As the number of job openings in the U.S. declines and job hunting frustrations soar, veteran technology recruiter Tejal (@caffeinatedcareees) is here to tell discouraged seekers that it’s not you; it’s the job market.
In a viral video posted to TikTok on Sept. 15, Tejal urged viewers to “give yourself some grace” while struggling to find a position and not to worry if they don’t have a “magical checklist” of necessary qualifications.
@caffeinatedcareees #stitch with @J.T. O'Donnell #jobsearchtips #jobsearching #jobinterviewtips #interviewtips #resumetips ♬ original sound – Tejal
“The reason why you’re not getting a job right now is because this market is an absolute dumpster fire,” Tejal explained in her video, which has been viewed over 363,000 times since it was first posted.
Several careers in the technology sector are listed among the fastest-growing occupations in the country, according to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Bureau expects the number of software developer jobs to increase 26 percent over the next decade, while the number of information security analyst positions is expected to grow 32 percent in the same time frame.
Despite this, Tejal said the number of applications she’s received from qualified jobseekers has increased because of recent widespread company layoffs. From inside the world’s biggest technology firms—Amazon, Google, and Microsoft—to small startup businesses, over 200,000 employees were laid off in 2023 to create smoother avenues to profitability.
This puts large numbers of qualified applicants, often with the same educational backgrounds and experience levels as one another, in direct competition for a small number of open positions.
“This is a garbage market, and, unfortunately, you can do everything right and still not find a job,” Tejal told viewers in her video.
She concluded the TikTok by asking viewers to allow themselves a break, stating that burnout would not help them or anyone else.
“It’s hard to give yourself grace when bills are due,” one viewer replied.
Many others shared their current frustrations with job searching in the comments section.
“I once had an hour long chat with a hiring manager only for him to say that they didn’t even have a job,” one commenter revealed. “I felt so deflated.”
“5 months, hundreds of jobs (I record each non-insta apply), 3 interviews, zero offers,” another user shared.
The Daily Dot contacted Tejal via Instagram direct message for more information.
