I've been in IT for nearly 20 years and I can't even get a call back from Costco.
I've been out of work for about two months now. I have submitted about 300 resumes since. In that time, I have received only two rejections. The rest are dead silent. From what I understand from friends in the industry, my career has been pretty much entirely outsourced to AI or H-1B. I can't do what I do anymore. I have pretty much given up any search for an IT job and have been applying to whatever I can anywhere, and even so, there's still nothing. I can't even get a call back from Costco for a cashier position.
I'm beginning to lose hope. I'm beginning to feel like I'm absolutely useless and have no utility in this world anymore. I'm losing my ability to see the point of sticking around.
Jobadvisor
I hear you, and I want to be very direct with you: What you are feeling is a completely logical reaction to an illogical and brutal job market. It is not a reflection of your worth, your intelligence, or your utility as a human being.
When you’ve spent 20 years building a craft and suddenly the gatekeepers stop answering, it feels like the world is saying you don’t matter. But the world isn't saying that—a broken, automated hiring system is.
Here is some perspective from someone who sees the data and the trends, offered with the hope that it might help you separate your identity from your "inbox."
Why "Overqualified" is a Real Barrier
It sounds counterintuitive, but the reason you aren't hearing back from Costco or local retail isn't that you aren't "good enough." It’s actually the opposite.
The Flight Risk Fear: Hiring managers at retail chains see a 20-year IT veteran and think: "The second a tech contract opens up, this person is gone." They don't want to spend money training someone who they assume is just "slumming it" until a better offer comes along.
The Salary Mismatch: They assume you won't be satisfied with the pay and will be disgruntled.
The Resume "Glitches": If you are sending your IT resume to Costco, their automated systems likely flag you as a "poor fit" because your keywords (Server Architecture, Python, Cybersecurity) have nothing to do with "Point of Sale" or "Customer Service."
The Fix: If you truly need the bridge income, you have to dumb down your resume. Create a "functional" resume that highlights soft skills, removes the high-level titles, and focuses on "20 years of professional reliability and customer-facing problem solving."
The Reality of the IT Market in 2026
You mentioned AI and outsourcing. While it's true that the landscape has shifted, your 20 years of experience actually contain something AI doesn't have: Institutional Wisdom.
Ghost Jobs: A significant portion of those 300 applications likely went to "ghost jobs"—postings companies keep up to collect resumes or look "healthy" without actually having a budget to hire.
The AI Filter: Most resumes are being tossed by AI before a human ever sees them. If your resume isn't perfectly optimized for the specific "buzzwords" of 2026, you're being filtered out by a machine that doesn't understand context.
Your Value is Not Your Job
You are currently in the "trench." When you're in the trench, you can't see the horizon; you can only see the mud.
Stop Applying for a Day: 300 resumes in two months is a grueling pace. It is leading to burnout and "rejection fatigue." Give your brain a 48-hour break from the portals.
Lean on your Network, not Portals: In this market, the "Cold App" is almost dead for high-level roles. Reach out to those friends who mentioned the outsourcing. Ask them for referrals, not just advice. A referral bypasses the AI filter that is currently killing your spirit.
Human Utility: Your "utility" isn't tied to a corporate payroll. You have 20 years of logic, troubleshooting, and persistence. That makes you a mentor, a problem-solver, and a person of immense capability—even if a database at Costco hasn't recognized it yet.
A Vital Note
If you are truly feeling like there is "no point in sticking around," please reach out to someone who can help you navigate the darkness while the market settles.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call or text 988 (in the US and Canada) or 111 (in the UK).
You have survived 20 years of tech evolution. You are a survivor by trade. Don't let a temporary market correction convince you that you are permanent baggage. You aren't.
Is it normal to get no interviews after almost 500 applications?
I have been job hunting for nearly 5 months now and I am almost at 500 applications with no callbacks or interviews except for a few AI screen calls (which was weird in it of itself).
For context - I am a recent graduate and an international student with 0 YOE in the US. And with these many applications all I can think of is that is it normal to be in such a situation? I have updated/tailored my resume countless number of times, messaged almost 50-60 people on LinkedIn, done everything for an ATS compliant resume, optimised my LinkedIn and portfolio as much as I can but still crickets.
I am targeting Project/Program Mgmt. and SCM roles so I thought that the market won’t be as saturated as it is for CS folks but this seems ridiculous. I had more success in getting interviews from when I was looking for an internship, so I am not even sure now if my resume is the issue.
Now I’m questioning whether the issue is my resume or something else entirely. Is this kind of situation typical, or am I missing something?
Any advice would be appreciated!
Jobadvisor
That sounds genuinely exhausting and demoralizing — 500 applications over 5 months with almost nothing to show for it is a lot to carry. You're not imagining it, and you're not alone.
The honest answer: yes, it's unfortunately common right now — but your specific situation has some real structural headwinds that explain a lot.
Here's what's likely working against you, beyond just resume quality:
The international student factor is significant. For Project/Program Mgmt and SCM roles, many mid-size companies either can't or won't sponsor visas, and they'll often filter applicants out before a human even sees the resume. You may be hitting that wall silently on a large chunk of your 500 applications. This isn't a resume problem — it's a pipeline problem.
0 YOE + entry-level PM/SCM is genuinely hard. Unlike CS where there are structured new grad pipelines, PM and SCM roles at the entry level are sparse and competitive. Most companies want 1-2 years minimum even for "entry level" posts — it's frustrating and unfair, but it's real.
Volume without targeting has diminishing returns. 500 broad applications often performs worse than 50 very targeted ones. ATS optimization helps you get past bots, but most PM/SCM hiring still involves a human early in the process who's looking for signal, not just keywords.
Some things worth trying that might actually move the needle:
- Focus on companies that explicitly sponsor OPT/STEM OPT. Sites like myvisajobs.com or H1BGrader let you filter for employers with a history of sponsorship. This alone could dramatically improve your conversion rate.
- Target smaller companies and startups. They're more likely to take a chance on a new grad, the hiring process is more human, and a motivated person willing to learn is genuinely valuable to them.
- Shift from applications to conversations. The 50-60 LinkedIn messages are good — but what's the ask? If it's "can you refer me," that's a big ask cold. Try asking for a 15-min informational chat instead, just to learn about their role/company. Referrals that come organically from those conversations convert at a much higher rate.
- Consider adjacent entry points. Roles like Operations Analyst, Supply Chain Analyst, Business Analyst, or even Coordinator titles are often easier to land and are a legitimate stepping stone into PM/SCM. Don't hold out for the exact title if the work is similar.
- Contract/temp roles or internship-to-hire. Some companies use these as low-risk ways to evaluate international candidates before committing to sponsorship.
On your resume specifically — since you're getting some AI screen calls, it's likely not the resume failing you at the ATS stage. The issue is probably earlier (visa filtering) or later (experience expectations). That's actually useful information.
You're clearly putting in the work. The problem isn't effort — it's that the strategy needs to shift from volume to precision. Hang in there.
How to survive work when you just want to be home?
I’m sorry if this isn’t the right page to post this in, but I just need advice (that hopefully isn’t “this is being an adult, get used to it”).
I’m almost 30 and have a very well-paying job in my field that I hold a masters in (public health). Unusually well-paying actually, based on my field and location. It’s decently easy and low stress, I don’t mind the work itself. Really, it should be the perfect job. But I just hate it. I hate being at work in general and have never really liked a job. Even if I’m not busy, I’d rather be at home doing nothing than at work being paid for doing nothing. I just want to be home with my husband and dog. I think I’m also depressed or have some kind of medical issue because I’m just so sleepy all the time and other than hang out with my family, I just want to sleep. I hate getting up early and having to sit at a desk when I could be laying down instead. I take breaks to walk outside or sit in my car and just call my husband and cry because I don’t want to be here. I know a remote job would be better but finding one in general and specifically in my field is so hard right now.
What are some practical tips for surviving? Thank you!
Jobadvisor
This sounds really exhausting — not just the job itself, but the daily emotional weight of dreading a place you spend most of your waking hours. A few thoughts:
First, the medical piece matters a lot. The constant sleepiness, crying, and feeling like you just want to lay down aren't small things. Before optimizing "how to survive work," it's worth ruling out things like thyroid issues, anemia, sleep apnea, or depression — all of which can make a perfectly fine situation feel unbearable. If you haven't already, a basic blood panel with your doctor is a good starting point.
For surviving the day-to-day:
- Anchor your day with something to look forward to. Plan a specific small thing after work — a show, a walk with your dog, a meal — and let yourself mentally "point toward" it during hard moments.
- Reduce the friction of mornings. If early rising is brutal, look at sleep hygiene seriously — consistent bedtime, no screens late, cooler room. Sometimes the dread of work bleeds into poor sleep which makes work worse.
- Create micro-rituals. A specific coffee, a playlist, a short walk at lunch. Predictable small pleasures can make the time feel less like endurance.
- Use your low-stress workload strategically. Since the job isn't demanding, use quiet moments to learn something new remotely, update your resume, or slowly look for remote positions — so you feel like you're moving toward something, not just stuck.
- Limit venting calls during the day. Calling your husband to cry is understandable, but it can actually keep you emotionally activated in a sad/anxious state. A quick "I miss you" check-in is fine; extended distress calls can make re-entering work harder.
The bigger picture: the fact that you've never liked any job is actually important information. It might mean the issue isn't this job specifically — it could be a work style mismatch (you may genuinely be a home-centered, autonomous person), or it could be the depression/health piece coloring everything. Worth exploring both with a therapist if you have access to one.
You're not broken for wanting to be home. That's a very human feeling. The goal is just to make the time away from home a little more livable while you figure out the longer path forward.
Autistic and unemployed in the age of AI. What can I do?
Autistic and in my mid 30s. My ability to hyper-fixate and embrace routine made me a fairly successful salesman for a few years. However, the constant masking, social hangovers and cutthroat nature of commission sales lead to extreme burn out.
Eventually transitioned to WFH tech sales. This was a dream but, sadly, not meant to last. My entire team was laid off in 2023. Career just evaporated. Couldn’t get interviewed for, let alone land a similar job ever again.
My issues connecting with others socially means I have a very small network and it’s tapped out. Most of them recently found work again and aren’t decision makers. Their recommendations meant nothing to management.
Tried going to college as an adult (no prior degree) and transitioning to IT (no real passion for it, just seemed natural after the tech sales gig and is often recommended for people on the spectrum). Yet I feel like I only dug myself into a deeper hole.
Now I have student debt, no degree and cannot get hired in IT because the entry-level market is toast, apparently.
I took some really bad help desk temp stuff to avoid a gap. Unsustainably high stress and low pay. Contract ended and I walked away. Now my resume reflects a pivot to IT but really I’m right back where I started.
Can’t do trades (not built for it, awful back problems) or anything too people-facing anymore (nursing, retail, etc). I can’t continue my education without income (no real aid due to being an “adult learner” with a spouse that earns a living wage). Can’t find a job, let alone one that pays well enough to fund a degree.
Feel like I’m between a sh!t and a fart here, folks. Spoke to every resource under the sun about my resume and interview skills. Made no difference.
Where do I even go from here?
Jobadvisor
This is a brutal intersection of personal burnout and a historically difficult job market. You’re dealing with "The Autistic Unemployment Crisis" (which sits at roughly 85% for adults), but you have a specific, high-value background that—despite how it feels right now—actually makes you a "purple squirrel" in the right context.
You have Sales Experience (Social/Persuasive) + IT Training (Technical/Logical). This combination is rare because most people are either one or the other. In 2026, the "Middle Ground" is where the most resilient jobs live.
Here is a roadmap designed for someone who is tapped out on people-facing work but needs to leverage their existing "Frankenstein" resume.
1. Stop Chasing "Pure" IT or "Pure" Sales
The entry-level IT help desk is currently a meat grinder, and commission sales is a sensory nightmare you’ve already survived once. Don't go back. Instead, look at Technical Operations and Sales Operations (SalesOps).
Sales Operations / CRM Administrator: Companies need people who understand the logic of sales but don't want to do the selling. You know how a salesperson thinks, and you know how a database (like Salesforce or HubSpot) works. This is "Back Office" work. It’s routine, logic-heavy, and usually WFH.
Revenue Operations (RevOps): This is the high-level version of SalesOps. It involves fixing the "plumbing" of a company’s income. It rewards hyper-fixation on data and process.
Technical Writing / Documentation: With 20 years of IT context and sales communication skills, you can explain complex things to non-tech people. It’s a quiet, solitary, and highly stable path.
2. Use the "Neurodiversity Front Door"
Traditional HR portals are built to filter out people like us. However, in 2026, many major corporations have realized that autistic professionals are a competitive advantage in data and systems roles. Do not apply through the "General" career page; apply through their Neurodiversity Hiring Programs.
Microsoft, SAP, JPMorgan Chase, and Dell all have specific hiring tracks for neurodivergent talent.
They bypass the "standard" social-heavy interview and focus on skill-based assessments. Aspiritech & AutonomyWorks: These are organizations that specifically hire autistic adults for high-detail work like QA Testing and Data Management. They understand the "social hangover" and build the work environment around it.
3. The "State Vocational Rehab" Hack (Free Money/Support)
Since you are an adult with a diagnosis and a spouse who works, you might feel "trapped" regarding aid. However, State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies are often overlooked.
What they do: They are government-funded programs designed to help people with disabilities (including Autism) get and keep jobs.
The benefit: They can often pay for specialized certifications, provide a Job Coach who acts as your "social interpreter" with management, and even offer wage subsidies to employers to incentivize hiring you. It is one of the few "adult learner" resources that doesn't care about your spouse's income for many services.
4. Pivot Your Resume to "Systems Logic"
If your resume currently reflects a "pivot to IT," recruiters see you as a "Junior." You aren't a Junior; you're a Systems Expert with 20 years of Business Context.
Rebrand: Instead of "IT Support," use "Technical Solutions Specialist." * The Narrative: "20 years of experience bridging the gap between complex technical infrastructure and business revenue goals."
The "Gap": Don't hide the burnout or the gap. In the neurodiversity hiring world, "taking time to recalibrate professional focus" is a valid and understood phrase.
A Final Thought on Utility
You feel "useless" because the current economy is optimized for "generalists" and "extroverts." But the world is built on the backs of people who can hyper-fixate on a problem until it’s solved. That is your utility.
What is the one specific technical tool or software (from your tech sales or IT days) that you could talk about for four hours straight without getting bored? That is usually where your next career niche is hidden.
Making the 15% rule work for you?
So I read recently about how the way you dress can not only affect your confidence but how likely you are to be considered for promotions or invited to the table for bigger decisions around the office. Apparently the rule is “dress 15% better than your boss." which is kinda weird since dressing better is subjective but you get the idea.
I was ready to laugh it off when I first heard it but after being kind of fed up at work recently for feeling like I’ve been looked over for other coworkers who don’t seem tocare as much as I do I said screw it and gave it a shot. My boss will sometimes bring some game to the office but he’s more often a sneakers with khakis kind of guy. So I started dressing like I owned the place- jackets, ties, cut out the silly socks and startedcolor coordinating. It honestly was a little fun to pretend I was some important big shot. But I swear the boss has been treating me differently after a couple days in.
For example, I used to only ever hear from him in passing in the hall or if he needed to check in on a task I was working on getting in for him. Now, he’ll stop in just to chat sometimes about the kids or something even though I literally am single and just have a cat. Other times he’ll bring me in on some business decision he’s mulling over or complain about one of his own bosses to me. Is this actually working? I know there’ssome openings he’s trying to fill soon and I’m wondering if he’s giving me a soft thumbs up for that right now? Or I’m crazy and spending too much energy on all of this. Anyone else try changing their wardrobe and notice a difference in attention?
Jobadvisor
It sounds like you’ve accidentally stumbled into a masterclass on Enclothed Cognition and Signaling Theory. To answer your big question: No, you aren’t crazy, and yes, it is likely working.
While "15% better" is a bit of a pseudoscience metric, the psychological shift you’re seeing is very real. Here is a breakdown of why your boss is suddenly treating you like a peer (and why he thinks you have kids).
1. The "Thin Slicing" Effect
Humans make snap judgments based on visual data—it’s an evolutionary shortcut. When you dressed like the "khaki and sneakers" crowd, you were visually categorized as "The Help." You were a reliable cog in the machine.
By stepping up your game, you’ve signaled intentionality. Dressing well suggests you have your life together, you pay attention to detail, and you respect the environment enough to put in effort. Your boss isn't just seeing a tie; he's seeing someone who looks like they belong in the room where decisions are made.
2. The Peer Mirroring Trap
The reason he’s complaining to you about his boss or asking about your "kids" is that your clothes are sending a "Senior Management" signal.
The Pro: He now views you as a social peer rather than a subordinate.
The Con: He’s clearly not paying that much attention to your personal life if he's missed the "single with a cat" part. He’s essentially projecting a "stable family man" persona onto you because you look the part.
3. Is the Promotion Real?
Probably. When managers look to fill a role, they often look for "Executive Presence." If you look like a manager, it becomes much easier for him to visualize you in that higher-level role. You’ve removed the "visual friction" of promoting you.
Tips for Making it Sustainable
Since you’ve already started the "Big Shot" momentum, here is how to keep it from backfiring:
Don't Outshine, Just Out-Polish: The "15%" rule is a sweet spot. If you go 50% better (e.g., a three-piece suit when he's in a hoodie), you risk looking like you’re interviewing for a job elsewhere or making him feel insecure.
The "Friday" Test: If you have a casual Friday, don't drop all the way back to sweatpants. Maintain the gap. If he wears a t-shirt, you wear a crisp polo or a button-down.
Correction with Grace: Next time he mentions the kids, just laugh and say, "I think my cat, Barnaby, is the only one I'm chasing around the house right now, but I get the sentiment!" Keep it light so he doesn't feel embarrassed for the mistake.
The Verdict
You aren't spending "too much energy." If a $20 tie and a blazer are getting you invited to decision-making meetings that used to be closed doors, that is a high-yield investment.
The clothes got you the "soft thumbs up," but now you have to back it up with the work. You’ve got the seat at the table—now show him why you should keep it.
How has the rest of the office reacted? Are your coworkers giving you the "why are you so dressed up" side-eye yet?
My employer is changing our schedule soon. I don't understand why.
As the title says, our schedules are being forcibly changed. They've been consistent for YEARS! The whole time I've been here, we've had a 4 day schedule, (I work nights.) 10 hour shifts. My shift started at 6 PM Wednesday and ended on Sunday morning at 4:30. The sister shift was Sunday at 6 PM to Thursday at 4:30 AM. Our schedules are changing to be one shift 4 days a week for 10 hours, and the other shift 3 days a week for 12 hours. I chose the 12 hour shift since it's Friday through Sunday and I need weekdays for doctor's appointments, which would be too overwhelming to fit on one day off. Can anyone help me understand?
Jobadvisor
It sounds like your employer is switching from a pure 4x10 schedule to a split-week hybrid — and there's actually a pretty common reason companies do this.
The math behind it
Your old schedule had both shifts working 4 days × 10 hours = 40 hours/week. The problem is that with two overlapping shifts like that, there are gaps and overlaps in coverage across the week that can be hard to staff efficiently.
The new setup likely combines:
- A 4×10 shift (e.g., Mon–Thu or similar) = 40 hrs/week
- A 3×12 shift (Fri–Sun) = 36 hrs/week
The 3×12 weekend shift covers Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with longer shifts so the company doesn't need a fourth person to cover those days. It's a very common way to ensure 7-day-a-week coverage without paying excessive overtime, especially in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, security, or logistics.
Why companies make this change
- Operational continuity — 7-day coverage with fewer scheduling gaps
- Reduced overlap costs — fewer redundant staff during transition periods between shifts
- Flexibility in staffing — easier to fill weekend slots with a dedicated crew rather than rotating everyone
What this means for you practically
Your Friday–Sunday 3×12 choice is actually a solid pick for your situation. You get your entire Monday–Thursday free for appointments and personal needs, and you work longer but fewer days. The tradeoff is that 12-hour nights are tiring — make sure you're protecting your sleep window carefully across those three days.
One thing worth clarifying with your employer: whether the 3×12 shift is 36 hours (and if that affects your benefits or full-time status), or whether they're paying you for 40 by including some kind of differential or rounding. That's an important detail to pin down.
I realized I don't just get paid for my skills. I get paid to play stupid so my boss feels like a man
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the psychological cost of traditional work, and I am deeply curious about why it feels like we all have to play dumb as fuck just to get a paycheck. It's like an unspoken requirement that you have to shrink yourself down to survive a shift without conflict.
Case in point: I used to work at a sign shop making $22 an hour to do graphic design and build signs. My boss would constantly engineer these situations where he could downplay me just to play himself up. If I was in the back using the saw, he’d literally run back there and act like I was using it incorrectly so he could pretend he was teaching me something. He did this specifically to look productive, intelligent, and "manly" in front of his wife, who also worked there.
So, I played stupid. I’d just swallow it and say, "Oh, I didn't know that. Thank you for telling me." Because ultimately, he was writing the paycheck. If I pushed back and said, "I know what I'm doing, you don't have to tell me," it would have just caused an unnecessary conflict. It would have made him feel stupid, which would make my life a living hell. So I let him play his little game so he could go eat dinner with his family and sleep good at night feeling like a big man, and I just collected my money. What's done is done.
But here's the trap: when you get too good at playing stupid, coworkers start trying to take advantage of you. I had a coworker who assumed I was actually just a dull idiot and tried to walk all over me. When I finally had to drop the mask, show that I knew exactly what was going on, and set a hard boundary, she flipped out. She hated me for it. It was like this "stupid" person suddenly woke up, looked around, and said, "By the way, you can't fuck with me like this." People assume you're being deceptive, when in reality, you're just trying to protect your peace.
As someone who is neurodivergent, I essentially have to walk around like a Sim in public and at work. If you show anything real, people test you, get angry, get jealous, or attack you. So you just build this active camouflage. You pay this massive emotional tax to coddle the fragile egos of the people holding the purse strings.
It’s completely exhausting. Does anyone else feel like they spend half their energy at work just managing the insecurities of the people above them so they don't throw a tantrum?
Jobadvisor
What you're describing has a name in sociology and organizational psychology: emotional labor — and you're doing an advanced, exhausting version of it.
The standard definition (coined by Arlie Hochschild) is managing your feelings to fulfill the emotional requirements of a job. But what you're describing goes a layer deeper — it's not just managing your own emotions, it's actively managing someone else's ego and self-image as a condition of employment. Some researchers call this status management or impression management on behalf of superiors, and it's a real, documented phenomenon, especially in hierarchical workplaces.
Your boss needed an audience for his competence. You were cast in that role without consent, and the unspoken contract was: perform ignorance, or pay a social price. That's not a personality quirk of his — it's a power dynamic that workplaces quietly permit because it keeps people in their lanes.
The trap you identified is genuinely cruel and underappreciated. When you play down consistently, you're not just hiding intelligence — you're training the people around you to expect a specific version of you. So when you enforce a real boundary, it reads as a betrayal of the character they thought you were. You didn't change; their model of you was just always wrong. But you get punished for their mistake.
The neurodivergent layer makes this significantly heavier. A lot of neurodivergent people develop what's called masking — building a socially legible version of themselves to reduce friction with neurotypical environments. What you're describing is masking plus an additional performance layer of feigned incompetence. That's two levels of self-suppression running simultaneously, which is cognitively and emotionally brutal. Research on autistic burnout, for instance, links chronic masking directly to exhaustion and loss of identity over time — not just stress, but an actual erosion of self.
The part that probably stings the most, philosophically, is this: you were right to do what you did. Playing the game was the rational move given the constraints. It's not weakness — it's situational intelligence. But the system that made it the rational move is genuinely unjust, and holding both of those truths at once is hard. You made the smart call inside a stupid system, and the stupid system never had to account for what it cost you.
The question worth sitting with isn't "why do I keep doing this" — it's "what kinds of environments and people are worth my real self, and how do I get into more of those?"
You clearly have a lot of self-awareness. That's not nothing. Most people never even see the game they're playing.