I’ve worked somewhere that they laid of some of the best employees in the department, simply because they were higher seniority and “made too much money” and had to cut costs. There were plenty of better candidates to let go, if the focus had been productivity, but it wasn’t. They just wanted a short-term solution to balance the books.

So a month and so later, I’m still searching and I just feel bitter and jaded, I’m not getting calls back.

The past few months I have put in some applications for jobs I am qualified or slightly over-qualified for, and same thing - 0 calls back. Best I’ve had is a rare rejection email.

They want you to feel heard, and then feel personally responsible for the incessant call volume.