The job market sucks.

You get your heart set on a job, work hard on an application, only to be heartlessly rejected by an automated email.

It’s really unfair and totally demoralising.

So when the person in this story saw an opening at the company they were already working for, they thought they might stand a chance.

This made the rejection even more painful. But it was what happened next that had them reeling.

Read on to find out what had them considering not turning up for work any more.

AITA For taking sick leave after being told someone else will get a job I was working hard on for over a year?

A while back, I got a job after being unemployed for along time.

I am not directly employed by the office where I am working, but I am employed by the government’s agency which is helping people to get a job.

I have more than 20 years of experience in said job, though some things have changed (obviously), so since no one was willing to give me at least a course in certain programs I have learned it by myself.

Let’s see how this person settled into their new job.

The office wasn’t getting a lot of things done, including obligatory statistics, so I was told to do them in order to prove myself.

I was given a deadline of six months. I have done the work in three.

I got appraised for it and also for some other things that I have done in the meantime – I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging just stating the facts.

Then things started to change.

One of my colleagues is due for retirement soon, and the office published an ad looking for someone to replace said colleague.

I am currently working for the guaranteed salary, and this job would mean me being paid a LOT more, buying an apartment, basically being settled until I retire.

Anyway, I applied for a position. I wrote a strong cover letter, my CV was strong as it is.

I wrote them both in one of the official languages of the country.

Read on to find out how their application went.

Now, I have been informed that I am not even eligible for an interview (even though I was the strongest candidate according to half of the decision making people) due to the fact that I don’t speak the second official language.

I am expected to teach the person who will come to that position how to do the job, so I have decided to take a sick leave.

My therapist was telling me that I am burnt out anyway, so I will just listen to them and leave for a long time.

To be clear, I live in Europe, in a country where you can take sick leave and still get paid.

AITA?

Given the person’s therapist is actually advising them to take time out, it’s not a bad idea.

It’s totally unfair that they weren’t considered for the job if the need for the two languages wasn’t stipulated in the job description – which they would have known about before applying.

So it’s no wonder they’re upset – especially since they’re supposed to train the new person!

Let’s see what Reddit thought to this.

This person totally supported their choice to take sick leave.

While this Redditor provided some advice on how to respond.

And others offered heartfelt sympathies.

It’s an awful situation that they’ve been rejected and told they’re unqualified for a job that they’re already working in.

It seems extremely unjust and counterintuitive – it’s no wonder this person is upset.

Take the sick leave – with all that hard work, you’ve earned it.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.