So, I was rummaging through the internet’s back alleys, specifically a corner of Reddit where people vent about the daily grind, and I stumbled upon a gem. A post titled ‘Hiring in 2025: The New Hunger Games’ perfectly encapsulated a frustration many of us have felt, whether we’re looking for a gig or just observing the chaos. It painted a picture of a job market that’s less about finding a fit and more about surviving an elaborate, soul-crushing obstacle course.
Welcome to the Gauntlet: The New Normal of Job Applications
Remember when applying for a job meant sending a resume and maybe, just maybe, one or two interviews? Ah, the good old days. According to the Reddit post, and my own observations, that era is as dead as dial-up internet. The modern hiring process has morphed into something truly bizarre, demanding an investment of time and energy that rivals a full-time job itself.
We’re talking about a multi-stage marathon: 4-6 rounds of interviews, panel interrogations with HR, managers, and even executives. Then come the ‘fun’ parts: take-home assignments that feel suspiciously like free consulting, personality assessments with hundreds of questions designed to reveal if you’re secretly a cat in a trench coat, and multiple 1:1s with every team member from the CEO down to the office plant. Some companies even demand sensitive personal data like driver’s licenses and transcripts before making a decision. It’s like they want your entire life story, your blood type, and your deepest fears before they even consider saying ‘maybe.’
And the grand finale? Often, it’s not a job offer, but a deafening silence. Ghosting. After weeks, sometimes months, of jumping through hoops, you’re just… gone. No ‘thanks for your time,’ no feedback, just the digital equivalent of a door slamming in your face. And then, two weeks later, you see the job reposted, like a cruel cosmic joke. This isn’t just happening at big corporations; even smaller businesses are mimicking this baffling behavior.
The Hidden Costs: Beyond Wasted Time
This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a psychological assault. The Reddit post eloquently highlights the darker side: the constant cycle of interviews, assessments, and ghosting leaves candidates feeling devalued, anxious, and utterly burned out. Imagine investing weeks of effort, pouring your heart into assignments, only to be dropped without explanation. It chips away at confidence, fostering a nasty case of imposter syndrome where you start questioning your own worth and skills.
This process breeds mistrust, not just towards individual companies, but toward the entire system of work. For those already under financial or personal stress, this can spiral into serious mental health issues like depression and hopelessness. It transforms the job search into a rigged game, where the house always wins, and the players are left wondering if they should send an invoice for ‘time served.’ After all, job searching is so time-consuming, it can delay a candidate’s ability to find actual paying work, creating a vicious cycle.
Why the Madness? Peeking Behind the Corporate Curtain
So, why are companies doing this? What’s the grand strategy behind this elaborate corporate theater? Is it a test of resilience, seeing who can withstand the most psychological torture? Are they insecure about their own decision-making, hoping that more data points (and more hoops) will lead to a perfect hire? Or is it simply performative, a way to look ‘thorough’ while never truly committing?
Some theories suggest that the rise of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and the sheer volume of applications have pushed companies to automate and over-filter, leading to a less human, more process-driven approach. Others point to a perceived ‘talent shortage’ (or perhaps, a shortage of perfect candidates willing to endure this process), leading companies to cast wider nets and scrutinize more deeply. However, as the Reddit post points out, if the job is reposted two weeks later, it’s clearly not leading to better hires. It’s just creating a revolving door of frustration.
A Call for Sanity in Hiring
This broken system says less about the candidates and more about the systemic flaws in modern hiring. It’s time for organizations to re-evaluate. Do endless interviews, panels, and assessments actually lead to better hires, or do they just create burnout, resentment, and a talent pool that’s too exhausted to care? Perhaps it’s time to remember that candidates are not just data points or cogs in a machine; they are human beings with lives, skills, and a desperate need for a little respect. Maybe, just maybe, a simpler, more humane process would yield better results for everyone involved. After all, a good hire isn’t just about finding talent; it’s about building trust from day one.