One peril facing job-hunters? Being ghosted

For those of you with dreams of finding the perfect match, we have commentary this morning from writer Brad Mislow:

It’s an old story: We met online, we exchanged messages, I told some jokes, got some laughs. We agreed to meet, and we did. It went great! “Hey you, stay in touch,” I was told.

Wow, I thought, at long last: this could be the one.

And then … nothing. No more emails. No more texts. I realized I was getting ghosted.

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Well, these are the perils of online dating, right? Wrong. This was a job search. And let me tell you, if you’re looking for work in today’s online world, then be prepared to have your heart broken. Again, again, and again.

Finding work nowadays comes with all the same emotional twists and turns as finding a date: there’s longing, hope, clever DMs, anxiety, and also ghosting. So much ghosting. Remember, it’s not you, you tell yourself.

I was laid off on December 20th last year, which HR should have known was my birthday. No big deal! I’ve been actively job searching ever since.

Every day, I check websites like LinkedIn and Indeed to see what’s out there. I post, I comment, I invite people (whom I’ll never meet) to “connect.” All of this is done under the guise of “professionalism.” But it sure feels like dating. And just like dating, you gotta have some game.

If you’re lucky, you’ll get an invite to a video interview. Ahh, the first date of the job search! So, be sure to shower, comb your hair, and put on a clean shirt. And please put the cat in the bathroom. Maybe you’ll get invited to a second interview.

Or not!

If you know someone who is currently looking for work, be kind. Job hunting, like finding a mate, is usually a long and tedious process. More than six million Americans are unemployed right now. Many of us have been affected by layoffs in tech and media. Companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, Disney, Netflix, even Zoom have all shed staff for about a year now. Not to mention the many startups and advertising agencies that supported them.

Why now? New AI technologies like ChatGPT, and just the fear of a recession, have scared companies into slamming on the brakes on hiring.

Yeah, it’s rough out there. And it can be a lonely existence.

As for me, well, I’m still at it, looking for The One. At least The Next One.

Listen, I’ve got all the right qualities. I’m smart, I’m not afraid of commitment, I’m a good listener, and I chew my food with my mouth closed, which is key factor in keeping any long-term relationship alive. So, chin up, job searchers! Here’s hoping we’ll all be off the market soon – the job market, that is.

     
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Story produced by Amy Wall. Editor: Emanuele Secci.