The listing was modest: an IT support specialist role, remote, requiring a high school diploma and no more than two years of experience. Basic troubleshooting, setting up laptops, installing software, routine tickets under close supervision. The pay was better than many comparable roles — twenty-seven to forty-three dollars an hour — which explains some of the interest.
What it does not explain is the number. Sixteen thousand applications in two weeks. More than six hundred in a single day. And according to the platform’s own breakdown, a quarter of the applicants were senior-level professionals.
The person who spotted it was not applying, just watching. They described a market where a job that once signalled a first step now draws a crowd of people with years of experience, all competing for the same entry-level desk. A degree, certifications, the right keywords — none of it changes the ratio. It just makes the queue longer.