Miles Bradley has been looking for a job since October 2022, when he was laid off from his position as a software engineer at AT&T. He says that during this time he contacted many recruiters – some of them asked him to adapt his CV to better match the advertisement, which he gladly agreed to.
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“I thought, 'Wait a minute, this CV doesn't represent me at all, I won't do it for ethical reasons,'” says Bradley, who is in his 50s and lives in New York.
Bradley is one of dozens of Americans interviewed by Business Insider over the past year who are struggling to find work. In the face of an uncertain economic situation, the first effects of the implementation of generative artificial intelligence and the trend of simplifying organizational structures Employment in the US is currently growing at the slowest pace since 2013. The number of job offers dropped sharply – from over 12 million in 2022 to approximately 7.2 million in August this year.
In a competitive market, some candidates are willing to do almost anything to get hired. Although bending the truth on your CV or during an interview can pay off, it also carries a lot of risk.
Some companies may be waiting for the perfect candidate
Bradley fears that the competitive job market encourages both recruiters and candidates to “embellish” their CVs – and he finds it difficult to compete with embellished applications.
If companies are patient enough, he believes that sooner or later someone will come along with the perfect resume — real or not. And when that happens, Bradley says he can't blame companies for choosing someone who seems like a safe and logical option — even if that person isn't necessarily the best candidate.
— The industry has become addicted to searching for perfect candidates – says. — They want someone who will fit their exact requirements – he adds.
There is evidence that companies are taking longer to fill job vacancies, either because of economic uncertainty or because they want to find the perfect employee. In October 2019, approximately 91 percent job openings from Russell 3000 companies were closed after hiring the right candidate within six months. Of the openings posted in October 2024, less than half were filled within the same period.
While Bradley prefers to be as honest as possible on his resume, he admits he has become more flexible with some details — for example, they may portray certain skills as more critical to their job than they actually were. However, he is careful not to include anything that could distort the image of his competences.
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Dealing with long-term unemployment
In his final days at AT&T, Bradley tried to “go out of his way” by training his successor and making sure his main project was in top shape.
After leaving, he began looking for work, targeting managerial and executive positions in engineering. As the search continued, he also began to consider roles in product management, business analytics, and a he even applied for a job as a barista at Starbucks. Despite hundreds of applications sent, he is still waiting for an offer.
Three years of job searching have taken a toll on his finances, but he says he's lucky to have the support of his partner and family. In addition to financial aid, Bradley says he gets by by becoming a “hyperminimalist.” He used to have several cars, today he drives one, 15-year-old car.
“That means I don't buy anything I don't need,” he says. — I've reduced my life to a few backpacks of things, he adds.
Bradley is among Americans feeling the economic effects of long-term unemployment. While still historically low, the unemployment rate has risen to its highest level since 2021. The percentage of people looking for work for 27 weeks or more rose this year to its highest level since early 2022 and remains close to that level.
Bradley often reminds himself that in the bigger picture, he's lucky.
— I still live in the highest percentage of the world's population – says. – So what exactly do I have to complain about? – he asks rhetorically.
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Bradley says he's resigned to the possibility that his luck on the job market may never change — but he plans to continue looking for a job anyway.
“I love helping companies succeed,” he says. “But if no one wants to hire me, I shrug and move on,” he adds.
The above text is a translation from American edition of Business Insider
