Nineteen dollars an hour, inventory and shipping for a small distributor. Four months of applying for something better. Then an interview for an operations coordinator role paying twenty-six to twenty-nine — a genuine step up, closer to home.
The first interview was at eleven on a Wednesday. No one could cover the shift, so the day went unpaid: a hundred and fifty-two dollars in wages, plus gas and parking. The conversation went well. The hiring manager asked detailed questions and said the background was strong.
A second interview followed: in person, with two department managers, on a Tuesday at ten. The candidate asked for later in the day, or a video call. The managers, the recruiter explained, only interviewed during business hours. Thursday at one was offered; same problem. Another attempt to swap shifts; nobody could cover. So the candidate thanked the recruiter and declined. The reply was polite: they understood, and would move forward with other candidates.
The maths is the story. A better-paying job is needed because money is tight. But pursuing it costs a day’s wages each time, and there is no way to tell a current employer that three random weekdays are needed to interview somewhere else. They can afford to lose a day occasionally. Not for every company that might or might not hire them.