u/FrostbiteKnight56

The house never truly slept.

The dryer hummed at 2AM.
Pipes groaned behind the walls.
Someone forgot to flush again.

And somewhere between the bathroom light
and the sound of old floorboards,
a tired man stood silently
holding a wrench in one hand
and exhaustion in the other.

Outside,
the world still called this ordinary.

At 4AM,
he would drive beneath dark skies,
listening to music
while produce skids waited for him under fluorescent lights.

Nobody in aisle seven
would know
how close he was
to breaking.

But There was Someone who knew.

And perhaps that was enough
to survive another sunrise.

I’m from British Columbia and I’ve been trying to break into a meaningful long-term career for over 2 years now. Hundreds of applications to government agencies, municipalities, and private employers. Constant rejections, ghosting, and silence. I’ve had only one interview in the last few years, and that was for the retail position I currently work at now, Walmart.

I’ve applied through Job Bank Canada, GC Jobs, the BC Public Service, Indeed, municipal websites, LinkedIn, and countless other job boards.

I finished a Diploma in Criminal Justice, earned a Communications Certificate, completed journalism studies, and recently finished Bylaw Compliance & Investigative Skills training through JIBC. I also have experience in security, customer service, retail, hospitality, writing, and public-facing work. I even contributed hockey analysis and recapped every single Vancouver Canucks game for a sports network.

Right now I’m grateful to have a job, but it’s mentally exhausting feeling stuck while constantly trying to move forward.

What makes it harder is knowing I genuinely care about doing meaningful work. I’m dependable, disciplined, respectful, willing to learn, and calm under pressure. I communicate well with people, handle conflict professionally, and I’ve spent years building skills in customer service, research, writing, operations, and communication while working full-time.

I’m not expecting instant success or a perfect job overnight. I understand careers take time to build. But after years of trying and hearing almost nothing back, it starts to wear on you mentally.

I know a lot of Canadians are struggling right now, especially younger people trying to enter the workforce, but I genuinely want to ask:

What am I missing?

Is the job market really this difficult right now in BC/Canada, or is there something I should be doing differently? I’m open to honest advice, certifications, networking suggestions, resume criticism, government pathways, anything.

At this point, I just want an opportunity to prove myself somewhere. If anyone is wondering, I am 22 years old.

Hi everyone,

I would like some help or some pointers if that makes sense

BC btw.

See, I'm going to be moving from my current town to a town that's 6 hours away and I applied to the store that's in the town I'm planning on moving to and before that I informed my assistant manager, had a chat with the Store manager and personnel manager

The store manager told me to apply if they have open positions, and I ended up applying for "General Merchandise Associate" and the current status of the application is "application under review."

My assistant manager first wanted me to stay until Inventory and then today she told me I should go there and talk to them and they'll hire me, I don't think that's how it works

I cant commute 6 hours because what if they refuse to talk or something

Anyways

The personnel manager called the store and they had a chat, I'm not sure what they talked about because he said he'll tell me after the conversation is done but he got busy with interviews and orientations.

What should I do? I'm really confused because a few associates transferred stores without any issues, and it feels like mine is being dragged on

Do I contact the store I'm applying to? Some pointers would really help.