Burned out from the job hunt? Read this for motivation

"I've been on the hunt for a new gig for a large chunk of this year, and it feels like I've seen it all. I've watched some appealing job listings be pulled down within hours, while others sit stagnantly for months. I've heard tales of scammers trying to dupe job seekers; legit employers advertising phantom roles to collect talent data and present an illusion of company growth."

"A popular meme once asked, "What feels like begging but isn't?" My answer is what I refer to as the corporate Hunger Games-a process infamously associated with startup and tech culture in which you're put through rounds and rounds of interviews, tests, and various submissions. When you go through enough of these, which can take weeks at a time, it's hard not to feel burned the hell out."

"I cooked on that cover letter, calibrated my resume9 just right to fend off the ATS filters, and said all the right things on the phone screen. But that was only the beginning. Next was the video entry, which involved awkwardly responding to a series of prompts like "Tell me about a time you failed" via self-recorded one-minute clips. If I wanted to do an audition tape, I'd sign up for America's Got Talent, but whatever."

Job hunting has been relentless this year, with appealing listings pulled within hours while others stagnate for months. Scammers and employers advertising phantom roles are common tactics to collect talent data and simulate company growth. Application processes are exhausting, often requiring tailored cover letters, re9sume9 calibration to beat ATS, phone screens, awkward self-recorded video responses, in-person meetings, and multiple panel interviews. The startup and tech hiring culture resembles a 'corporate Hunger Games' of rounds of interviews, tests, and submissions that can take weeks. Repeated churn leaves candidates emotionally burned out and financially strained.

Read at Fast Company