Getting a job now is a full-time job with no pay and no guarantees

I spend more time applying for jobs than I ever spent doing a job. And most of the time, no one even responds.

I was laid off in late 2023. Since then, I’ve made job hunting my 9–5. I log in at 8 a.m., refresh job boards, draft applications, and tweak resumes. I try to do five applications a day. Some days it’s more. Some days I give up and stare at the screen.

It’s not just the rejection that wears you down — it’s the silence. The effort you pour into tailoring your CV for a company that never even opens it. The unpaid “assignments” they want you to complete before you even get an interview. The three rounds of interviews that go nowhere.

I’m tired of being “a great fit, but...”

I’m tired of “we decided to go in a different direction.”

I’m tired of smiling on Zoom while I beg for rent money.

And yet — I keep going. Because what else can I do?

I’ve stopped looking for the perfect job. Now I look for companies that treat people like humans. That’s the new dream.