‘If I had a job I wouldn’t be looking’: Man gets rejected by job recruiter because they’re not looking to hire someone who’s unemployed

The job hunt is an exhausting and oftentimes disheartening affair and people fighting their way through the minefield that is today’s job market probably understand that more than most. It’s tough out there, but hearing some of the horror stories on TikTok really show just how much of a circus it is.

It seems like every industry is on a downward trend for the poor employees. One man from the U.K. hoping to find himself some employment is Hubert, and he’s shared his own frustrations with his job hunt on TikTok. In a video posted last month he explains, “I literally just got rejected from a job for being unemployed.” 

He goes on to elaborate, claiming he received a call from a recruiter who had looked at his C.V. and told him everything looked good. He then asked Hubert if he was currently working anywhere at the moment, to which Hubert replied no. Shockingly the recruiter then told him that they were only looking to hire people who were currently employed.

That seems like a somewhat backwards model

This is some truly messed up logic, how are you supposed to get a job if you need a job to get a job? It’s a complete paradox. Sure, some people might be looking to find a new job while still being in their old one but that isn’t the case for most people. This recruiter will be seriously limiting their clientele by doing this, that’s like trying to sell a burger to someone who just ate.

Plus it’s just not giving people who are actively looking for a job a chance and only serves to further discourage people who are seeking employment. One commenter put it best by asking, “Why would you be looking for a job if you was employed?” Another added, “If I had a job I wouldn’t be looking.”

Some did offer explanations as to why the recruiters would take such an approach, one person explained that “They probably want a person who can keep a job and will have a positive feedback from them if needed.” To which Hubert “That’s understandable but then how are people out of work ever meant to show this.”

Hubert has a point. How is anyone supposed to have a chance if this is the attitude recruiters and employers are taking? The job market truly is brutal at the moment and it’s easy to understand why so many young people are growing so frustrated with the way it’s going right now. The only advice is to stick with it and keep trying, don’t let rejection get you down and remember to give yourself a break.