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For some, unemployment is just a temporary setback. For others, especially those without financial security, being unemployed can lead to a negative cycle that feels impossible to escape from. 

Even the process of applying and interviewing for jobs can be too financially straining. This is exactly what one unemployed woman is going through, and she’s sharing her situation with others to spread awareness for this underlying problem.

One woman shared her experience of being unemployed and looking for work.

In a recent TikTok video, the woman, who goes by @maestermel82, discussed her discouraging experience of trying to apply for jobs as an unemployed person. She explained that she’s been job hunting for two and a half years and has filled out nearly 4,000 job applications, which have only led to 3 job offers since December 2022. 

Unfortunately, none of them were viable options for her. One was fraudulent, another ghosted her and hired an inexperienced college student instead, and the third was so far from her home that it would’ve cost her more to commute than she would have earned.

And it’s not just upper-level positions that the woman is struggling to get. She’s not even able to land a minimum wage or entry-level job in the meantime. When she asked the manager at her local Trader Joe’s grocery store if they were hiring, she was told, “They have applications backlogged, and they get at least six people that walk in the store every day asking for work.”

With over 18 years of sales management experience and two master’s degrees, the woman never expected to have such a hard time finding a job. She even has eight different resumes at the ready, all keyword optimized and customized for different roles. “Applying for work is a full-time job,” she stated.

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The woman confessed that she, along with many other people, is too poor to afford to apply for jobs.

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The woman also brought up a harsh reality many unemployed people are facing: being too poor to afford to apply for jobs. She called the process “dehumanizing” and “physiologically and psychospiritually exhausting,” particularly for those who have been unemployed for a long time.

What most people don’t realize, according to the woman, is that applying for jobs costs money. She hasn’t had internet service in her home for the last two years because she can’t afford it, thereby forcing her to go to the library or a cafe to use their Wi-Fi hotspots for job hunting. Additionally, the woman said she’s repeatedly had to miss on-site job interviews because she couldn’t afford transportation to get there.

To all those out there currently struggling in the job market, she said, “You are not crazy, it is that bad. People who have not experienced it will gaslight you, they will insult you, they will disrespect you, even people that love you, because they do not get it.”

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The job market has declined significantly in recent years, without much hope for improvement in the near future.

The woman’s story clearly resonated with a lot of people. Many empathized, saying they were dealing with similar situations. One struggling person wrote, “I was rejected for a job because their definition of reliable transportation is you own multiple cars. we own one and one of us works from home. I’m reliable, but too poor for their tastes.”

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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unemployed individuals in the United States is estimated to be around 7.6 million, at a rate of about 4.4%. People with degrees and even years of experience are being turned down for even the most entry-level positions, not to mention the plethora of scams and fake job listings floating around the market.

Understandably, being unemployed can feel hopeless at times. That’s why it’s important to keep your chin up and make sure to maintain your mental health. Continue learning and upskilling in any way you can, whether that be through free online courses or volunteering your time. Engage in hobbies that you enjoy and stick to a healthy routine to help manage the stress. You never know when a breakthrough is just around the corner.

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Kayla Asbach is a writer currently working on her bachelor’s degree at the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.