Companies searching for the “perfect employee” has become a common trend. In a now-viral video, a jobseeker called out this trend after she was rejected from HomeGoods because of her availability.
The video featured TikTok user @rustbeltrants, who shared that she’s been applying for jobs because she’s been having trouble finding writing work. Despite having back problems and being out of the retail game for years, she applied to retail jobs, expecting they’d need extra help around the holiday season. After applying to multiple places, @rustbeltrants heard back from TJ Maxx-owned store HomeGoods. When the manager contacted her, she informed him of her schedule. She was only available to work “every other week” because she had “custody of her child on alternating weeks.” However, she was able to work anytime on the alternating weeks. The manager agreed and set up the interview.
On the day of the interview, the content creator arrived 10 minutes early and “approached the first salesperson” she saw to tell them she had an appointment. The salesperson’s response? “‘Oh, good, because we really need you,” @rustbeltrants recounted. Then, the salesperson got the manager on duty. Immediately, @rustbeltrants was hit with a red flag. The manager didn’t introduce herself and sent her to wait in an area by the bathroom.
@rustbeltrants #unemployment #unemployed #jobsearching #retailwork ♬ original sound – RustBeltRants
During the interview, the content creator provided her “background,” why she was looking for work, and her retail experience. As soon as @rustbeltrants shared her availability, the manager wasn’t happy. “I don’t see how that’s gonna work for us,” the manager responded. She argued that she wouldn’t “even know how [she] would put that into the computer” and that the content creator’s availability would force her to schedule other employees for the days she can’t work. “Isn’t that what retail scheduling is?” @rustbeltrants said to her viewers.
She continued, “Wouldn’t you rather have help some of the time instead of no help at all because you’re waiting for the perfect unicorn candidate?” She then shared that one of her friends had been in a similar situation and was rejected from a job because he couldn’t work on Sundays. This led to the content creator condemning HomeGoods and other companies.
“They want perfect people who are available 24 hours a day to be a slave to the company. Otherwise, no job for you,” she stated. “I don’t think it’s that unreasonable to say, ‘I’m available literally any hours any other week. I just can’t work every single week.’”
The Daily Dot reached out to @rustbeltrants via TikTok comment and direct message. The video garnered over 20,000 views, where viewers revealed more reasons why employers do this.
“They want you not to have a life and I worked in grocery store in California for a little over 15 years but now I live in munich Germany,” one viewer wrote.
“Literally the higher ups at my job forced us to cut hours even though we had already been as minimum as possible. So purposely making us understaffed,” a second commented.
Furthermore, others shared their similar experiences.
“I have mothers hours and I can’t find a single job willing to work with me. I’m working so I can pay bills, I’m not meant to be solve all your problems,” one user shared.
“Lol it’s funny bc I recently graduated so I’m literally available for whenever. YET I’m NEVER scheduled. This week and next I don’t work at all,” a second remarked.
“This is the reason I left Walmart after 10 years. They constantly scheduled me on days I wasn’t available,” a third revealed.
