16/08/2026
The Untold Reality of Job Hunting
A fresh graduate applied for a Marketing Executive position at a well-known company.
His CV was shortlisted.
He received a call:
“Interview tomorrow at 10:00 AM. Dress Code: Formal.”
He bought a new shirt, polished his shoes, and reached the office at 9:45 AM.
At 10:00 AM, HR said,
“The manager is in a meeting. Your interview will start at 11.”
At 11:00 AM:
“The manager is at lunch. Please come back at 2.”
At 2:00 PM:
“The manager won’t be available today. We’ll let you know the next interview date.”
This happened for three days.
Finally, on the fourth day, he got interviewed.
The interview lasted just 10 minutes.
Only three questions:
* What’s your name?
* Where do you study?
* What salary do you expect?
Then…
Silence.
For 15 days, there was no update.
Every time he called, the answer was:
“Your application is still in process.”
On the 16th day, an email arrived:
“We regret to inform you…”
Sadly, this isn’t the story of just one company.
It’s the reality many job seekers experience.
And here’s the biggest irony.
The job post says:
Salary: Negotiable
But during the interview, they ask:
“How much do you expect?”
If you say $350, they reply,
“That’s beyond our budget.”
Another candidate says $230, and gets the job.
Sometimes, “Negotiable” feels like asking candidates to price themselves as low as possible.
Then comes another familiar line:
“We’ll get back to you within 2 days.”
Two days become two months.
Eventually:
“The position has been put on hold.”
Dear companies,
A candidate’s time has value too.
Every interview costs something:
* Transportation expenses.
* A day’s lost income.
* Hours of preparation.
* Anxiety.
* Hope.
Candidates are not robots.
Even a short rejection email is better than weeks of silence.
To everyone searching for a job:
Don’t let these experiences break your confidence.
Keep learning.
Keep applying.
Keep moving forward.
And to employers:
Please respect candidates the way you expect candidates to respect your organization.
Professionalism goes both ways.
We are people. Not application numbers. Not robots.
