This Is Uncomfortable Surviving job hunting hell
4 snips
Jan 15, 2026 
Phoebe Gavin, a career coach specializing in job searches, and Rachel Mead-Smith, a writer who chronicled job hunting in her book, dive deep into the emotional turmoil of job hunting. They discuss the degrading worker-employer contract, the myth of ghost jobs, and the misrepresentation of labor market stats. Phoebe offers tactical advice while emphasizing the importance of identity beyond work. They also explore building community during job searches, setting boundaries with loved ones, and reframing rejection as part of the journey.
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Broken Employer-Worker Contract
- The worker-employer contract has degraded over decades, leaving candidates feeling disposable.
- Rachel Meade Smith says declining unions and easy replaceability fuel inhuman hiring dynamics.
Numbers Hide Job-Search Reality
- Metrics like unemployment miss the lived experience of job hunting and shrinking listings.
- Rachel Meade Smith notes fewer listings plus more applicants creates more silence and rejection.
Audit Your Job Search
- Audit your job search across identity, emotion, and tactics to find where you have agency.
- Phoebe Gavin recommends outside help to spot misdiagnoses and improve weak stages like interviewing.
