep pushing forward. It was incredibly frustrating and mentally exhausting. In a surprising twist, the job I got came through a friend of a friend who helped me get my foot in the door at his company. Ironically, I had already applied for the same position before he reached out. To bypass the system, I created a new email account to reapply through Workday, and shockingly, I received an offer less than a week later without even being interviewed. This experience has highlighted the broken nature of the job market. Despite my efforts and the challenges I faced due to my disability, I found it unacceptable that I could apply to so many jobs and receive no responses. At 36 years old and with 20 years of work experience, I've never encountered such a dire situation. The current hiring system feels unsustainable and unjust, especially for those of us struggling to make ends meet. I believe there needs to be significant reform in how job seekers are treated, especially regarding the influence of AI in hiring processes. No one should have to endure such hardship just to find a job.