A father of four with an MBA in technology management has expressed his frustration over his inability to secure a job, despite sending out hundreds of applications.
Marcial Quinones didn’t face any job-related challenges when he was a teenager.
After dropping out of school in seventh grade due to a ‘difficult upbringing,’ he began ‘taking things more seriously’ when he became a father at 18.
In an interview with Business Insider, Quinones shared his interest in computers, which led him to jobs assisting the Salvation Army and other organizations with their devices.
His growing experience helped him secure a position as head technician for a computer company. By 1999, he was employed at Intel, where he served as an IT manager for a year before being laid off.
Determined to further his education, Quinones enrolled in community college and earned his associate degree in computer programming. He then pursued a bachelor’s degree in computer programming, followed by an MBA in technology management.
These qualifications enabled Quinones to become the chief technology officer for an import and export company. However, in 2010, just two years into the role, a family situation led to him losing his job.
He explained to Business Insider that it was ‘extremely difficult to recover from,’ and despite his efforts, he has struggled to find another job in his field since then.
Since the early 2010s, Quinones estimates he has sent out around 1,500 applications and has revised his résumé multiple times.
Despite spending $300 on professional résumé services, he has not received any interview calls.
He has managed to secure some part-time jobs and even created his own inventory software to sell to companies. However, he has found it challenging to secure interviews or long-term employment.
Screenshots reviewed by Business Insider showed that Quinones has been receiving five to ten rejections daily this year.
“I wish there was an easier way, but traditional ways of looking for employment have been overshadowed by artificial intelligence and lack of human interaction,” Quinones remarked.
He mentioned that he has even walked into local businesses to inquire about work, only to be told he ‘would not be happy working there because it is not part of [his] high-skilled profession.’
“This is even after not including my education not to become overqualified,” he said. “However, when they reviewed my work history, it was clear I am.”
“I used to get interviews for jobs where I beat out 600 people,” he added.
“Now, it’s hard to get a job when you don’t have a foot in the door to interview.”
To make ends meet, Quinones has taken on driving for Uber and small side projects. His family of six is currently mainly supported by his wife’s job as a sales supervisor.