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By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
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Searching for a job is by no means easy, which is why this musician has spoken out about the difficulties of dealing with constant rejection and feeling so discouraged.
In March 2023, Spencer Bryant, 27, was laid off from her job. Since April, she has secured nine interviews, but no full-time job offers. Although she's tried to keep a positive outlook, that became difficult after suffering yet another setback.
After feeling as though she wasn't getting anywhere with the recruitment and social-media roles she wanted, Bryant started looking at server positions instead. By August, her optimism was waning. She told Newsweek that she felt really defeated and discouraged after the latest interview.
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"The job hunt has been a super-emotionally and mentally taxing experience for me," Bryant said. "I was laid off from my day job earlier this year, and the competitive market has made it incredibly difficult to even land a job interview, let alone find a job.
"I wasn't expecting to feel so emotional, but the weight of the entire experience over the past five months came over me all at once," she added.
While Bryant has struggled to find a job for many months, her experience is a stark contrast to the current U.S. labor market, which still suffers from a vast shortage. Statistics from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce show that there are 9.8 million job openings, as of August 2023, but only 5.9 million unemployed workers.
The Chamber of Commerce says that, even if every unemployed person found work, there would still be around 4 million jobs available.
Millions of people have left the job market in recent years, with much of the decline caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For some people, the need to stay at home for childcare is their primary concern, while many are choosing to acquire new skills or knowledge before returning to work.
At their home in Nashville, Tennessee, Bryant and her friend Haley Gold discussed the grueling interview process and the prospect of facing yet another refusal. In that moment, Bryant said in jest that she was "denied because [she's] too pretty," which helped turn her tears into laughter.
Bryant said: "The original intent for Haley filming me was just to document a moment of my life and to hopefully look back one day and laugh. I had no idea she was even considering posting it to TikTok. That comment was just a joke meant to make me feel better about the situation.
"Living with your best friend of 17 years honestly makes everything better. Haley and I form a pop/rock duo called 76th Street and have been pursuing our dreams of music together since fifth grade," Bryant added. "My heart has always been in our music career and, no matter my employment status, I'm so proud and excited for what's to come."
Since the video of Bryant and Gold reflecting on the perils of searching for a job was posted on their TikTok account (@76thstreetofficial) on August 4, it has gone viral with more than 1.1 million views. Bryant's dejection has connected with many social-media users who find themselves in a similar position, helping the post gain over 57,000 likes and 810 comments.
Bryant said: "The reaction I've received on TikTok has been so incredibly kind. A lot of the comments are people sharing their own experiences and trials in getting rejected from jobs, and just encouraging me not to lose hope.
"At first, I was embarrassed when I saw that Haley had posted such a raw and low moment of me, but seeing how people lifted me up was more than I could've hoped for," she added.
The kindness and support that Bryant received from TikTok users has helped her stay motivated to keep looking. She has managed to secure a role at a sushi restaurant, although she's still on the search for a full-time position.
Among the hundreds of comments that Bryant received, many people offered their moral support, while others shared how they are also without work and hoping for something to come along.
One TikTok user wrote: "Bestie rejection is redirection, your door will open soon."
Another person commented: "Applied for more than 100 jobs, got negative responses and when I was giving up, got a job offer that suits me."
A different comment reads: "Girl, I feel you. The job market is insane right now. They won't hire you if you are overqualified or entry level."
Have you had a workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
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