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I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market.

Posted by Carl Spackler <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Carl+Spackler' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 7:28:26

I keep seeing that it’s rough out there for those looking for jobs, but my team has been searching to fill 2 jobs now for 6 months and can’t find anyone. One of which is a fairly standard role within organizations like mine.

I’ve talked to a couple of other people recently who have had similar experiences filling roles.

What are you guys/gals seeing out there?

As an aside, my old employer just posted my job again

Posted by TarheelIllini <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=TarheelIllini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 21:22:25, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

14 months after we split

Recrudescence

I'm looking and have applied to probably around 20 jobs that definitely fit my extensive skillset

Posted by Taz <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Taz' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 19:23:42, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

No replies yet.

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Sometimes you just need to yeet a bobcat *

Being an Illini fan is a goddamn curse.*

I'm really not looking forward to it. *

Posted by doubledown <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=doubledown' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 16:00:22, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

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april marked 9 months of looking for me. i started a temp job this week that might turn perm

Posted by torinese <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=torinese' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 15:20:43, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

i thought i had a job a few weeks ago, but then got ghosted by the company for 3 weeks. final interview was with CFO, who apparently didn't like me and killed an offer that everyone else wanted to extend (as was told to me by HR apologizing for the delay.)

i see roles out there, but either there's so many relatively equals looking or hiring managers are looking for the perfect fit. i hear anecdotes of AI and ATS dismissing good applicants because they don't check every box. if true, i'm definitely getting cut by a bot.

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It's extraordinarily depressing to hear stories like this. In my mind, the only way to get a job

Posted by ATL <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=ATL' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 15:25:03, in reply to "april marked 9 months of looking for me. i started a temp job this week that might turn perm"

these days is by networking.

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“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

Have to be a perfect fit at the right time... takes a stroke of luck to land an "adult" job.

Posted by uofi1998 <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=uofi1998' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 15:58:08, in reply to "It's extraordinarily depressing to hear stories like this. In my mind, the only way to get a job "

It's hard enough just to get past the AI overlords that bong candidates before they get a shot.

That said, I was approached for a different CGO gig about 2 months ago because I pitched myself to all of the biggest headhunting firms (Russell Reynolds, et al.) about 8 months ago, and it put me on the list for a position based in Dallas... and that part was a deal killer for me.

So... anyway... pitch yourself to the biggest headhunting firms... better than nothing.

Are you going to bark all day, little doggie? Or are you going to bite?

i'll add my friends, family, and even loose connections have been GREAT trying to help me. but the

Posted by torinese <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=torinese' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 15:37:10, in reply to "It's extraordinarily depressing to hear stories like this. In my mind, the only way to get a job "

people they hook me up with were like 90% non-responsive. i don't know if people are getting hammered with these types of intros or what.

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these days is by networking.

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additional post: Friends son just graduated with a journalism degree

Posted by TarheelIllini <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=TarheelIllini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 12:13:30, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

he's managing a Chipotle because there are no jobs for new writers (d'uh)

Recrudescence

They can go into corporate communications. AI is gonna eat some of those jobs...

Posted by tvillini <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=tvillini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 14:26:05, in reply to "additional post: Friends son just graduated with a journalism degree"

...but people still need to talk to people.

How do you get a journalism major off of your front porch?

Posted by Sounder <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Sounder' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 13:26:43, in reply to "additional post: Friends son just graduated with a journalism degree"

You pay for the pizza.

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he's managing a Chipotle because there are no jobs for new writers (d'uh)

Yeah he's fucked.*

Posted by Warrin'_Illini $<iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Warrin\'_Illini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'>$ on April 14, 2026, 13:26:03, in reply to "additional post: Friends son just graduated with a journalism degree"

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he's managing a Chipotle because there are no jobs for new writers (d'uh)

You cannot lose games in the NFL and still win.

That’s what I think too, but can’t say it*

Posted by TarheelIllini <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=TarheelIllini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 13:49:43, in reply to "Yeah he's fucked.*"

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he's managing a Chipotle because there are no jobs for new writers (d'uh)

Recrudescence

We need to have a discussion about employment options when AI takes all the email jobs.

Posted by Warrin'_Illini $<iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Warrin\'_Illini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'>$ on April 14, 2026, 13:56:50, in reply to "That’s what I think too, but can’t say it*"

Park Ranger in Lake Tahoe? We need to make a list.

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he's managing a Chipotle because there are no jobs for new writers (d'uh)

You cannot lose games in the NFL and still win.

Son’s firm has difficulty recruiting talent to Pittsburgh

Posted by Potomac <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Potomac' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 11:41:47, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

It’s a good city with a good cost of living.

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I'd absolutely recommend a young grad to move to Pittsburgh. Lots of stuff going on and cheap.

Posted by ATL <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=ATL' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 12:16:20, in reply to "Son’s firm has difficulty recruiting talent to Pittsburgh "

And ranked highly on various lists for young professionals

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/search/best-cities-for-young-professionals/

“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

Many employees had a regional tie, or academic @ CMU, etc*

Posted by Potomac <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Potomac' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 14:39:59, in reply to "I'd absolutely recommend a young grad to move to Pittsburgh. Lots of stuff going on and cheap."

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And ranked highly on various lists for young professionals

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/search/best-cities-for-young-professionals/

Same—had a buddy move there from DC back in the late 90’s. Was crazy how cheap it was comparatively

Posted by DT <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=DT' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 13:25:21, in reply to "I'd absolutely recommend a young grad to move to Pittsburgh. Lots of stuff going on and cheap."

And it’s a perfectly cromulent city. Pretty environment, stuff to do. Seemed like a great place to live if you want to be in a city and aren’t a millionaire.

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And ranked highly on various lists for young professionals

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/search/best-cities-for-young-professionals/

I must be night and day compared to the '90s. We felt it changing (for the better) from '09-'22

Posted by ATL <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=ATL' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 13:31:49, in reply to "Same—had a buddy move there from DC back in the late 90’s. Was crazy how cheap it was comparatively "

when we were there. Just so much more stuff for young people to do came online during that time.

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And it’s a perfectly cromulent city. Pretty environment, stuff to do. Seemed like a great place to live if you want to be in a city and aren’t a millionaire.

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And ranked highly on various lists for young professionals

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/search/best-cities-for-young-professionals/

“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

Pittsburgh and Philly are awesome places to live*

Posted by Sounder <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Sounder' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 13:56:41, in reply to "I must be night and day compared to the '90s. We felt it changing (for the better) from '09-'22"

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when we were there. Just so much more stuff for young people to do came online during that time.

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And it’s a perfectly cromulent city. Pretty environment, stuff to do. Seemed like a great place to live if you want to be in a city and aren’t a millionaire.

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And ranked highly on various lists for young professionals

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/search/best-cities-for-young-professionals/

And it switched from a dirty industrial city

Posted by TarheelIllini <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=TarheelIllini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 13:51:34, in reply to "I must be night and day compared to the '90s. We felt it changing (for the better) from '09-'22"

To a hip, cleaner less industrial city. What would you say is the core business there now?

Recrudescence

it's a fun city, I have a friend who's oldest son is raising a family there

Posted by TarheelIllini <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=TarheelIllini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 12:15:54, in reply to "Son’s firm has difficulty recruiting talent to Pittsburgh "

the son's wife is originally from PGH, so it was easy for him to relocate there.

Recrudescence

Been at my job for 7 years. Our department is having a lot of turnover

Posted by DanSaint <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=DanSaint' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 11:30:42, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

A couple retirements and a couple promotions to other departments in the bank.

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5 years of at least kicking tires... very little real action.

Posted by uofi1998 <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=uofi1998' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 11:23:16, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

I think our age range is particularly fucked for voluntary moves unless you're recruited for a specific role.

I'm pretty content, but have also wanted a new challenge, and nearly left for a CDO role a few years ago... kind of regretting not making that move...

But, back to the initial question, all of these job websites eliminate people before they ever get a chance to talk to a real person - especially if your salary number is higher than the posted range - so... tough sledding.

Are you going to bark all day, little doggie? Or are you going to bite?

I switched jobs 6 months ago

Posted by snipes824 <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=snipes824' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 11:21:08, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

I was applying to a bunch of places without a connection or in. I did land a couple interviews that way. I think 3. Got a couple second rounds. But that was a tough slog given how many applications I sent.

The one I landed was because an internal recruiter at a company similar to where I was reached out a few months prior before I was really ready to look. So I shot her a note asking if they still had anything, and they did. So the job I got was through a semi-connection kind of.

So yeah, I think applying into the abyss isn’t impossible, but it’s tough. Gotta try to use connections any way you can, even if they’re kind of tenuous.

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My experience hiring has been that there are two totally different job markets

Posted by Desert <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Desert' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 10:23:27, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

(1) When needing to hire somebody to fill a role that takes some level of specialized expertise, you have a low supply of qualified applicants, and so applicants have tons of power to choose the right fit for them.

(2) When needing to hire a junior-level position or one that doesn't require specialized skill (like admins, project managers, etc.), you have an extremely high supply of qualified applicants, and so an individual applicant has a really hard time getting hired.

Also...without an internal rec I don't think you get talked to at all. *

Posted by haighter <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=haighter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 10:24:14, in reply to "My experience hiring has been that there are two totally different job markets"

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Is your company filting out applicants before they ever get to you...and filtering the wrong ones? *

Posted by haighter <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=haighter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 10:15:19, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

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I doubt it. We’re past the applicant stage, now almost exclusively reaching out to people*

Posted by Carl Spackler <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Carl+Spackler' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 11:14:34, in reply to "Is your company filting out applicants before they ever get to you...and filtering the wrong ones? *"

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I'm hiring now, similar job in a different department had ~100 applicants this winter, used to get

Posted by ijustkrushalot <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=ijustkrushalot' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:55:11, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

like 15-20, maybe, during the mid/late 10's.

It’s a jungle out there

Posted by bbonb <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=bbonb' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:44:42, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

hope that helps

i'm on a search committee for a senior admin position and we had 50 applications

Posted by lcubed <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=lcubed' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:33:28, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

one general comment is that i am amazed at the lack of attention to detail in what the job posting requires and what applicants submit, e.g. not including references when it states that they should be submitted when applying for full consideration

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References can be hard -- because you can't really ask your current coworkers*

Posted by Quiz <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Quiz' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 15, 2026, 19:34:56, in reply to "i'm on a search committee for a senior admin position and we had 50 applications"

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I hired someone a few months ago for an administrative/operations position

Posted by biclops <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=biclops' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:22:36, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

It was a shitshow. Hundreds of applicants, most of which had backgrounds completely unrelated to the position.

Only a half dozen were worth a damn. Got there in the end but we had to wade through a sea of crap.

I'm so ashamed of the lie I'm living
Right on the wrong side of it all

Yeah this is our experience. # of candidates =\ quality of pool*

Posted by Carl Spackler <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Carl+Spackler' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:49:21, in reply to "I hired someone a few months ago for an administrative/operations position "

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We have a couple of open positions...

Posted by EffinIllini <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=EffinIllini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:14:35, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

Without much interest.

Project manager position has been open for some time, mechanical engineer position just opened. I have not seen either listing, but knowing the incompetency of our HR person could see that being an issue.

Have heard second hand that the project manager position is listed as mostly (80%?) remote and have had a couple of candidates from Hawaii and Arizona, but otherwise not much. Also, likely class 3 medical device experience.

The mechanical engineer position just came open. It'll be onsite and my guess is it'll be a lowball pay. I think they had one interview.

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I searched hard from Feb-Oct, 2025

Posted by TarheelIllini <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=TarheelIllini' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:07:43, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

couldn't land a job and the field really dried up after that...so I sort of slid into retirement. I'd still like to work, but the work I want to do isn't hiring

Recrudescence

Similar. I applied to around 300 openings from Feb-Oct 2025. Got two interviews.

Posted by DT <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=DT' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:17:36, in reply to "I searched hard from Feb-Oct, 2025"

And I was qualified or overqualified for 75+% of them, and the remainder were all perfectly reasonable pivots to a related position. I’m not really sure where the disconnect was; I followed all the rules you see about resumes and had multiple people review and help with it, so I don’t think that was the problem.

More recently am on the other side of the fence, and it’s mixed. Just had a more senior role and didn’t have a super strong applicant pool, I think because we don’t pay competitively.

But just posted a more junior role and we got a lot of folks that look overqualified to me, on paper at least.

We haven’t been spammed with massive numbers of applicants, I’m guessing because we use our own application portal that is kind of old and crappy, so probably not as amenable for bot-based shotgun applications.

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couldn't land a job and the field really dried up after that...so I sort of slid into retirement. I'd still like to work, but the work I want to do isn't hiring

We had two positions posted - over 700 applicants

Posted by ISeeDeadHawkeyes <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=ISeeDeadHawkeyes' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 7:56:21, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

This after practically having to beg people to apply about 3 years ago.

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We recently advertised a remote, technical, field based job and were overwhelmed with applicants

Posted by opey8 <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=opey8' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 7:36:50, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

Something like 135 when the last time we advertised we got fewer than 20. Could also be industry specific, it's lean out there in my industry.

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Are they good applicants? We get a lot of applicants, but there’s gotta be bots out there.

Posted by Carl Spackler <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Carl+Spackler' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 7:43:01, in reply to "We recently advertised a remote, technical, field based job and were overwhelmed with applicants"

9/10s of our applicants are like IT people that seem to have gamed this so they apply to every job in the universe.

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Something like 135 when the last time we advertised we got fewer than 20. Could also be industry specific, it's lean out there in my industry.

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We had a bunch of good applicants. Again, maybe industry realted?

Posted by opey8 <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=opey8' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:50:31, in reply to "Are they good applicants? We get a lot of applicants, but there’s gotta be bots out there."

I work in ag and this was a remote, technical position to support field operations. There were multiple applicants I've known for 20+ years and would hire in a heart beat. I didn't see all of them, but can imagine at least 50 were more than capable of doing the job.

There are a number of openings in my field, both locally and nationally,

Posted by ghost_of_clt <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=ghost_of_clt' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 7:35:56, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

Because the companies are wanting/recruiting more experienced people (10+ yrs overall and 5+ in our discipline) but not paying for it.

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N U D E S I N B I O

Money is definitely not the issue for us. Location might be, even though in a major metro.

Posted by Carl Spackler <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Carl+Spackler' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 7:45:03, in reply to "There are a number of openings in my field, both locally and nationally,"

Lots of people still looking for fully remote or unwilling to relocate.

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Because the companies are wanting/recruiting more experienced people (10+ yrs overall and 5+ in our discipline) but not paying for it.

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We've had several positions open up here recently and I'm interviewing four candidates for

Posted by ATL <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=ATL' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 7:34:48, in reply to "I’m interested in people’s recent interactions with the job market."

one of them in the next week. It seems like the job market is spotty and people may have gotten used to the red hot market in 2021-22.

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“We are old and tired and just want to be taken care of.” - Republican voter, Dec. 2024.

How much does posting all day on internet message boards pay?*

Posted by Stu <iframe src='https://mb.boardhost.com/TheDeuce/info/user=Stu' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on April 14, 2026, 8:58:36, in reply to "We've had several positions open up here recently and I'm interviewing four candidates for "

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one of them in the next week. It seems like the job market is spotty and people may have gotten used to the red hot market in 2021-22.

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Chicken Little poster child

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