The Job market is harder than people admit
If you’ve been applying nonstop, correcting your resume day and night, rewriting cover letters, and hearing nothing back, that doesn’t automatically mean you’re bad, underqualified, or “not cut out for this market.” It also doesn’t always mean the market is broken beyond repair. It just means the system is broken. Quick validation, because a lot of people need to hear this: you’re not the problem, the system is just broken. Getting a job now is way harder than it used to be. It doesn’t mean that jobs don’t exist anymore, but it simply means it’s harder than it used to be. I remember back in the day you could literally call a company, ask if they were searching, and they would immediately tell you to come in for an interview. Now it’s just harder. The other day, one of my clients told me she had to go through four stages of an interview process that was very time consuming just to not get the job. So I will say it again: you are not the problem, the system is. It doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get a job now, it’s just harder and the criteria have stepped up, and the same resume and strategies you used five years ago won’t cut it this year. I’m sorry if this sounds harsh, but that’s truly how it is, and there is nothing we can change to better the job market except adjusting to the new rules and standards 🤷🏼♀️ that’s just life, man.
So
Most of the time, it means something very specific is off, and nobody ever explains what that thing actually is.
And just for context (because I already know the comments that are coming like “you’re not HR so why are you giving advice?” etc.), I’m a professional resume writer. I’ve rebuilt hundreds of resumes across pretty much every background you can think of. Everything I talk about comes from real clients, real patterns, and real outcomes I see every single day.
I know what’s good. I know what’s terrible. And I know what actually gets people interviews, because I work with this daily.
Agree, disagree, that’s fine. Everyone’s allowed to have an opinion. But the points I share aren’t theories. They’re real issues I fix and see constantly.
Anyway, I hope something in this post helps or encourages someone. That’s really why I share this stuff.
Here’s an underrated observation I’ve made whilst doing what I do for a while.
People always think recruiters reject resumes because something is missing. Most rejections happen because something feels unclear, unspoken, or just generally over confusing. Like honestly, there are always these big three questions you should ask yourself whilst writing your resume. Is every bullet clear? And I don’t mean clear in spelling mistakes or grammar. Are they clear in structure and positioning? Can that one sentence explain what you did in just one sentence without dragging it? Next, are there any missing achievements? Any information that you might not think is important, but you never know, that one point you mentioned could be the reason you get a callback. Please, I’m not saying write everything, but you have to differentiate what’s valuable and what’s not. And if you can’t do that, hiring a professional writer who is experienced in their craft and deeply understands how to translate words into impact is always a good investment. And lastly, are you overcomplicating the resume? Like, is it comprehensible to understand what you did without guessing? If your resume answers all these big three questions, congrats, you have a good resume. If not, it might be time to change things up. Please don’t take it as an attack, I’m just speaking freely and hope you guys can understand I’m not trying to personally offend someone or make someone feel worse. Thanks.
Someone recently came to me who had been rejected from roles they were a perfect match for. Same titles. Same tools. Same background as people getting hired. On paper, everything checked out.
When I asked them to walk me through their last role verbally, it sounded strong. They were making decisions. They were trusted. They were the person others escalated to. They were basically the MVP of that whole company. And I noticed a lot of my clients are the MVPs of the companies, but their resume never reads like they were an MVP, more like they were a side character.
None of that came through on the resume. The resume read like they were orbiting the work instead of driving it. Like silently not trying to take up not so much credit for all the work, but it just made me think why, if you did XYZ, your resume should have written XYZ. I’ve made a detailed post on how to take credit for the things you think shouldn’t be credited. You can check that out in my post history. I don’t want to get too into depth so that the post won’t be too long.
Another hard truth people don’t like hearing: silence is usually not personal feedback. It’s indifference. Your resume didn’t trigger enough confidence to be discussed. Recruiters compare a lot. They look at tons of resumes weekly. They read, look, see if anything was memorable, and skip. Or they look, find something memorable, but then remember another resume was more memorable. That’s literally how it is.
When a resume works, it creates momentum internally. Someone forwards it. Someone asks a question. Someone says “this person looks interesting.”
When it doesn’t, it just disappears, gets trashed, or swiped left.
I also see a lot of people overcorrect. They add more bullets. More tools. More keywords. The resume gets longer, but not stronger. It reads busier, not clearer. You can’t fix some issues when the core issue isn’t fixed. For example, it’s like repainting a car with engine problems. It looks better, but it still won’t get you where you need to go. You can change the color, polish the rims, clean the interior. If the engine is misfiring, it still breaks down.
Hiring decisions are risk decisions. If your resume doesn’t clearly answer “what level is this person actually operating at,” companies default to caution. They pass, even if you could do the job well. That’s why I say very often, you’re not the problem.
If we’re stuck right now, with all my knowledge as a resume writer, my HR knowledge, and overall how the job market is, the most useful thing you can do is stop asking “am I good enough?” and start asking “does my resume remove questions, or create them?”
That shift alone changes how you look at the whole process.
Thanks for reading, I hope I could help.
And happy new year, may this be the year you land your dream job.
Jobadvisor
That is a powerful, clear-eyed perspective on the current job market. You’ve hit on a nuance that many people miss: the gap between "being capable" and "communicating capability."
It’s refreshing to hear a professional resume writer frame it not as a personal failure of the candidate, but as a structural and communication mismatch. Your "engine vs. paint job" analogy is a perfect way to describe why simply adding more keywords rarely fixes a resume that lacks a clear narrative of authority.
The "MVP vs. Side Character" Problem
Your observation about people writing themselves as "side characters" is perhaps the most valuable takeaway here. Many high-performers suffer from "functional humility"—they describe their tasks but omit their agency.
Side Character: "Responsible for managing the quarterly budget and reporting to stakeholders."
The MVP: "Directed quarterly budget allocation for $2M projects, identifying 15% in waste and re-routing funds to high-growth initiatives."
One removes questions; the other creates them.
Key Takeaways from Your Insight
To summarize the "New Rules" you’ve highlighted for anyone reading:
Clarity > Quantity: Adding more bullets or tools just adds noise. If a recruiter has to work to understand your impact, they will move on.
The "Risk" Factor: Hiring is a risk-mitigation exercise. If your resume is vague, you are a "high-risk" candidate. If it is precise, you are "low-risk."
The Confidence Trigger: A resume shouldn't just list what you did; it should create momentum—it should make the reader want to advocate for you to their boss.
A Quick Reflection
The system is indeed "broken" in the sense that the barrier to entry (the 4-stage interview, the ATS filters, the sheer volume of applicants) is at an all-time high. But as you said, the only thing a candidate can control is adjusting to the new standards.
Since you mentioned you have a post on "how to take credit for things you think shouldn't be credited," that sounds like the exact "engine repair" most people need right now.
51 year old “Smart Kid”, wasted my life just barely cruising by. What would YOU do now to make something of yourself?
Advice
(Throwaway account as I’m deeply ashamed of myself).
Went through high school and college (English major lol) never cracking a book, never putting in any effort, writing my papers the night before and managed a 3.5 GPA. Please understand I don’t say this as any kind of brag. I’m ashamed of it now given what I’ve managed to do with my life, which is essentially nothing.
I’ve bounced from one entry-level role to another, putting in the bare minimum work to not get fired. It all catches up to me in 3-5 years, so I quit before someone notices and fires me, then rinse and repeat. (Mostly technical software support, training, light functional/systems analysis, etc.) No promotions, no certifications, no accomplishments, not a single second of working on my “career” for almost 20 years. Just slide by being the smart guy.
Much of this comes from a fairly traumatic childhood, narcissist emotionally abusive mother and helpless father. Various addiction problems, ADHD, and depression/anxiety have made things worse. I've been in therapy for several years and just now starting to get a handle on how badly I’ve screwed up my life.
No savings of any kind, no investments, no 401k’s, nothing. No friends or family, I pretty much live in complete isolation.
Six months ago I was downsized (started with a team of 14 three years ago, there were only two remaining when I left), I’ve been barely scraping by with Uber, DoorDash etc.
What now? Who is going to hire a 51 year old when they could hire someone literally half my age to do the same job? Especially in this job market?
For those of you who have made something of yourself, have put in the work to build a life and career, what would YOU do to get your life back on track? What are some concrete steps that you would take if you were in my shoes? Ask me anything you need for clarification.
Jobadvisor
First, I want to challenge the idea that you’ve "done nothing." You have survived a traumatic upbringing, managed various addictions, and spent years in therapy untangling a very complex internal knot. In the "smart kid" world, we often value external accolades over internal resilience, but you’ve done the heavy lifting of staying alive and seeking help. That isn't "nothing."
The "smart kid who cruises" trap is usually a defense mechanism: if you never try, you never actually fail; you only "didn't apply yourself." Stepping out of that at 51 is terrifying, but you have a massive advantage: you actually have the hardware. You just haven't installed the software yet.
Here is exactly what I would do to rebuild from zero.
1. Shift the Narrative: You are a "Fixer," not a "Failure"
Stop looking at your resume as a series of abandoned jobs. Look at it as 20 years of diverse technical experience. * The "Half My Age" Myth: Companies don't always want a 25-year-old. They want someone who won't panic when the server goes down, who knows how to talk to an angry client, and who understands how business systems actually flow.
Your New Brand: You are a "Seasoned Technical Generalist." You understand Support, Training, and Systems Analysis. That trifecta is incredibly valuable for Implementation Consultant or Customer Success Architect roles.
2. The "Low-Hanging Fruit" Strategy
Since you have no savings, we need high-ROI, low-time moves.
Get One Certification: Don’t spend six months studying. Pick a platform you’ve touched before (Salesforce, ServiceNow, AWS, or even a PMP if you can swing it). A single "Professional" level cert on your resume acts as a signal to recruiters that the "cruising" phase is over and you are current.
Target Mid-Sized Companies: Avoid the FAANG giants where ageism is rife. Target Boring Software Companies™—the ones that make ERPs for plumbing supplies or HR software for mid-west hospitals. They value stability and "gray hair" wisdom.
3. Financial Triage
You are 51, not 80. You likely have 15–20 years of earning potential left.
The Catch-Up Rule: Once you land a role, you can take advantage of "catch-up contributions" for 401ks/IRAs (for those 50+).
Cost of Living: If you are isolated and working remotely or via gig work, consider moving to a lower cost-of-living area immediately to stretch your remaining dollars while you job hunt.
4. Solve the Isolation
Isolation is the fuel for depression and the "shame spiral."
Professional Networking: Reach out to one person from a previous job. Just one. "Hey, I'm looking to pivot back into a full-time analyst role, would you be open to a 15-minute sync?" Smart people who "cruise" often leave a trail of people who liked them but wondered why they didn't do more. Those people are often happy to help.
Co-working: If you're doing DoorDash, fine, but when you're applying for jobs, do it in a library or a coffee shop. Being around people reduces the "shame fog."
Concrete Next Steps
If I were in your shoes this afternoon, I would do these three things:
Update the Resume with "Value Language": Instead of "Answered support tickets," use "Leveraged technical expertise to maintain 95% SLA levels across complex system environments." Use that English major brain to write a narrative of stability, not stagnation.
Pick a "Stack": Decide today if you are a "Salesforce Guy," a "Cybersecurity Guy," or a "Data Analyst Guy." Pick the one that aligns with your past 20 years. Go to LinkedIn Learning or Coursera and start the most relevant path.
Forcite Your Schedule: ADHD thrives in the chaos of "barely scraping by." Treat your job search like a 9-to-5. 8:00 AM: Coffee and one hour of learning. 10:00 AM: 5 tailored applications. 1:00 PM: Gig work for immediate cash.