Is the job market tough or am I just useless?

Why is it too old though? I don’t get it. Surely you’ll just get the salary that is on offer so you can’t be too expensive

It's terrible out there. I know of three fellow jobseekers at the moment, all highly experienced but can't get a job. I've had quite a few interviews but keep getting pipped to the post. For one job I was told it was between me and somebody else, but that they chose the other candidate because they thought I'd be a better fit for another department. They said they were going to contact the other department and make a recommendation. That was a year ago now. I've heard nothing, and not a single job has come up there which I'm told is because they can't afford to replace people when they leave.

I spend hours on applications. I retrained so I tend to look for development roles, but they seem to be going to people who are over experienced for them. I interviewed for a development role recently but was rejected because somebody else had more experience in a particular area than me, even though it was that area that was supposed to be for development. What's the point?

I applied for an academic job couple of weeks ago. I met all of the criteria, including the desirable criteria, plus had extensive experience in the subject area. 36 hours after the closing date I got a rejection email with the usual 'huge volume of applicants'. How did they sift so many applications in such a short time?

It’s very much an employers’ market right now, you can always tell by looking at the salaries and benefits on adverts: atm the salaries are from a decade ago and I’ve seen “benefits” like statutory pension (what a benefit, following the law!), free fruit on one day of the week, half a day off on your birthday (what a treat!) and, my favourite, “because we value work-life balance, we offer a 40-hour week” lmao @pelargoniums

Salaries are shocking. Sometimes I forget this is 2025, not 2011. I saw a scientific role that looked interesting, until I saw the salary. £23k for a 40 hour week, so less than minimum wage which I'm guessing they didn't realise, and for that they wanted someone with a scientific degree (masters preferred), previous experience, plus skills in relatively niche software.

It’s the job market! I was just job-hunting and had the worst experience, and I had to job-hunt post-2008 crash and mid-COVID before it all went “eat out to help out” and “what lockdown?”

Some rejections were helpful because they specified how many applications they’d received to explain why it had taken so long to reject and why I wasn’t shortlisted: upwards of 500 for many roles.

It’s very much an employers’ market right now, you can always tell by looking at the salaries and benefits on adverts: atm the salaries are from a decade ago and I’ve seen “benefits” like statutory pension (what a benefit, following the law!), free fruit on one day of the week, half a day off on your birthday (what a treat!) and, my favourite, “because we value work-life balance, we offer a 40-hour week” lmao

52 is too soon to be too old to work although I get what marketing can be like. Really harsh.

Op it’s tough atm worryingly.

And don't get me started on Recruiters either. All they ask is what your currently salary is then say "oh yes, we have companies that will match that".

I'm not moving for any less than a 10% bump.

The role I'm in their first offer only matched my current salary at the time. I said no thanks, they countered with 10% more.

I applied for about 10 jobs last year, got 4 interviews and 1 offer.

The role I was really keen on was a slight step up but I figured why not go for it, what do I have to lose?

The company responded saying we don't think you are a fit for this role but would you want to be considered for a role immediately below. I went for it, interviewed really well but got feedback they were going with another candidate. At the time I suspected they just didn't want to pay the market rate for my skills.

Fast forward a few months, both the role I originally applied for and the one I interviewed for are advertised again.

Telling me they went out to the market, got someone to do the roles as cheap as possible who then couldn't hack it or didn't deliver.

The most frustrating part for me is they don't advertise the pay band for highly skilled jobs. It's always "as cheap as possible".

Policy means all jobs are advertised externally where I work. But internal candidates have some advantages - they are familiar with us and our systems. Also we tend to know them better so have a more rounded view of their abilities. This can work both ways. I recently interviewed an internal candidate who interviewed far better than I'd have expected, given her poor performance in a similar role. Fortunately an external candidate was still clearly better and has turned out well.

But the whole process is very broken. Currently I'm wading through applications where the personal statements all look great, but the experience listed doesn't live up to them. Think 'I've extensive project management experience gained by implementing different types of system' vs a year in a relevant role where achievements are listed as including producing a useful report.

ChatGPT has a lot to answer for

I guess if you consider that many admin roles can attract 200 CVs it's just a quicker way of sifting through and coming up with a shorter list for a human being to review. AI can be good as a productivity tool rather than spending hours on a task such as reading CVs for hours.

the key thing for applicants is making absolutely sure you include all the must have criteria, if you don't, you'll slip through the net, be it AI or human.

It does not help when you see roles listed as remote. Then look at the JD and says "you will spend 2 days in our offices in Belfast". That's not remote! That's hybrid! Even more so with being in Belfast.

Another role says "you will spend the first 3 weeks training in our head office in London". No mention that travel and accommodation will be paid for. No one with no job will be applying unless it states that the travel and accommodation is paid.

Thank you for making me feel like I’m not insane.

Yes this happens in HE too due to fixed term contracts. It's a real waste of time. Sometimes they put 'open to internal candidates only' which is much better.

@HoskinsChoice the external candidates may well be appointable but it's highly unlikely that they are going to get it over the person who is already doing the job when it's only being advertised due to contractual issues i.e. it's not really a new or vacant position. This absolutely does happen.

It's not naivety. Take a step back and really think about it. Internal candidates have a huge advantage - they know the job, the people, the systems and they are 'better the devil you know'. For that reason they often do get the job because they are actually the best candidate. However, if an external candidate comes along who is absolutely brilliant and can offer something that outweighs those advantages then they will be appointed. Why on earth wouldn't they be? What benefit to the employer is rejecting a candidate who is better than what you have?! Anyone who promises a job to an internal candidate before due process is run is the naive one and also a really fucking terrible manager!

What I will say is that in the public sector there is still a culture of nudges and winks to encourage internal people to apply for a job as 'the job is yours'. This is usually junior managers who are getting above their station and willy waving, trying to show their authority when the reality is they have none. I have had to reject numerous internal candidates who have been told the job is theirs. It's fucking hard for me and a million times worse for the poor candidate as they've often told their friends and family and spent the increased salary.

Totally agree which is why, as I have already said, the vast majority of recruiters use AI as part of their process but not to make decisions.

Job hunting has always been soul destroying for me, I dont do well in interviews, I can only do well once I am in the job where I can prove myself.

When we have a senior role available in my department over a year ago, management already encouraged me to apply, quietly tell me that it is me they want to hire. Officially, they still need to advertise the job internally and externally. Imagine how many people saw the job and spending much time to taylor their CVs not knowing that it will never go to them!

The public sector do this ALL THE TIME because they're often obliged to put a job out to the full market. It is absolutely soul destroying. It's often very obvious because they run the ad for a very, very short time in as obscure a way as they can get away with. I guess they're trying to protect all those hopeful candidates from wasting their time, as well as trying to minimise the likelihood of a candidate coming along who is clearly head and shoulders better than the internal one they've already lined up. Private sector is different.

If these companies would employ me - I'm 44, over those who are near to half my age, they wouldn't be needing to readvertise.

Experience both work and life are important

My and others I know experience is that the younger ones have been told about their rights but not about responsibility
have a poor work ethic
cannot deal with pressure
not every one of course but a high proportion
The last 3 people I have employed have been 50 +
All have been great

Its extremely hard
The increases in NI
Corporation tax
Employee rights
Have made companies extremely wary of emplyoing people
I know two people who own their own companies who now want a oral reference from last employer#
Both will not employ any9ne under 35 as it it that age range that is statistically more likely to be off with stress or anxiety

I am getting so bloody bored now.

AI does not understand transferrable skills. As applied for roles which I have done bits of the job in different roles. A human eye will give me an interview, AI - reject.

It is tough out there. Had to leave work as got bullied by the store manager who took the piss out of my dyslexia. He said dyslexia is something I should have grown out of etc. Raised a grievance and that did nothing as the area manager says he's a wonderful manager. In the 17 years of working there, had about 13-14 store managers, each one I got on well with them, and they appreciate my hard work, understood my dyslexia etc. But not the last one. If the store didn't get him as a manager, I would be working. Other stores in the area had no vacancies for me to transfer over to.

So I am jobless due to ONE person! I was the 8th or 9th colleague to leave due to his behaviour and he was doing EXACTLY the same at his previous store. People are thinking he's only working due to his religion/race. He's one that will play the race card if he was dismissed.

Have been on about 15-16 interviews in 6 months and getting nowhere. I have seen jobs which I applied at the beginning of the year and they are advertising the roles again. Chose the wrong person?

Have a friend who lives 170 miles from me and they are recruiting, Alas, only on site only. She works on reception for a place of a multinational company. She also does work with staff ID cards when new staff start, cards get lost and leave (sometimes has to block them as colleague doesn't come back with the card). She has noticed that the company are recruiting the young people and within a couple of months, the young ones give up. The older ones that start, still carry on. I know this is one company, but she thinks this is happening elsewhere and more certainly, at those places I have applied for jobs and now readvertising roles again. She wonders why does the company not understand why the younger ones are quitting and still hiring them.

I am getting so frustrated about not getting work that its affecting my physical health. I just want a job and will do anything (within reason) to get one.

Same for my DH - he's had about 15 interviews for 300+ applications I think, having been made redundant last year. Feedback has always been positive, but there's always someone who has pipped him to the post. He's a (very) senior marketing professional with a CV which recruiters have said is 'very strong' but he is coming to the conclusion that a very large factor is his age - apparently only 7% of the workforce in marketing/advertising is over 50 - which is shocking really. He's only 52 and doesn't feel ready to pivot to something else (and in any case really isn't sure what that would look like).

Thinking of you and hoping your DH is successful soon!

@Mnetter72 absolutely not you!! The job market is absolutely dire. DH has been applying for jobs for months, and barely gets any interviews. He is very skilled in his field, but he gets rejection after rejection, and if he makes it to interview, there is always someone better. It is totally disheartening, and has affected our life so much. Fingers crossed for you, my DH, and anyone else going through this. It’s got to get better at some point.

I agree there’s an element of that but there’s also an element of it being easier to recruit a less good internal candidate as they won’t need to have much induction.

It’s more political than that - I’ve seen it from both ends. Love your naivety. I would say that I absolutely follow the process when recruiting but I’ve seen it play out very differently with jobs promised to internal candidates that crumbled in interviews but still got the job. Not all managers are good.