Many job seekers even struggle to get minimum wage jobs because their resume shows they are overqualified.
A college graduate has gone viral after revealing she was rejected for a restaurant server job despite having a bachelor’s degree and previous restaurant experience.The 22-year-old posts on TikTok under the username @lliivvyyyyyyyyyy.
She shared her experience in a video that received more than 200,000 views.“If anyone gets denied a job, just to make themselves feel a little better, I was just denied a service job at a restaurant with a bachelor’s degree, and I’ve actually worked at two restaurants with no experience,” she said.The woman explained that she was trying to move forward in her chosen career but struggled to secure even entry-level work.The job seeker added: “I’m trying to move forward in my career and recruitment jobs won’t hire me.”Her video was linked to hundreds of people who said they faced similar problems despite having professional qualifications.“Oh, you’re overqualified,” one user commented. God forbid someone wants to get a job while pursuing a master’s degree or while taking the necessary steps to pursue their career.Many users suggested that being overqualified might actually hurt applicants’ chances of getting jobs.
This conversation comes at a time when many job seekers say they are resorting to unconventional methods to navigate the difficult job market.In a separate example shared on Reddit, one applicant described using silence as a negotiation strategy after receiving a job offer that fell well below expectations.After hearing the proposed salary, the applicant said nothing for 30 seconds.“This was probably the most annoying half-minute of my career,” the Reddit user wrote.“I sat there staring at my wall and waiting.”The silence eventually prompted the recruiter to reconsider the offer.“Ten minutes later she called me back and gave me an additional $12,000 and a signing bonus. It was as if the money came out of nowhere the minute she stopped talking,” the applicant wrote.Reflecting on the experience, the user added: “It’s a game of chicken, and the person who speaks first usually loses.”
