10+ Job candidates who were stunned by their interview experiences: 'Been stood up on Zoom interviews twice... they both ghosted'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jan 23, 2026 11:00 AM EST

Interviewing for jobs is a lengthy endeavor these days, entailing endless calls, emails, and interviews, and frankly, people are tired of it. 

Can we talk about the absolute state of job applications and interview processes these days? As if being poor and desperate for work wasn't already stressful, the hiring game really does feel like an actual game these days. Employers gleefully toy with our emotions — why come in for 2 interviews when you could come in for 5? Why send in 1 sample of your work when you could spend hours working on a whole slide deck? Matter of fact, why don't you come in for another interview — just kidding, you're getting ghosted. 

Instead of earning yourself a spot in an organization through meritocratic means, applicants now feel they have to beg, steal, or borrow their way into a job. What do I mean by that? Well, you'll have much better chances of getting a job if you're a nepo-hire, the ever-present force behind much of the workplace hiring. Or perhaps you have to lie your way into a job (which one person admitted to!), and can you even blame people? If they're asking for an insane amount of experience, and you know you can do that task with like, 3 years of experience, I mean… lie if you think you can get away with it. Because what do you have to lose? What difference does a single job app make when you've gone through 200? 

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  • 01
    Woman with short hair sits at desk and reads book, to her right a young man in suit talks on phone, to his right a woman in black business attire with red hair and glasses looks at phone
    via Eduardo Ramos For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    Here's the person who started off the conversation

    Southern Dan @StolenDans It's difficult to explain to anyone over 40 but applying for jobs is kind of a waste of time.
    via @StolenDans

    Their post quickly got more than 2.3 million views, with tons of people quote-tweeting them to share their own unbelievable stories of the job market right now. Ready for these? 

  • 03

    6 months is the new decade!

    Christopher Martin... @ChrisMartin1961 I had an opening in my clinic. One applicant had NINE jobs in FOUR years. He came to the interview and expressed a desire to commit to a job "long term." When asked about this he said, "I can see me here for a YEAR.” A YEAR is "long term" for young people today.
    via @ChrisMartin1961
  • 04

    That's crazy

    Spectra @spectraimsim last fall I got interviewed for a very prestigious museum job, they missed our initial meeting, then proceeded to give me five separate deadlines for their decision date, all of which completely blew past lol
    via @spectraimsim
  • 05

    Every time a baby boomer says this, an angel gains their wings

    > felix > @visceralangelic my family tells me pretty much everyday to "walk in and bring your resume" and don't believe me when i say that will change nothing
    via @visceralangelic

    I'm sorry, I'm being a little stinker toward the boomers. They had it so much easier than we do! Don't be mad, boomers, it's just no longer the way of the world, we promise. 

  • 06

    Pardon?

    _§ñīPēr @_thapelo07 Intern formation My Experience Application Questions 1 of 2 Que a required fiela erience quires you to list My Experien minimum of 7 years of our employment hist less than 7 yea, of work experior, please list all unpaid or volunteer work. any gaps in employment six (6) mo W
    via @_thapelo07

    The concept of an 11-year-old starting preparations to become an intern in 7 years…

    Tapping Head GIFs | Tenor
  • 07

    Getting ghosted for a job interview is crazy work, pun intended

    AMERICA IS... @plushrotten I have now been stood up on Zoom interviews twice in a row. The first one scheduled it and sent the link and just never showed. The second one scheduled the interview and said they'd send the link later and didn't. Then they both ghosted. Its bad out there.
    via @plushrotten

    That's so immature for a corporation to act that way! 

  • 08

    That's 11 more steps than we're willing to do

    CHURCH ... @IamJWIL Once saw a job that said there's 12 steps to get hired... II| GIF
    via @IamJWiL
  • 09

    3 rounds for *seasonal part-time*? Please... spare the (potential) employees from this undue burden

    Joan Midion @wooddetective I had to do 3 rounds of interview including an hour+ assessment/trial run for a seasonal, part-time job.
    via @wooddetective
  • 10

    This is a great point --- sometimes you're basically hired on the spot just because of who you know

    Spaceman @astro_nomi... Every job I've had since I was 20 was through networking. The application has always been a formality.
    via @astro_nominally
  • 11

    This person has a great point --- network as much as you possibly can

    Tristan @AyoTristan The job application system has cannibalized itself; everyone using screening bots and Al generated resumes and they're sussing each other out Networking and referrals have never mattered more.
    via @AyoTristan

    Networking gets a bad rap, but it really doesn't have to be a big pain. It's as easy as being inquisitive whenever you meet people. Leave them with a good impression, and you never know when a well-timed email could work out in your favor. 

  • 12

    This seems to be the norm these days

    Bby Wambsgans @FabianSympin It took me sending off 200+ applications over the course of 4 months before I finally found work again. Of those 200+, I had maybe 15 interviews, of those 15 I had 3 second round interviews.
    via @FabianSympin

    So sorry for this person's experience though, it's just tons of hours grinding away for such low-quality results. 

  • 13

    Ever get the sinking feeling mid-interview that the company will hire anyone for the role?

    Horrid Handle @horridhandle Every job I've gotten in the past decade or so has been either luck or seeming desperation on the company's behalf.
    via @horridhandle

    Literally anyone? And then you still take the job, even with that pit in your stomach, because you need the money? Many such cases, unfortunately. 

  • 14

    Talk about "waste of time"

    xxviolettecxx @xxviolettecxx I remember in high school, I was in a program that would help seniors get jobs, and they gave me a paper application for TJ Maxx. I filled out the application and took it up there only to find out they don't accept paper applications anymore Tôi Tôi Tôi Tôi Tôi
    via @xxviolettecxx
  • 15

    "Nobody's gonna know"

    +♡. Bun @Usagibunn_ Guys, I think you need to start lying more on your resumes
    via @Usagibunn_

    "Nobody's gonna know." "They're gonna know." "How would they know?"

  • 16
    Woman in tan shirt and business attire shakes hands with man across from her in gray sweater, with several business professionals surrounding them working on laptops and notepads
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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hiring workplace job interview twitter discourse job application
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