In the age of digital transformation and advanced HR tools, the job market still surprises with absurd practices that resemble esotericism more than professional human resources management. One such story, which recently made the rounds on LinkedIn, has become a symbol of the pathologies job seekers face. It is told by Elwira Wiśniewska, an HR Business Partner and headhunter specializing in recruitment marketing. Her post shines a light on how, today, the job market belongs to employers rather than employees, making the search for work a real challenge.
The LinkedIn Story: Numerology as a Recruitment Tool
Elwira Wiśniewska describes the recruitment process for the position of Operations Director at a family-owned manufacturing company in Wielkopolska, which employs around 150 people. The role is key to the entire organization, and the company’s president also serves as the hiring manager. One would expect that in such an important decision, competencies, experience and cultural fit would matter. Yet, as Wiśniewska relates, the president bases his choices on… numerology.
Before signing an employment contract with the chosen candidate, the company requires a „numerological portrait” to be prepared. The cost of such an analysis is about 300 zlotys, covered by the employer. The portrait is meant to serve as an internal reflection tool for the hiring manager, and preparing it requires the candidate’s date of birth and maiden name. Wiśniewska emphasizes that at this stage it is not possible to collect such data, which further complicates matters.
The author of the post does not question numerology itself as a „science” (or pseudoscience), but raises the issue of its place in professional recruitment. She closes her post with an appeal to the LinkedIn community: „Does anyone have experience with numerology in HR/recruitment? Is there a legal way to deal with this?” The reactions under the post are numerous, ranging from laughter through outrage to discussions about the limits of privacy and discrimination.
This anecdote is not an isolated one. LinkedIn, as a professional platform, often becomes a place where employees and recruiters share similar stories, revealing the hidden absurdities of the job market. From personality tests based on astrology to requirements regarding physical appearance, such practices show how far we have strayed from meritocracy.
Pathologies of the Job Market: An Employer’s Market, Not an Employee’s
Wiśniewska’s story is only the tip of the iceberg. The modern job market in Poland and worldwide has undergone a radical change. Just a few years ago, in the era of the „employee’s market”, candidates dictated the terms: high salaries, benefits, flexible working hours. Today, after the impact of the pandemic, inflation and global economic turbulence, the situation has turned 180 degrees. The market belongs to employers, making finding a job a real challenge.
First, an oversupply of candidates. In industries such as IT, marketing or management, hundreds of people apply for a single position. Companies can pick and choose among CVs, which leads to longer recruitment processes. Candidates go through multi-stage interviews, tests and assignments, only to hear at the end, „Thank you, but we have chosen someone else.” As a result, the job search lasts months or even years, leading to frustration and burnout.
Second, absurd requirements and a lack of transparency. Employers demand not only experience but also a „perfect fit” – sometimes based on subjective criteria, as in the case of numerology. Lack of feedback after interviews is the norm; candidates invest time and energy without receiving even basic information in return. Add to this pathologies such as ghosting (no contact after a promise), low pay offers below market standards, or requirements regarding age, gender or marital status which, although illegal, still occur.
Third, the impact of technology and automation. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) filter CVs based on keywords, eliminating many qualified candidates. Algorithms, instead of making things easier, often discriminate – for example, by favoring profiles with certain words or experience from „prestigious” companies. Combined with AI in recruitment, new pathologies emerge, such as the generation of fake job offers or the profiling of candidates without their consent.
In Poland, the situation is particularly difficult. According to data from Statistics Poland (GUS) and reports from recruitment firms such as Manpower and Randstad, unemployment among young people exceeds 10%, and in some regions it is even higher. Companies, especially small and medium-sized ones like the one from Wielkopolska, often operate in the gray zone of HR, ignoring personal data protection regulations (RODO, the Polish GDPR) or anti-discrimination rules. Demanding data such as date of birth under the pretext of numerology may violate the law, but will a desperate candidate decide to file a complaint?
How to Cope in This Market?
For candidates, building a network of contacts is crucial – LinkedIn is an ideal place to share stories like Wiśniewska’s and seek support. It is worth investing in personal branding, specializing in niches and being active in industry communities. Employers, meanwhile, should remember that practices such as numerology not only deter talent but also expose the company to legal and reputational risks.
To sum up, the LinkedIn story is a amusing but bitter example of how the job market has become an arena of employer power. In times when finding a job requires not only skills but also luck and mental resilience, it is worth speaking openly about these pathologies. Perhaps this will prompt companies to reflect – before they reach for the next „numerological portrait”.
