A 38-year-old job seeker said he has sent over 20,000 applications and done more than 50 interviews without finding stable work. In a Reddit post, he said he has made it to the final stages several times, only for companies to pick internal candidates instead, as reported by Daily Dot.
The Redditor said he works in data and supply chain roles, and he asked in the r/jobs subreddit whether his career had reached a dead end. He described mounting financial pressure after months of searching and going through interview after interview.
He said he now spends up to 12 hours every day applying for jobs, emailing recruiters, and completing assessments. He estimated that he has sent at least 20,000 applications and attended more than 50 interviews since September. He said the repeated rejections have taken a toll on his finances, confidence, and mental health.
More applications might not be the answer
In his post, titled “What is actually happening, What do I do? (38 M) It’s done?”, he traced his career back to 2010. He said that before the recent downturn, he rarely spent more than two or three months unemployed.
He said he found a role he enjoyed after a difficult start, but his company laid off 500 employees in 2023. Since then, he has worked several startup jobs, though he said restructuring and management changes kept affecting his positions.
Some commenters urged him to rethink the sheer volume of applications and take a more targeted approach. One user looked at his numbers and wrote, “the funnel is working, the targeting is not.” The commenter suggested choosing 10 to 15 employers with relevant openings and reaching out to former coworkers and professional contacts for referrals.
Others encouraged him to consider public sector work, pointing to stronger job security and unions in some states. Someone else suggested looking into California substitute teaching credentials as a way to earn money and said his degree might help him qualify without another test.
Other commenters focused on the broader employment climate, with tech layoffs topping 2025’s total already this year. One person described the current market as “worse than 2008” and urged him to stay flexible and learn new skills.
Networking was a major theme in the replies. One user wrote, “your network matters far more than your resume.” The same user recommended contacting former managers, coworkers, clients, and industry connections, and asking for referrals and feedback after interviews.
Not everyone agreed that he needed to work harder, though. Several replies emphasized that layoffs and changing industries can affect even experienced workers, and one commenter urged him to take a break instead of searching every day. Others reminded him that a difficult job market does not make his experience worthless.
Published: Nov 15, 2026 12:15 pm