Applied to a Job

It's been a while since my last update, and I wanted to share my journey. The job I had from February to May didn't work out as I had hoped. I often felt unnecessary and had to ask for tasks to do, which was frustrating. For instance, I spent time putting information into a SOW template on Canva for a potential client, but they ultimately decided not to move forward, leaving me with little to show for my efforts. I ended up doing no work for an entire month except for attending a monthly client meeting. In May, I had a check-in with my former supervisor, where I expressed my concerns about my lack of engagement. She acknowledged that the role had changed from what I was initially hired for and wished me well, which I appreciated. From May to the end of June, I focused on applying for new positions. I experienced a mix of interviews, ghosting, and rejections. At one point, I even considered applying for AI training jobs just to earn some income. On June 24th, I applied for a part-time Digital Marketing Assistant Manager position with a virtual assistant company I found on LinkedIn. The hiring process was quite extensive, involving an interview with the Digital Marketing Manager, a take-home assignment, a live Reel creation based on a prompt, and a final interview with the owner. I was aware that this was a lot of work, but the manager explained it was necessary due to past hires not performing well. I received an offer in early August and started on August 10th. So far, it’s been a positive experience. My new team is supportive, and I'm actively participating in weekly meetings and training sessions for client accounts. Although I'm earning less than my previous job, I’m now in a position that values my contributions and pays me as a contractor. While this role isn't in my desired industry, I'm determined to work hard and eventually transition back to my preferred field. I have a year before I need to secure my own health insurance, so I plan to network and apply for full-time positions between August 2025 and June 2026. If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Here's a cookie for your effort! 🍪

I’m currently enrolled in a Practicum in Entrepreneurship course, and I’m on the hunt for a job. The deadline for securing a position is this Thursday, and I submitted an application to a retail store over the weekend. I understand that it takes time for companies to respond, but I’m contemplating whether I should reach out to them for an update. I’m worried that contacting them might come off as aggressive or leave a bad impression. If I don’t hear back after the interview, I plan to ask my counselor for an extension. If that’s not possible, I may have to drop out of the course and take a local credit like office aid instead. I’d appreciate any advice on how to handle this situation.

I recently graduated with my MS by Research in June 2026 and have been on the job hunt since May. I've sent out over 1,000 applications for roles in Applied AI, Machine Learning Engineering, and Data Science, but I’m struggling to gain any traction. My background includes work with LLMs, multimodal AI, agentic systems, and ML pipelines, yet the responses have been minimal. I've been proactive on LinkedIn, reaching out for referrals, but I'm starting to wonder if I'm targeting the wrong roles, if my resume or application strategy is flawed, or if I should be focusing more on networking, projects, or interview preparation. I’m not looking for reassurance; I genuinely want honest feedback on what I should change. Am I realistically competitive for ML/AI positions as a recent graduate? Any advice on how to improve my approach would be greatly appreciated.

I recently applied for a position at a small company and was surprised when they reached out the very next day to schedule an interview. I expected a standard HR screening call, but instead, I was set up with the director of the department, who would be my direct supervisor. The interview went really well, but I didn’t get to discuss basic HR-related questions, particularly about salary, because the director didn’t have that information and it felt out of place in our conversation. Now, I’m moving forward in the interview process with an executive, who I assume is the final decision-maker for the role. While I’m excited about this opportunity, I’ve never gone through a hiring process without an initial HR screening. I’m wondering if this is a red flag or if it’s common for smaller companies. I want to ensure that we’re aligned on salary expectations before any offers are made, but I’m hesitant to reach out to the HR person I’ve been in contact with because I don’t want to jeopardize my chances of getting the job. Has anyone else experienced a similar situation? How did it turn out for you?

I graduated with a degree in finance in 2024, and despite my efforts, I haven't been able to secure a job for the past two years. Everyone told me finance was a stable field with plenty of opportunities, but that hasn't been my experience. I've been applying to a wide range of positions, including bookkeeping, administrative roles, desk work, finance, payroll, marketing, and accounting. I even have three years of relevant experience in accounting, finance, and payroll, yet I still receive little to no response to my applications. When I do get interviews, I often make it through two rounds but then never hear back, even after following up. I'm feeling lost and wonder if there's something I'm missing in my job search.

I'm a recent college graduate looking to relocate for work. I've decided to move out of my home state and have started applying for jobs in other states. Given my limited full-time experience, I know that it's unlikely any employer will cover my relocation expenses, so I’m relying on my savings to help with the move. I estimate that it will take me at least a month to find an apartment, get a car, and settle in. I'm curious about how to discuss a start date with potential employers since I’ll be relocating. What is the typical timeline between accepting a job offer and starting work? I worry that suggesting a later start date might hurt my chances against local candidates, yet I’m being transparent about my out-of-state status in my applications. I've been getting interviews, and I’m eager to hear from anyone who has successfully moved for a job early in their career. Any insights on the process and timeline would be greatly appreciated!

I've applied to every entry-level job within a reasonable distance from my home, but now I'm stuck. The only positions left are ones that require a two-hour bus commute, and I don't have a car. I'm feeling really defeated and wondering if this is it for me. I can't relocate or move out because of my situation, and I'm currently living with my abusive parents, which adds to my stress. I live in a remote area, so job opportunities are extremely limited. I'm at a loss for what to do next and feeling hopeless.

I've been struggling to find a job since I ran out of unemployment benefits this month. I've sent out dozens of applications daily, but I'm lucky if I hear back from 1% of them. I've utilized unemployment services, attended resume workshops, and participated in job fairs, but nothing seems to work. I have a bachelor's degree in computer science, graduating cum laude at the age of 27. My work experience includes several months as an area manager at Amazon and a year at a finance company testing their AI system before being laid off. Now, I'm applying for any job I can find, not just in tech or office roles, but even fast food positions like McDonald's, and I'm still not getting interviews. I'm currently living with my fiancé in a basement apartment, struggling to make car payments and pay off debt from my time at Amazon. My savings are nearly depleted, and while I do DoorDash in my small town, it's not enough to cover my expenses. I'm feeling hopeless and could really use some advice on how to turn this around.

I’m currently in a toxic work environment where I feel completely out of place, and the pay is really low. Recently, I took a day off to attend three job interviews and a half day for a second-round interview. One of those jobs has great pay, but it’s quite far from my home. This week, I’m planning to take another half day for a third-round interview, and I just got invites for more interviews from other companies. I’ve been feeling guilty about skipping work for these interviews, especially since I told my boss I had a 'family emergency' recently. I’ve been taking care of my great-aunt who has cancer on the weekends, and I’m worried they might ask for proof of that. The stress of balancing my current job and the job search is overwhelming, and I’m unsure how to explain my absences without feeling like I’m lying.

Today, I had an initial interview for a marketing position at a tech startup. During the interview, the hiring manager asked about my salary expectations. I provided a figure based on my research and industry standards. However, when they got back to me with an offer, it was significantly lower than what I had anticipated. I felt undervalued and disappointed, as I believe my skills and experience warrant a higher salary. I'm now considering whether to negotiate or look for other opportunities that align better with my expectations.

I started a temporary position at a new company three months ago, and I've made significant progress in turning around several projects that were previously stalled. My director and stakeholders have expressed their appreciation for my work, which has helped rebuild trust that was lost by my predecessor. About a month and a half ago, my director informed me that they were hiring for a full-time role similar to mine and encouraged me to apply as a formality. I requested some changes to the job description to better reflect my contributions, but after some discussion, my director decided to revert to the original description for the job posting. I applied for the position, but a week later, the job posting was taken down. My new manager reassured me that I shouldn't worry, but now, 2.5 weeks later, I still haven't received confirmation about the full-time position. My contract is set to expire in less than a month, and while my manager praises my performance and contributions, they can't provide a clear timeline for the hiring process. Given my past experiences with job security, I'm feeling anxious that I might be getting the rug pulled out from under me. I'm concerned that despite my efforts and positive feedback, I might not transition to a full-time role before my contract ends.

I just started my job search for entry-level positions in retail and food service. I submitted applications through official company sites and Indeed, and I’m planning to visit some stores in person when I have the time. So far, I've received two rejections from big chains, which I expected. I'm curious about how long it typically takes to get hired after applying, especially since I'm sending out a couple of applications each day. I’m located in the LA area, and I have a basic resume with just one brief job experience. I'm available all week except for school commitments. Unfortunately, my family doesn't have many connections, and none of my friends are currently working, so I'm in a bit of a friendly competition with them to see who can get hired first. I’ve heard this is a good time to apply since many places are hiring, but I know it can take weeks. I plan to keep applying as much as I can.

I am currently on the job hunt for an entry-level position in engineering. I've been applying to various companies and roles, focusing on opportunities where I can leverage my recent degree and internship experience. I'm particularly interested in positions that offer mentorship and growth potential, as I want to build a strong foundation in my engineering career. So far, I've tailored my resume and cover letter for each application, and I'm networking with professionals in the field to gain insights and advice. It's a challenging process, but I'm determined to find the right fit.

I'm currently feeling overwhelmed and burned out in my role as the sole HR person and executive assistant at a small school district with around 100 employees. When I accepted this position, I expected more support from the superintendent and a pre-existing structure in the HR department. However, I've discovered that I am essentially building the HR function from scratch while also managing the day-to-day responsibilities. Every day feels monotonous, reminiscent of that SpongeBob episode where Squidward's life becomes repetitive. I find myself creating tracking systems and workflows, and frequently checking in with principals and directors to address issues with our collective bargaining agreement. My boss has a policy that requires all employees to respond to emails within 24 hours, which sounds fair until you're inundated with over 50 emails daily. Many of these emails require extensive research and communication, consuming a significant portion of my time. Additionally, being significantly younger than my colleagues adds another layer of difficulty, as I sometimes feel dismissed or questioned due to my age. I've been applying to jobs in the private sector, tech, and biotech industries for the past couple of months without much success. I'm at a crossroads, wondering if I should continue pursuing a different work environment or if this is just a challenging phase in my career.

I have a meeting today with the CEO of a startup robotics company, which my dad set up after sending them my resume. It feels a bit confusing because they didn’t specify it as a formal interview; they just want to meet to see what I can bring to the table for a potential intern position. I’m going in without much information about what they’re looking for or what the role entails, and honestly, I’m feeling a bit anxious about it. I’ve just graduated with my bachelor’s degree and have never been in a situation like this before. I’m not even sure what questions to ask or how to present myself effectively. I’m hoping to get some advice on how to navigate this lunch meeting and make a good impression.

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