Pick

I want to pick a recruiter’s brain on their work process for selecting a candidate and the right positioning you want from a candidate. Since April 2025, I have been on the job searching and haven't been unemployed since 2016. I somewhat understand how the job market was before, and now I feel it's impossible. I have learned to navigate the trial-and-error process of finding ways to secure interviews and to present myself. At this point, I am no longer sure what works. I have had a good number of interviews with people ranging from unprofessional to professional, and I have even been ghosted. Sometimes I have to pull teeth to get the recruiter to speak to me. A few recruiters have made me feel very uncomfortable; either they don't take the phone/video screening seriously, or they grill me about how I left a very well-known company. I left due to a very toxic work environment, and unfortunately, I wasn't treated well. My point is that, in interviews, I sometimes pass recruiters or not, or go to the hiring manager and don't pass that one, which is my dilemma. I have tried to align my experience with the job description and demonstrate my knowledge of the company. I present myself with how the position will benefit me in the long term, and I guess that doesn't work. So I need the perspective of a recruiter. What key advice do you recommend? Do you want us to use the organization’s language as described on role? I am just really stuck on all this, and some shed light would be nice.