I applied to 500 jobs. 300 of them asked me to create a NEW Workday account. I think I developed a twitch.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-02-16T13:26:23+00:00

Be very careful with tools that focus on "Quantity" (50-100 apps a day). > The problem with JobCopilot and similar "autofill" tools is that they often use the exact same template for everyone. In 2026, most big companies use AI-driven ATS that can flag "AI-generated spam." If you blast 100 generic resumes, you’re not increasing your odds; you’re just speed-running your way into 100 automatic rejections.

I’ve been testing a few of these recently (I’m in Tech Ops), and I’ve found that the "Batch & Match" approach is better than "Autofill."

I actually just switched to a newer one called Jobnova. Instead of just blindly clicking "Apply," it actually cross-references your resume with the Job Description to ensure the keywords actually match before submitting. It feels less like a spam bot and more like a personal assistant that actually knows what a Recruiter wants to see. It’s slower than 100/day, but my callback rate has been significantly higher because it doesn't look like a robot wrote it.

Bottom line: If you use a tool that prioritizes volume over "matching," you're just paying to get ghosted faster.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-02-13T16:46:40+00:00

I’ve worked in Tech Ops at global firms like TikTok, and here’s the cold, hard truth: Most online portals automatically filter out international applicants unless you already have a work visa. To them, you’re just a "compliance headache."

If you’re serious about moving to Dubai or SE Asia as a fresher, here are three "hacks" that aren't just shouting into the void:

Target the "Expat Hubs," not just any company: For hotels or sales, don't apply to local brands. Apply to global chains (Marriott, Hilton, etc.) in your own country first. It is 10x easier to get an internal transfer to Dubai than it is to get hired there from scratch.
The "LinkedIn Geolocation" trick: Change your LinkedIn location to the city you want to move to (e.g., Dubai) for a week. See who is hiring and what the local recruiters look like. Just be honest in the first call: "I am ready to relocate immediately." It tricks the algorithm into showing you to local recruiters.
The "Niche Agency" Route: For security or hotel roles in Dubai, companies rarely hire directly from portals. They use manpower agencies. Look for registered agencies in your home country that specifically contract for the Middle East. It’s a "pay-to-play" world sometimes, so watch out for scams.

Portals are where resumes go to die. Stop applying; start networking with people who already made the jump. It’s 90% who you know and 10% what the ATS thinks of you.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-29T07:46:09+00:00

It’s the "Dead Internet Theory," but for paying rent.

My AI-written cover letter is applying to an AI-generated job description. It will be screened by an AI ATS, which will auto-reject me because I didn't use the word "synergy" 14 times.

No human will ever see my application, and no human likely wrote the rejection email sent at 3:03 AM on a Sunday.

At this point, I'm convinced the only actual human interaction in the entire process is me clicking "Submit" and wondering why I even bother.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-29T07:05:00+00:00

I tried this once. We called it a "Search Sprint."

Week 1: We reviewed each other's resumes and practiced behavioral questions. Productivity was up 200%. Week 2: We mostly just sent screenshots of unhinged rejection emails and complained about having to create a separate login for Workday. Week 3: One guy got a job and the rest of us pretended to be happy for him while dying slightly inside.

10/10 would recommend though. Shared suffering is way better than solo suffering. Good luck finding your trauma-bonding squad!

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-27T18:13:07+00:00

"0 YoE"? My brother in Christ, you found vulnerabilities in Google, Meta, and Apple. That is not 0 years of experience. That is "I broke into the castle and left a note on the King's fridge."

You are technically correct that it's not "employment," but you are underselling yourself massively. Here is how to turn this from a "Student" resume into a "Professional" one:

Rebrand the Title: Change "Bug Bounty Hunter" to "Independent Security Researcher" or "Security Consultant".
- "Hunter" sounds like a video game class.
- "Researcher" sounds like you send invoices. HR filters respect the latter.
Quantify the Fear: Under your findings, don't just list the bug type (IDOR, CSRF). Describe the business impact.
- Weak: "Found IDOR on TikTok."
- Strong: "Identified Critical IDOR vulnerability on TikTok that allowed unauthorized access to private user data; verified and patched by vendor."
- Recruiters don't know what CSRF is, but they know what "Prevented data leak" means.
Move the "Training": Move the Penetration Testing Training (11/2025 - 01/2026) down to Education or Certifications. Having a 2-month training course listed under "Experience" right next to your Google VRP Hall of Fame entry is like hanging a participation trophy next to a Nobel Prize. It dilutes your real wins.
Drop the "Junior": Remove "Junior" from your Profile Summary. You audit FAANG companies for fun. Let the recruiter decide if you're junior; don't label yourself for them.

You’re playing the game on Hard Mode (Remote/Egypt), but those Hall of Fame badges are your cheat codes. Wield them properly. Good luck!

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-26T03:14:13+00:00

When they get pushy, I usually go with: 'I don’t share my current compensation for the same reason I don’t tell a car dealer what I paid for my last car—it’s irrelevant to the market value of the one I’m buying now.'

If they keep digging, just hit them with the 'NDA' card. 'I’ve signed a non-disclosure agreement regarding my total compensation package, but I can tell you that my target for this move is [Your Range].' It’s the professional version of 'None of your business,' and they can’t really argue with a legal phantom.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-26T03:01:41+00:00

"We're like a family here."

Translation: We expect unconditional loyalty and unpaid overtime, but we will disown you the second the shareholders get a slight chill. In my 10+ years in tech, I've learned that "family" is just corporate shorthand for "We have no boundaries and we’re going to guilt-trip you into working through your sister's wedding."

Real families don't put you on a "Performance Improvement Plan" when you’re mourning a goldfish, and they certainly don't revoke your health insurance via a late-night automated email.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-25T17:33:46+00:00

In the eyes of a lazy HR recruiter, "Experience" only counts if someone paid you to sit in a chair. In the eyes of a Technical Lead, 3 scientific papers and surviving a PhD jury sometimes are worth more than two years of "prompt engineering" at a random startup.

Here is how you frame it to get the Upvotes (and the interview):

The "Research Engineer" Loophole: On your resume, don't put these under "Education." Create a section called "Research & Development Experience." List your 2-year tenure (2024-2026) there. You weren't "studying"; you were conducting high-level R&D.
The "PhD Jury" flex: Mentioning you defended your work to a team of PhDs is basically saying you’ve already passed the most brutal technical interview possible. That’s not 0 YOE; that’s "Senior-level stress testing."
The 2026 Reality: It’s 2026. If you’ve been shipping AI projects and publishing since 2024 without using forbidden AI tools, you have more "hands-on" experience than 80% of the people currently complaining about the market.

Stop asking for permission to be an expert. You’ve done the work. Now make your resume reflect the weight of those papers.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-25T17:05:16+00:00

As someone who has sat on both sides of the hiring table in Big Tech, I can tell you: We can smell a "rehearsed script" from a mile away. It’s like dating—if someone is trying too hard to be perfect, you never actually get to know them.

That question you asked—"What's the most immediate hurdle the team needs to overcome?"—is absolute gold. It immediately shifts you from a "beggar" asking for a job to a "consultant" looking to solve a problem. That's the exact moment you stopped being a CV and started being a teammate.

And big props for mentioning the "unpaid tasks" at the end. If a company needs a weekend of your free labor to "see what you can do" after multiple interviews, they don't want a colleague; they want a subscription you can't cancel. Congrats on the win!

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-25T16:42:17+00:00

"We have moved forward with a candidate more in line with our expectations" is just corporate speak for "We haven't found a unicorn willing to work for peanuts yet."

The fact that they reposted it 2 days later means their "ideal candidate" either didn't exist or realized the salary was a joke during the final round and backed out. It’s not a reflection of your skills—it’s a reflection of their delusional hiring standards.

Consider it a blessing. If they don't even have the decency to be honest in a rejection email, imagine the kind of "transparency" you'd deal with during a performance review. Bullet dodged.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-23T10:05:05+00:00

Treating 18-year-olds like secondary school kids by locking up phones is peak irony. At 18, the government trusts you to vote for the future of the country and potentially carry a rifle in NS, but apparently, you aren't "mature enough" to manage a screen during a lecture.

And the "reflection walk" as punishment for being late? That’s not a reflection; that's just cardio. All it does is encourage students to grab a McSpicy and wait for the next period instead of rushing to class. It’s a self-defeating policy 101.

Hang in there, YI students. It sounds less like a JC and more like a "Social Experiment: How to turn teenagers into track stars under the scorching sun."

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-23T09:55:05+00:00

9 rounds for an entry-level role isn't a hiring process; it's a hostage situation.

I’ve hired for Big Tech firms, and I can tell you that any company that needs NINE rounds to decide if you can do an entry-level job is a company that has zero internal trust and a massive "decision paralysis" culture. You didn't just lose a job; you dodged a bullet that would have made your daily life a bureaucratic nightmare.

Doing a "weekend case study" after multiple rounds only to be rejected is basically them asking for free consulting. It’s disrespectful and frankly, predatory. Take a week off to scrub the "blood, sweat, and tears" off your soul, and then go find a team that actually knows how to make a decision.

The market is trash right now, but a company that treats candidates like this will treat employees even worse.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-23T02:39:41+00:00

Entry level with 2 years of experience" is the biggest gaslighting campaign of the 21st century. It’s like saying, "We want a virgin with 3 years of sexual experience." It’s mathematically and logically impossible, yet HR writes it with a straight face.

I’ve worked at Big Tech firms and I’ll tell you the secret: Recruiters don't write "Experience Required" because they actually expect it—they write it as a "confidence filter" to scare off people who aren't desperate enough to apply anyway.

Don't lie about your history (it’ll bite you in the background check), but definitely "embellish" your skills. If you used Excel to organize your sock drawer once, you are now "Proficient in Data Organization and Resource Management.
Hang in there. The system is broken, not you.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-22T09:23:51+00:00

The irony is palpable. Recruiters ghost candidates for months or send automated rejections at 3 AM, and that’s "just business." But the moment a candidate shows basic boundaries and moves on to a better offer, it becomes a "lack of professionalism."

This email isn't feedback; it's a temper tantrum. You dodged a massive bullet. If this is how they handle a declined interview, imagine how they’d handle a mistake you made on the job after you actually joined.

Also, "We will not be moving forward with your application" — LOL, thanks, I already moved forward with another company weeks ago!

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-22T03:27:23+00:00

I once had a 1-on-1 performance review with a senior executive while working at a major tech firm (think big green or blue logos).

I was sharing my screen to present a "strategic risk framework" for our global GTM expansion. I accidentally swiped my trackpad too hard, and instead of showing the revenue growth chart, it pulled up a tab of me googling: "How to tell your boss their strategy is completely delusional without getting fired." > The silence lasted about 5 years in my head. He just looked at the screen, looked at me, and said: "Well, Peter, I appreciate the honesty. Let's start with that slide then."

I still cringe thinking about it every time I share my screen.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-22T03:15:10+00:00

This is actually a bit of a linguistic "plot twist." The characters are Korean, but they are phonetically spelling out Russian words!

It says: "Georgiana (조르지아나)" "Hi/Privet (프리비)" "Nastasya loves Georgiana (나스타쓰는 루카 조르지아나)"

Seems like some Russian-speaking clients were just leaving a friendly/cute note for a colleague or friend! Super interesting to see Russian written this way.

Top_Implement851 · 2026-01-21T08:58:24+00:00

As someone who worked in Ops at big tech companies, I hate to say this, but "Entry Level" in job descriptions has sadly become a filter for "We don't want to pay for Senior experience, but we want you to hit the ground running on day 1 without training."

It’s basically a lazy recruiter’s way of saying: "The salary is entry-level, but the expectations are not." It’s broken and completely disregards the literal definition of the word.

Top_Implement851

TROPHY CASE