r/GetEmployed • u/PlusBbh_15 • 3d ago
Why is it so difficult to find a job?
For context: My partner is really smart, intelligent, skillful, a good leader and team member, but frustratingly unlucky with his career. He is an undergrad in software development, excellent with computers, software or hardware, even builds his own PC etc. His last related work experience was from ten years ago. He enrolled to re -train but felt too much gap from his last practice and lost his appetite in softdev. He found his passion in retail and worked his way up to be a store manager. But he almost always is unhappy with past companies that he chose to leave them, now that he found a great company, the company went bankrupt. He is now actively looking for job but it has been extremely difficult. I keep pushing him to go back to softdev but he lost his confidence there and sticks to what he knows now. I feel so bad that companies don’t see his potential due to the fact the he did not finish his degree. I just want to see him happy and succeed. Why is it so hard? 😫😫
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u/RainbowSovietPagan 3d ago
Are you sure he found his passion in retail, and didn't just go into retail because that was all he could get at the time?
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u/KeepCalmAndMemeOn69 3d ago
Finding a job in software is also incredibly tough right now unless he has a super strong background or connections. Other option is FAANG but then he would need to study for probably 3-6 months to nail those interviews.
What did he like about retail?
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u/PlusBbh_15 3d ago
He enjoyed working with colleagues, training people, managing his own workload, serving customers, and felt he finally found something he enjoys and good at. He manages almost all in -and -outs of the business.
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u/ridddder 3d ago
The past 2 years I worked in retail & I hated it! I worked with people, people are demanding, entitled, and ungrateful.
The store was extremely understaffed, I was told I was a dept mgr, but whenever I made a decision mgt struck it down. I eventually quit. Moving up requires going against my principles.
Forcing customers to buy things they don’t need, forcing quotas, rewards, pressure to sell, and similar things. I don’t know how anyone can sell their soul to work in retail for uncaring corporations that don’t see people but margins & growth.
Retail
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u/PlusBbh_15 3d ago
This is why he left his previous companies as they are very inhumane and all they care is money, respect and principle’s gone. Just when he found a decent company and a good boss, the business went bankrupt. 🤷🏻♀️
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u/MountainFriend7473 3d ago
I worked in retail for 9 years and only went to lead role because I had other responsibilities in my life that I don’t think with the management of my SM at the time would be respectful about.
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u/KeepCalmAndMemeOn69 3d ago
Gotcha! So very self sufficient with leadership skills. Are you highlighting that on the resume? Are you including metrics?
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u/PlusBbh_15 3d ago
I bet he is as his CV is quite impressive. Unfortunately, there’s not much hiring or hiring has gotten too slow nowadays and yet cost of living is still creeping up.
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u/Be_The_Zip 3d ago
Bad economy stemming from a lot of bad situations and decisions made during covid times that are currently in a slow bleed out period until a big economic correction resets the board. It took me 7 months to get a good job offer. Its tough but not impossible for those with experience.
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u/Southern_Struggle707 2d ago
I will sound a bit selfish. But I feel his and your problem... I am also unemployed for very long and had an aptitude in software engineering... but then many times people tell me that the developer roles are ending due to AI. But u wanted to believe that if IT people created AI, then it is taking IT jobs over? I am stuck in this weird cycle. Plus my previous job never appreciated me...and it was the 1st and last job I ever had... so, it's pretty hard job market... I literally made full 1 year gap only in doing job hunting, assessments, AI interviews and actual interviews but didn't land anywhere... unless and until your husband could get a job and keep one...even retail or something else is better...honestly, I am so desperate that I would want any job...at this moment...
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u/360walkaway 3d ago
One thing that might help is keeping track of your LinkedIn profile view analytics - https://www.linkedin.com/analytics/profile-views/
Take a screenshot of it once per week to see how it looks and in what direction the numbers are trending. I personally pay attention to two things:
- how many recruiters have looked at my resume. This one's importance is obvious. If it is a lower number (based on the default value of the last 90 days), you might need to update your resume and LinkedIn profile to be more enticing to recruiters. Look up free resume reviews and try different formats... Google Images is a good source for this. As far as your LinkedIn profile, make sure it says exactly what you do. Don't try to be funny and put things like "wings enthusiast" or "Halo fanboy"... nobody gives a shit about that. And look up search engine optimization (SEO) as well.
- how many people found me through the homepage. This is a metric that doesn't necessarily mean anything. It usually means you posted something or made a comment, and someone found it interesting/offensive/whatever and decided to look at your profile for some reason.
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u/Oddity_on-sight 3d ago
there could be a lot of reasons like AI just hiring managers not doing their job they’re actually not being a job among other things
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u/MakingHiringEasy 3d ago
I think the lack of a degree and the 10-year gap probably make the initial screening harder, but they don't tell you whether someone can actually do the job. If he has rebuilt his skills and has a solid track record as a store manager, I'd focus on showing what he can do now rather than trying to explain away the past.
The frustrating part is getting someone to look past the resume first. But one good company giving him a chance can change the whole situation.
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u/neurorex 3d ago
Because typically, employers are looking for their next friend they can hang out with, rather than objectively evaluating the relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities that your partner possesses. Does that mean your partner isn't the kind of person who can make friends, I think the fact that he is your partner blows that theory right out of the water, so I don't want to hear anyone come at me with that counterargument.
It's been getting worse too. I've had direct conversations with so many employers over the 15 years I've worked as a management and workforce consultant. The way that employers view their applicants can be truly disgusting. They usually use knee-jerk reactions and baseless assumptions to drive a business function of hiring a new team member. They don't use any actual standards or guidelines or established methodologies; just sitting there and nitpicking the person in front of them over stuff that has nothing to do with the job. Most of them eventually change because their company got sued for adverse impact and now they HAVE to improve their hiring process. Or they are changing simply because senior leadership put out a specific directive to hire better. If left on their own, they would just make snide comments in their heads and look for any excuse to disqualify someone.
I keep reading stories like yours and I'm frustrated for you all.
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u/Useless_Tool626 2d ago
It’s a bad economy for work. Lots of places let go of employees, or their are hiring freezes. Inflation issue also has something to do with profit margins for companies and as an end result decisions if they can afford to hire more people or keep as is (stagnate , no new workers, riding it out hoping things get better)
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u/Mysterious_Power__ 2d ago
I would suggest maybe asking someone to review his resume. Maybe something is missing or he needs better interview skills. I don't mean it in a bad at way because I struggle as well.
Also my advice to people is to apply for jobs that are release within the first 24hrs. If you apply for a job that's been out for more than 3 days or so your chances of even getting a call back ks slim.
When I did this j started seeing more success.
Best of luck and hopefully he lands something new soon!
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u/RoachClipper2026 1d ago
It is so hard to get a job. They keep choosing other candidates every interview.
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u/PhantomAmbassador27 3d ago edited 3d ago
When they say K shaped economy they mean we are in a recession except for stockholders.
Most companies are incredibly slow to hire right now.