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People Share Unrealistic Requirements They’ve Encountered When Trying To Find A Job, Here Are 30 Of The Most Ridiculous (New Pics)
What do job hunting and being chased through the streets by zombies have in common? They’re both nightmares. But job hunting might actually be worse because it’s something we still have to face after waking up. It's stressful enough in its own right, but communicating with frustrating recruiters and hiring managers can make the process so much worse. Thankfully, those of us who have encountered terrible recruiters have a space where we can share those stories: the Recruiting Hell subreddit. We’ve gone through to find some of the most ridiculous stories of unrealistic expectations and unprofessional emails from recruiters, so we hope as you read them you don't relate too much to the pain these job hunters have experienced. Enjoy this list, and if you're not too heated by the end, go on to check out Bored Panda’s last publication on the same topic right here next.
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#1
As An Autistic Person, I Despise Everything About This!
RELATED:
#2
I Ran Into One Today
DennyS (denzoren) 4 years ago
I've never understood why a gap on a resume is a bad thing. I have a two year gap where I was laid off before I found a new job. How is that a bad thing? Jobs are hard to get and I work in a niche field. Also, I did a lot of small part-time stuff but I'm not gonna list it all.
#3
Can I Get A Second To The Motion?
#4
A Story Of Two Parts, Recruiter Edition
#5
Funny How The Language Changes Between People And Businesses
#6
This Should Be Mandatory Training For All Interviewers
- 4 years ago (edited)
Wow. Pretty much the only way I'd judge a candidate in under 60 seconds is if they showed up with a machete and a hand grenade. Then again, I work in graphic design, so what do I know about other job requirements? On the other hand, my colleagues are pretty decent, so sarcasm is as much weaponry as one needs in my office.
#7
Hey Recruiters, Answer Me This!
#8
Got An Email From A Recruiter Today. I Was Interested Until They Disclosed The Pay. It’s Seriously Insultingly Low For The Role And Requirements. So I Told Them Just That Over Email
#9
4+ Years Of Experience In A 2 Year Old Technology
#10
That Backfired Spectacularly
GirlFriday 4 years ago
This is why, when we didn't post the salary in the job listing (that has changed), I would open up the conversation by telling the applicant the hours and the salary. Then they were free to leave if those things didn't suit them.
#11
We Don’t Count Internships As Experience Here, So Let’s Just Forget All Of That
#12
People Are Human And Human Things Happen
LagoonaBlueColleen 4 years ago
10 years ago, I had spotty employment, with the longest stint at a job 1 year. The rest of the time I was a stay at home mom and job searching, while my common law husband was working. Staying at home and caring for a child raises so many eyebrows, like I had spent years in prison or something bad. It felt as if they thought I was a welfare mom, because I looked so young, even though that was not the case at all. No one should have to explain themselves. You already have to tick off on the application whether you've been convicted of a crime or not, and maybe provide a criminal record/child abuse registry check. Anything else is not their concern.
#13
Interviewing For My First Recruiting Job - Why Did I Start This Life??
#14
That's It
#15
Recruiter Asked Me To Record A Video Response To 4 Questions. This Is My Reply
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
What is with this b******t of sending them a video? WTF do you say while recording it? I’m not auditioning for a movie role, ffs, I just want to work for your company. (I also don’t want them being assholes laughing at my video—-and I have seen, pre-Zoom/video/hell, pre-internet, HR making fun of people’s resumes and applications, so I know damn well they’d make fun of a video, so f**k them).
#16
What Usually Leads People To Find Another Job
Justme 4 years ago (edited)
A coworker was always calling out sick and I always had to drop my work to cover hers. When she finally quit, everyone was excited cause she just sucked. No one else grasped (until I said so) that this means I just lost MY job. Other staff had no idea that I had a different job and now I’d have to cover for her for months until a replacement was hired.
#17
A Company Found Me On Linkedin And Reached Out To Me, This Was My Response
GirlFriday 4 years ago
Love this. I hate these "send us a video" things. Why? I know why. This is solely so you can judge someone's appearance.
#18
Contrary To A Number Of Recruiters’ Popular Belief, I Do Very Much Care About The Money. Did You Think My Childhood Dream Was To Send An Email To Request Reimbursement Approval For Airport Parking To Pick Up Someone Snotty Visiting From The Head Office?
#19
Was I Being Impolite? Had This Exchange On Linkedin
#20
For The Memes, Because We’ve All Been There
#21
Hiring Managers: You No Longer Have The Luxury Of "Thinking" About Whether You Want To Offer A Candidate A Job Or Not
#22
Dodged
Mama Penguin 4 years ago
Asking a candidate for a desired salary is a twisted mind game. Just tell candidates what you're willing to pay and negotiate from there.
#23
Facing These Days!
Mama Penguin 4 years ago
Damn. My parents should have trained me for this job when they were thinking to have a baby.
#24
There Is A Pandemic Of Bad Managers
#25
Recruiter Asked Me To Send In A Report Of My Total Earnings In 2020/2021 As Part Of The Negotiation Process
#26
Hitting Close To Home, Is It?
#27
Some Recruiters Are So Lazy
#28
Why Even Ask?
#29
Why So Surprised?
#30
"Workforce Development And Salary Consultant" Screwing Her Clients
Best behave.... 4 years ago
Dunno, I see the lesson as don't touch this scammer with a barge pole......
#31
As A Stb Graduate, This Hits Hard!
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
And that’s what it used to mean, back when your parents started out—-with just a high school diploma for the same job.
#32
I Hope Y’all Find It As Hilarious As I Do
#33
How Do You Tell The Difference Between A Bot On Linked And A Job Offer From A Real Person?
#34
Simple Life Hack
Mohsie Supposie 4 years ago
There were four in a bed and the little one said, "Roll over! Roll over!" So they all rolled over and one fell off!.... There were three in a bed and the little one said ............................
#35
Entirely Self Inflicted
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
You forgot: This is actually an unpaid internship, for which you will go through our ten step b******t hiring process. Once the internship is completed (a time period of our choosing, so we can drag it out as long as we want), you might be taken on permanently (through not really, nothing’s permanent), at our entry level pay, which is only marginally more than you made for the internship. The unpaid internship. We also have a trial period of one year after that “permanent” hire, during which time we can fire you for no reason, like just because someone in our clique doesn’t really like you. So f**k you, and please submit your application.
#36
This Company Could've Spent $2,500 To Keep Their "Top Performer." Instead, She Gets A $12,000 Pay Raise Elsewhere. Good For Her!
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
You eliminate burnout AND turnover. You end up with employees who will go above and beyond to give you their best work. This can lead you to having an employee from entry level to retirement. You know, the way it used to be.
#37
Sure Thing... You First
#38
CEO Takes A Candidate’s Joke Wrong, Gives Speech About It Online
#39
A Dev Job Application Gone...slow
#40
I Don’t Care How Badly I Need More Clients. This Felt So Damn Good
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
It should be illegal to steal someone’s time and effort because you’re too f*****g cheap to hire them. Please applicants, start suing them for theft of your intellectual property, or whatever legally applies to what they stole. Hell, set a legal precedent if you have to.
#41
Unsolicited Job Offers Be Like
#42
My Reaction After A Company Replies After 2 Months
Spiral Agent 4 years ago
This happens to me so often. I know they never even looked at this point.
#43
I've Never Made A Job Listing On Indeed, But I Doubt It's That Difficult
#44
Not Sure If This Belongs Here But I Laughed
Jon Steensen 4 years ago
Becomming a CEO is actually really easy. Just start a one man company and assign yourself to the role of CEO. Done deal.
#45
How Can You Hire Someone Without Telling Them The Salary?
Raven Sheridan 4 years ago
Where's the, "You're delusional and withdraw my application", button? 🤔
#46
Take Notes
John L 4 years ago (edited)
Number 3 is maddening. I have top level certifications that cancel out lower certifications. Yet people evaluating resumes' for IT positions, have no clue about what the certifications mean. So they want people with the high and low level cert, even though the high level cert supersedes the lower level one. So in order to be considered for "all" the jobs, I need to waste my time getting the lower level cert, so that I am not weeded out. Never bothered, but it is funny how employers are losing candidates this way.
#47
Unicorns
#48
Pretty Cool Of Nordstrom To Add This To Their Job Listing. This Should Encourage You To Apply For Positions That You Don't Think You're A 100% Match For
#49
Same Bro
nooneimportant 4 years ago
Cover letters aren't needed it's just more words that the hiring manager will not read
#50
Finally A Job Advert With Realistic Expectations
#51
The F**k? At Least They’re Telling You Up Front But
#52
Worst Onboarding/Background Check Experience Ever! Not Only Did I Send Her The References Prior But She Than Needed More! This Is Ridiculous! Here’s What I Told Her Below!
#53
College Senior With A Business Major In NYC… Recently Awarded With A Distinction As Top 5% In The Class
#54
Applying For A Job
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
Then never getting a reply. Well, until months later after you found something else. Then it’s a boilerplate rejection email.
#55
Entry Level Salary For A Role Requiring 10yrs Experience
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
And now the job’s probably no longer taking applications, since the recruiter dicked around so f*****g long.
#56
“It Shouldn’t Affect Your Schedule” …excuse Me?
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
Yes. In class. To learn skills for the job. That you won’t even try to talk to me about, at a time when I’m available, even though you first said I can set my own time for the appointment.
#57
Should Money Not Be The Top Priority?
Anna Banana 4 years ago
"I present candidates even if they are outside of our budget" doesn't seem like a quality of a good recruiter... Sounds like they are just wasting everybody's time.
#58
Anyone Else Read This As, “Must Be Willing To Take Abuse”?
#59
Fast Paced Environment And Dynamic Teams!
#60
Was This A Mistake? Sick Of Dehumanizing And Humiliating One-Way Interviews
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
While I don’t mind an initial questionnaire, after that I would like to actually speak to a person. NOT record a video and send it in, but actually speak to a live human being.
#61
Heh
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
And you’re probably not going t9 train me, but leave me hanging out there to figure it all out myself. That’s a huge load of effort on my part, so I should be compensated accordingly.
#62
Yet Another Lie About Not Knowing The Salary. No Company Interviews Without Knowing What They Can Afford
#63
Finally A Company That Just Gets Me
#64
Counteroffers 101
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
Reeks of desperation to not lose face by f*****g up and losing a good employee because you’re a stingy m**********r.
#65
Why Are These People So Picky? Who're They Hoping To Find?
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
A sure way to have an unhappy life is to expect perfection from other people. You will never get it, so quit being so choosy. You might just find an unexpected perfection, or another form of perfection in an unexpected package.
#66
No Country For Young Men
Spiral Agent 4 years ago
I've gotten this answer once before. I was desperate and said it just means I can do the job with ease. Isn't that what you want? The answer was no. They wanted someone that would struggle under their thumb.
#67
This Is Illegally Relevant To My Ability To Do The Job
#68
Good One
#69
Absolutely Agree
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
They need to keep their jobs viable so make up fake ways to make themselves appear indispensable, usually when anyone with half a brain and a modicum of common sense and efficiency could do it.
#71
Experience I Had With A Recruiter After Asking Why The Marketing Role I Applied For Had A Lot Of Sales Duties In The Jd
#72
Starter Page Agree?
#73
Why Is This Necessary, Panera?
#74
I Can't Explain How Good Sending This Made Me Feel!
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
If they’d only dropped a quick email to say that, though they were an excellent candidate and the choice was difficult, but they had to go with another candidate. “However, we will keep your resume on file and, if another role opens up that we feel you’d be great in, we’ll get back in contact with you. We wish you lots of luck in your job hunting endeavors”, or something to that effect. In the meantime, the candidate may have found a job, but might not be quite happy in it, and their email about another role to interview for might very well have been welcomed and appreciated. Now, how hard would that have been?
#75
Amazon Tries To Recruit Microsoft’s Cto For A Backend Engineer Position
#76
When Recruiters Turn Aggressive For No Reason
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
Quite often, jobs like that require you to f*****g commit your life and hell, sacrifice your health and well being, to earn it. In other words, work way harder than is necessary, and burn out quickly.
#77
Pto
#78
Why Does Anyone?
#79
Like Everyone Else Here, I Hate Linkedin
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
I’ve seen shot like this. A variation of bait and switch. Assholes.
#80
Recruiter Put Me In A Group Chat With A Enployee From The Company. The Employee Looked At My Profile And Promptly Left The Chat Without Saying A Word. Note, I Was Qualified For This Job
#81
Never Again I Will Be Doing These Stupid Tests
#82
Unfortunately, This Employer Didn't Make It To The Next Round
#83
Stats From My 11-Month Job Search
#84
When "Support" Is Literally In The Job Title But Isn't A Support Role?
#85
Bribe The Hiring Manager After A Rejection?
#86
A Recruiters Angry Reaction To The Idea That Salary Info Should Be Given Right Away. They Claim We're Not Entitled To It Until We Give Them Our Time For A Meeting
AcrylicMasquerade 4 years ago
This is kind of hilarious, actually. The recruiter just came back, really quite rudely, with many things many people I know actually want. However, they still didn't come back with the salary range.
#87
Well… Was Rejected For A Job While Checking If Qualified
#88
Lol. It’s Literal Hell On Earth Folks
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
FFS, make it related experience at least, without the number of years. That way they can list any jobs they had where they used skills apropos to the job, as well as internships within the industry itself.
#89
Unless You Got A 3.5 Gpa In Engineering, Don't Bother Applying. If You Didn't Get At Least A 3.5, You Just Didn't Work Hard Enough
Jon Steensen 4 years ago (edited)
At least someone was able to learn, and admit their mistakes. That shows an open mind, and the ability to improve, that's good thing. Grades are not everything. If you put in all your time and effort into optimising them, and thereby spend all your time with the nose deep down in a book, you are likely to miss out of a large part of life, and hence you won't learn a lot of other important life lessons. Books can only get you part of the way there. The assumption of everybody being able to get good grades if they just put in the effort can also be wrong. Sometimes life just happens, and some external circumstances requires that you for a period put your main focus on something else. People get sick, can stuggle to pay the bills, their house burns down or something else emminent comes along, that can affect the amount of effort they can put into shcool. Furthermore, groupwork is quite popular these days and if you end in a group with four slackers, getting top grades can be hard when it requires that you do the work of 5 people.
#90
An Assessment "That Measures Your Personality And Cognitive Skills." Total Estimated Time To Complete Is 1 Hour, I Gave Up After 15 Minutes. This Is After Three Hours Of Interviews For A Data Job At A Dying Company
Sarah M. 4 years ago
My husband has severe test panic. I do not. I did every one of his assessments for a job he was uniquely qualified for, because they looked like that garbage. (Except the actual technical assessment, obvi) He was hired. His first year he aced an audit the company had never gotten more than 80% on. Because. He. Is. Good. At. His. Job. Me? I'm good at stupid a** brainteasers.
#91
They Really Really Don’t Like The Taste Of Their Own Medicine
Zero 4 years ago (edited)
Dear Recruiters and Hiring Managers (Everywhere), it takes you 30 seconds to write an email letting us know you've received our application/inquiry and have decided to remove yourself from our application process. I PROMISE you we don't mind. Being a 'no-show' to our application is just not acceptable"..... and I could go on about employers ghosting applicants en masse.
#92
Bullet Dodged
Spiral Agent 4 years ago
I'd ask that too. I have priorities that don't involve the work place, and more often than not, exceeds the work needs.
#93
Startup Trying To Poach Me From My Current Job, But Wants Me To Go Through 6+ Hours Of Interviews
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
Poaching someone means you already know they’re ready to jump in and do the job right away. With no need to interview for 15 minutes, much less six hours. F*****g idiots.
#94
Not So Fun When The Tables Are Turned, Are They?
#95
Teaching Math Literally Pays Less Than Working In Fast Food
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
I made more than that (adjusting for inflation) at my first full time job when I was 19 and just had a high school diploma. In 1979.
#96
Table Tennis Tables Everywhere!
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
Yeah, but look to see if they appear to have been used in a regular basis. Some companies put in these toys, but frown an any employee who actually tries to use them. It’s all PR b******t.
#97
After Two Months Of Being Jerked Around For A Job I Really Wanted, I Stood Up For Myself For Once
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
But it wouldn’t be any skin off your asses to at least send along an update now and then, ffs.
#98
Unfortunately I Am A Human Being
Tamsin Far 4 years ago
I think this information helps - a LOT. Honestly, how do they like their work to be done? If not most of it can be solved using existing processes there is something severely wrong with how my team is organized, we will get completely random results and our customers and users will never be able to rely on anything.
#99
They Said The Quiet Part Out Loud
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
Ageism. Illegal as f**k. Older employees aren’t always boomer Karens. Many of us are experienced, settled, and very capable of handling the work and learning new skills. Not everyone stagnates when they reach an more advanced age. Also, some of us can’t afford to retire, and will have to work until we drop dead. We may be in our sixties, but we still have bills to pay—-and some of us have student loans to pay off—-just like millennials—-for Masters degrees or PhDs our fields told us we now needed to advance in our careers—-and we graduated at the top of our classes, doing better than classmates half our age! So don’t try to tell me older employees can’t learn new skills.
#100
Would He?
Chloé-Louis Beaugrand 4 years ago (edited)
Tell me I'm not the only one whose brain is screaming "red flags" at the "we don't believe in boundaries" on the top of the image
#101
Rejected From Cat Sitting
Stephanie A Mutti 4 years ago
A marine biologist... so she understands animals that live in the oceans which does not include cats... AND why isn't she working as a marine biologist?
#102
I Had This Lovely Interaction This Morning. I Haven't Heard Back From Them
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
Why do so many jobs have to include sales? Let salespeople do sales, and leave the rest of us to do our own, non-sales jobs without that pressure. I am not a good salesperson, especially when my paycheck is at stake. Leave that pressure off, and if I manage to inadvertently sell something, then bonus. Otherwise, do not pressure me to sell. It’s an exercise in futility.
#103
All Right Boys, It's Time To Pack Up. Work-Life Integration Is Here!
#104
Brb Crying
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
No. I. Will. Not. Get off your asses and f*****g interview me.
#105
Saw Someone Upset About A One Year Ban. Try 5
#106
I'm Sorry, A What?
#107
Works Of Fiction
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
I have been trying to start my own business for a while now. That takes time, and should be considered a good reason for a gap (though I would use my company to fill that gap, I would still be truthful when asked about it. If someone lies at the interview, they’ll probably lie about everything else if they’re hired.
#108
"Send Your Resume And Statement Of Faith" Wtf
#109
Racist Interviewer Gives Easier Questions To White And Asian Men
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago
What an a*****e, and a crook, as that’s illegal. The reason they’re seemingly boasting about it is because they’re probably posting this on a racist website. Hope they’re found out and doxed for it.
#110
How Tone Deaf Can You Be? I Think I Understand The Point She’s Trying To Make But She’s Made Herself Sound Like A Sociopath
#111
I Did A Stupid Writing Test For This Company Four Years Ago That Never Got Back To Me. I Decided To Follow Up
Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)
Wait. The “stupid writing test” never got back to you? And you wonder why they didn’t immediately offer you the job? (Though they could’ve shot you a rejection email anyway.)
#114
It's Completely Normal To Have To Literally Beg For A Job Outside Company Hq
Jason Doakes 4 years ago
If exposing, demeaning and debasing yourself is the only way to get good jobs, all those jobs will be filled by clowns
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What do you think ?
Mad McQueen 4 years ago
My company kinda makes it hard to get hired too. First you apply. Then wait. Then get an email someone will call you. Then wait. Then get a call asking about experience. You either lie that you do an move forward or say no and get hung up on. (Even though it's a training position.) then if you get a call you have to come in for a skill test. Then wait. Then get called in for a real interview and if they like you then you have to go get a drug test. And wait for the recruiter to call/email back that you have more paperwork to file. Then you get called in to train for 4-6 weeks (paid) and have the job. My friend applied in February and since someone left I directly handed his contact information to my boss who found his resume application and called him. They set up a skill test and by passed the online s**t. He's gonna start in a week or two. But because the computer indeed webshit and all that it's been months he could have been her me working.
P R 4 years ago
You've made your point about a long hiring process, but many typos make it hard to understand, especially toward the end of your essay. Proofread.
Load More Replies...
Anna Repp 4 years ago
What I really hate is the "quizzes" that companies post online. Indeed has it - OK, you have 20 years of graphic design experience? Now do this 20-question quiz to prove it to us. Hell, no! If you do not think my past experience reflects what I can do, I'm not wasting my time answering a stupid quiz - I already know I do not want to work for you!
Zero 4 years ago
As an applicant, one of the quickest reasons I'll shut down the interview process is by requiring me to take a "culture" screening, such as Culture Index. Those things are ridiculous.
Mad McQueen 4 years ago
My company kinda makes it hard to get hired too. First you apply. Then wait. Then get an email someone will call you. Then wait. Then get a call asking about experience. You either lie that you do an move forward or say no and get hung up on. (Even though it's a training position.) then if you get a call you have to come in for a skill test. Then wait. Then get called in for a real interview and if they like you then you have to go get a drug test. And wait for the recruiter to call/email back that you have more paperwork to file. Then you get called in to train for 4-6 weeks (paid) and have the job. My friend applied in February and since someone left I directly handed his contact information to my boss who found his resume application and called him. They set up a skill test and by passed the online s**t. He's gonna start in a week or two. But because the computer indeed webshit and all that it's been months he could have been her me working.
P R 4 years ago
You've made your point about a long hiring process, but many typos make it hard to understand, especially toward the end of your essay. Proofread.
Load More Replies... Anna Repp 4 years ago
What I really hate is the "quizzes" that companies post online. Indeed has it - OK, you have 20 years of graphic design experience? Now do this 20-question quiz to prove it to us. Hell, no! If you do not think my past experience reflects what I can do, I'm not wasting my time answering a stupid quiz - I already know I do not want to work for you!
Zero 4 years ago
As an applicant, one of the quickest reasons I'll shut down the interview process is by requiring me to take a "culture" screening, such as Culture Index. Those things are ridiculous.
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