17 Interviews Later: What the Fuck Is Going On?

I’ve been through 17 fucking interviews in the past few months. Seventeen. And here’s the reality: it’s not just me. The job market right now is messy, confusing, and honestly a little infuriating.

Let’s start with ghost posting. This is when companies put up job listings, schedule interviews, and then… vanish. No feedback. No response. Nothing. They post positions to look active, maybe scout talent, or just because someone told them they “need to hire,” but they never actually intend to fill the role. It’s maddening, exhausting, and a total waste of time for anyone putting in real effort.

Then there are the interviews that go nowhere. You prepare, show up, answer every question, and leave thinking, okay, I nailed this one. And yet, silence. No call. No email. No update. Nothing. You’re left questioning yourself: Was it something I said? Something I didn’t say? But the truth is it’s often not you. It’s the process. The company. Their inability or unwillingness to communicate.

This is why so many people are turning to side gigs and entrepreneurial projects. Rideshare, freelance writing, tutoring, selling products online anything that gives you control over your time and income. Because when employers don’t value your time, your effort, or your skills, why hand over your energy to them for scraps?

And here’s the kicker: being the owner of your own hustle is power.

Robert Kiyosaki says it best in Rich Dad, Poor Dad—the difference between being an employee and being an owner is freedom, leverage, and long-term wealth. When you build something yourself, you’re no longer at the mercy of ghost postings, unanswered emails, or HR indecision.

You set the rules. You reap the rewards. You decide your worth.

So yes, the job market is frustrating. Yes, employers ghost, interviews go nowhere, and $21 an hour might not even cover your bills in this economy. But that’s also a wake-up call: your time, your skills, your education they are valuable. And if the current system doesn’t recognize that?

Build your own. Side gig. Hustle. Small business. Whatever it takes to reclaim your energy and your worth.

Question for you: Have you ever walked into an interview thinking it was your shot, only to be ghosted? How did you respond—and did it push you toward building your own path?