Can I just say that looking for & applying to a job is more than a full-time job?
Seriously, if you haven’t had to look for a job in the past two years, count yourself lucky in every area of your life!
Applying to a single job can take anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours, and I wish I were exaggerating.
First, let’s start with the job application itself. It used to be simple: fill out your basic contact info, answer the DEI questions, maybe respond to a couple job-specific questions, upload your resume & your cover letter.
That is no longer the case. A lot of companies require you to make an account on Upwork, ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor, SimplyHired, Weekday, or another website. My favorite part? You can’t reuse the same login. Every company requires a brand-new account.
And now it’s not just a couple of questions — it’s your whole life story. I had a job application that was 25 pages long & most of the questions had nothing to do with the actual position. They asked where I grew up, how long I lived there & even what type of home I lived in.
Also, I am all for DEI questions, but why do I have to tell you my sexual orientation? What does that have to do with a job? It’s been on 95% of the applications I’ve filled out. How does that impact how well I can write code or design a graphic?
Second, why do I need to record a video of myself answering a list of questions? Isn’t that the whole point of an interview or the 50 questions you already asked on the application? One place required a 45-minute video after I had just spent over an hour filling out the application.
Third, why do I need to create a new resume & cover letter for every single job? A cover letter I completely understand; you update it to fit the job and company. But why are companies requiring customized resumes for each position? I don’t want to constantly update my resume in Illustrator with different talking points, keywords, or job histories. No. I have a resume. Here it is.
Not only that; why do you ask for my resume with my full job history, education, volunteer work & intro paragraph, only to make me re-enter all that exact same information on the application?
And let’s be honest: 90% of the “Upload Resume to Autofill” buttons don’t even work. The information doesn’t populate correctly, or it can’t tell the difference between June & 06. But sure; AI is supposed to be the best.
Speaking of AI, most of the time your resume gets kicked out by a bot anyway, even if you match every single requirement listed.
What happened to the days when an application asked a few questions about yourself, why you’re qualified & maybe one fun question like What’s your favorite dinosaur?
Pterodactyl BTW
Applying for jobs should NOT be a full-time job. It should not take 5+ hours to apply to just three or four positions. I understand companies want to weed people out and ask questions upfront, but this should not be so hard.
I’ve applied to over 500 jobs since being laid off in 2024 & the majority of them go unanswered; which is even more frustrating than being told I’m “overqualified” 😒
People say no one wants to work anymore, but that’s not true. People want to work for a decent wage without having to jump through endless hoops just to apply.
A long-winded way of saying: I am still seeking a full-time job! If you currently have an open position, I’d be happy to fill out an application or meet for an interview.
If you don’t have a full-time opening, I’m also looking for part-time, contract, or freelance projects. I’m happy to jump into whatever you need support with.
I’m currently looking for positions in Web Development — primarily WordPress — though I also have a experience in other areas. I have experience managing development & design teams, project management, account management, social media management, event planning, fundraising & more.
For more info on my background, work history & resume, please visit About Tiff or What I Do.
