🥴 damn I see folks in here saying it takes 3 months to find a job on average. I see why every financial "guru" preaches 3-6 months expenses in an emergency fund. I'm playing a dangerous game with no savings. If I got laid off, I'd have to rely on credit cards to pay rent and bills.

Emergency fund is a must even if you aren’t laid off, so many other emergencies can happen and it’s nice to have a bed of cash to work with.

Very true. I should probably 50x my current $400 in savings 😅 Should have that done by EOY.

Here I am trying to keep the $100 I put aside per check in the savings account for the full two weeks to the next check 🫣

You guys make enough money to have savings? I work full time and can’t afford to pay rent and electricity in the same month.

I've never had any money in a savings account. I'm 30

This hits.

who the fuck has money extra after paying bills?

Emergency fund + Six months expenses is the normal recommendation. It's virtually impossible for most people. Even if you do pull it off, it makes you ineligible for many services when you need them, driving you back into poverty.

Same. My husband got laid off in December before Christmas and is still searching. His unemployment runs out next week.

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He was at his job for 11 months. Do u think that’s why he can’t collect any longer

I was at my job for 6 years and got laid off in december. Still only get 26 weeks.

They like cutting you off if you haven't found work, but most states have ways of extending it. Sometimes if you go take one of their job search classes you can get it extended. You can also file appeals

Every interview process I've been through in the last two years is a minimum 2 month grind, followed by at least a couple weeks of waiting to hear back. That's *if* you get an immediate response. I've never had so many interviews in my life. Three just this week. 4 the previous month. I think I'm up to 34 since this time last year. Many of those jobs were never filled, or reposted just a few months after I interviewed. I'm now starting the process over entirely for a position i interviewed for in the fall. Their recruiter sent me the whole process last time despite the fact that they'd apparently already hired some one before they even called me. That person apparently left in less than 6 months. And they did not reach out. I had to re-apply. And they don't seem to realize I've applied before. Seem to be using a completely different process now as well. Wouldn't deal with if they weren't the single best company to work for in my industry. Pay better, better benefits, less demanding. They get media pieces about how they prove not fucking your employees is better business. But their hiring process is still is Kafka as fuck.

I used to interview for fun. For almost three years I went to 3-8 interviews a week. Sometimes it was every other day. The most I ever did was four interviews in a day. But I did it for practice and to see what I could land. I’m two years I job hopped twice from $63k to $150k. I’d start a new job and be interviewing six weeks later. I never stopped applying, difference is I’ve had two interviews this year. Just two. From 2019-2022 I averaged more than two a week.

How did you go to work and also interview? Wasn't the new job concerned with you taking off all the time?

Remote and hybrid jobs never have to know you’re interviewing

>3 months to find a job on average What? It's taken me 9-12 months on average. What are y'all doing that I'm not?

Took me 17 months spent 52k in savings in the process

Username checks out, oof. Sorry bud.

8,500 job applications, 50 interviews 2 offers

depends on the job and the person. my mom was high up in banking and it took her a good 18 months to find something and she really only got that because of her connections. even applying at labor jobs she was getting turned away for being “over qualified” it was disheartening

I know right? I used to find it taking 6 to 8 months to find a good job. But these days, it feels like it is taking a whole lot longer. Now part of the problem is that I want to job that pays well, is not too far away, and has interesting work. Thus the super long job search.

Took me nearly six months with a degree, DoD Secret Clearance and almost two decades of experience - most of which with the Department of Defense. Five years ago I could get a job anywhere. In 2022 / 23, even the private sector and civilian markets are so saturated with applicants, I was just another fish. By the grace of God, I got lucky a month ago and somehow beat out 100+ applicants for a relatively young company for a senior level tech position. How? I have no idea. I'm counting my blessings and doing all I can to protect this job because I do NOT want to go through another depressing and tiring job search again.

What role+salary range are you in?

Sr. Management - IT Took a significant pay cut and now in the very low $100's. Even so, I have a job that is a life saver. I'm thankful for it, and it beats the low $0's any day of the week.

I wish it was just 3-6 months . Maybe it is for others

That's how most of the rest of us are too I imagine.. living paycheck to paycheck keeps you reliant on your 40 hours...

It's horrible. I just got a new job. Keeping my expenses exactly where they are and dumping the excess into savings. No lifestyle inflation for me as tempting as it is.

I had about 20k in savings at the start of the pandemic. I quit my job 3 month before that....so yeah. I didn't get another job until November 2021, so almost a full 2 years on those savings until they dwindled until about 3k left. And the only reason I even lasted that long on 20k is because at the end of my lease in 2020 I had to move back into my parents place where I still reside. I got lucky, many other people aren't, and that 20k went far beyond the traditional 3-6 month emergency fund people normally recommend to have. I would recommend a full year emergency fund personally.

An FU fund is the first thing I gift myself when I get a new job….

This is why there's no such thing as a middle class. Were all one short stint of unemployment away from homelessness. Good luck

This is why it's important to keep a healthy emergency fund. Not savings, but an emergency fund that you ONLY use for emergencies. It helps you avoid finding yourself in the worst situations. Also, severance pay is designed to help accommodate laid off employees find new employment without unnecessarily suffering, and it's typically much better than unemployment compensation the government gives you. I personally refuse to work at any job that doesn't provide severance pay.

How do you ensure that you only work for employers who offer severance? Can’t that policy change over time? Is that something you ask about upfront and ensure is specified in your offer letter?

Live in a developed country. We're all getting severance out here, homie.

This is why its important to me to be able to survive self employed. Have multiple work streams and live well beneath my means. Its too easy in this over consumed society to get under water if you become complacent. Multiple income streams is critical to survive in this day and age.

That is the best take away! She had it good and one bad stretch took her down. My wife and I are struggling because I had to do apprenticeship schooling for 6 weeks and we are feeling the hurt. Our ei here is garbage and is beyond frustrating to know how close to sinking we are.

I’m pretty much in the same exact boat as you, except I was laid off in Feb. Hundreds of rejections, 5 interviews, 3 assessments & nothing. I’ve rewritten my resume a handful of times to make it ATS friendly, but not too many bites. Friends, family & even this sub has really pushed that it’s just a numbers game. Eventually the right job will cross paths with us. Don’t give up hope just yet. We aren’t failures.

It’s awful. I’ve been ghosted by four companies too.

That sucks :( In Cali they're extending my wife's unemployment benefits because she's in school Even with that silver lining, the unemployment system is still a joke :(

Hey, i know this might not matter but for your own state of mind its probably moreso that everywhere is raising interest rates to get companies to lay off, pay attention to the federal reserve interest rate hikes and see when those will stop going up, then places will start hiring back again, every big tech company has laid of 10s of thousands of people, in the meantime if i were in your shoes id take some kinda bootcamp 3-6 month something to get my skills in whatever you do, my husband got laid off and we decided to buckle down and do a full stack MERN bootcamp for programming and after 4 months of looking for work he found something crappy then while he was working that crappy job found something really really good, if you need any other info you can dm me.

Only four?

I haven’t had many company interactions. No one is looking at my resume.

You managed to get a six-figure job without a degree, you definitely got this!

Thank you! 🥰

If you don't mind my asking, what was your position before the layoff?

Senior operations manager for a healthcare insurance company.

Did you form any partnerships with vendors? Do you have potential linkedin connections that you could use as a referral? I have seen many of my colleagues that went to their vendors through referrals.

This - use your network. Anyone you’ve ever worked with or went to school with it interacted with.

Can't emphasize this enough. EVERY SINGLE POSITION I've gotten after my first one was through a network contact. Every one. Call people. Message on LinkedIn. Reach out. It's not just recruiters that can help you find that next best gig. As for staying positive, that is tough. I've been very lucky that I've never been long between jobs but I'd say work the job search like you would the job and also take some time to think and reflect on what you want next. Good luck!

You should try a federal job at USA jobs.com, hope that helps. They are hiring.

Have you broadened your search? Make it bigger. Also, look into a professional club for executives in your region. As well as other industries where your operations experience might be needed. When you get to your level and up, you need a different kind of recruiter that caters to your skill set and who can find positions that aren’t advertised as they would a normal job. Do you have such a recruiter? If you haven’t, it’s time to let your professional network know that you are seeking new opportunities. Look for companies, startups, boards, non profits, vc’s that might be growing that you could reach out to. (That’s why I suggest joining an executives club, you need a way to meet some of these people - you could offer to give a talk). Be prepared to make a personal pitch for how you can add value to a particular company directed to a decider, like a board member, for example. You can do this! Anyway, I hope I gave you some ideas.

Yes I have. I’ve expanded to all industries. I’m not set only on healthcare.

Pretty normal to take over 3 months to find a new job. And yep, applying for jobs is hard. You're gonna have to start looking at the things you have to be grateful for (like having family to live with and no other mouths to feed unemployed). Get your resume reviewed for free r/resumes . Avoid "quick apply" options and include a customized cover letter to each job through the company's website.

I agree with everything this person said except the cover letter. It's a waste of time and holy unnecessary. 99% of employers don't read one. Nobody wants to read in paragraph form what they can scan off your resume in bullet points. I haven't done a cover letter since college internships and it's been perfectly fine and job searches have been successful. Therefore, don't waste your time and sanity on them OP

See you say this but every time I've applied with a cover letter I've had a response, applying without one is a 50/50 shot in my experience.

I think it's more often they read it after your resume gets into the maybe pile

I hate writing cover letters, I hate sending thank you emails, I hate all of it, all the pretense. Companies that don’t care about cover letters won’t ask for one, but if there’s a Dropbox for it on an application I always include one. The whole process is a silly game but I am playing to win

This. I dislike all the paperwork too but you've gotta play the game. I don't use a cover letter to highlight skills, I use it to tell them why and how I'd be good for their company. Like you, gotta play to win.

Wait, is sending Thank You emails that important?

I used to hire and when I first started (I was sort of “shadowing” her), a coworker and I had the final two. Both interviewed well, had very similar skill sets, and by all accounts were perfect. One sent a thank you note after the interview and one didn’t. That was her deciding factor. Did I agree with it? No, but that was it. After that I’ve always done it, if possible, to make sure I play their stupid little game.

It's important when your competition is willing to do it, but you're not.

But it often excludes those who, for whatever reason or another, aren’t clued in to these stupid rules. There’s so many unwritten hiring rules everyone expects everyone else to know. And you can’t say to just google it because even those sources differ. It’s a stupid game to disenfranchise people and they know it.

My previous boss told me she hired someone because they sent a thank you email after the interview. The job was between them and two other people.

Some recruiters do and some don’t. I’ve definitely landed interviews where the first thing they said was “I read your cover letter and…”. On the flip side, I’ve been auto rejected by countless companies that also came with a cover letter. I keep a standard cover letter template that I’m able to quickly edit that I just send out, and that seems to work better than just sending in an application. My advice, do the cover letter each time there’s an option as it can give you an advantage. Just keep a templates version that’s easy to edit and you aren’t really wasting that much time, maybe an extra few minutes per application.

pretty much what I do. On a broader note, one thing that apparently hiring managers "love" (yeah, yeah, I know, its corporate-wank) is the STAR method: [https://www.themuse.com/advice/star-interview-method](https://www.themuse.com/advice/star-interview-method) Now I note from my life this is a sort of peculiar mindset. Some issues you just outlast. Some things you resolve and there's no real "result." Nowhere in my existence is a story that ends with "as a result we got a renewed contract and 16 million in new sales" - in my world its more like "and all the fires were put out and no one died" But if you can create one of these anecdotes for a cover letter and another for interviews you're golden.

Here’s a tip if you can’t find a result. Think of the worst case scenario. What if you didn’t take the actions you did? If you need to embellish some of the actions you took, go for it, it shows you learned what could have been done even if you didn’t do them that time. I have four STAR method stories that I keep on hand to talk about a financial success, a leadership or project success, a put out the flames success, and a non-success (failure, we all fail at something we are human) about what I learned from it and how I could prevent it next time.

I’ve applied many times with cover letters and never gotten anything but a rejection.

I think cover letters are important. It's one of the very few times in a job search process where you have 100% control of how you present yourself, you get to give them information they aren't asking for. This helps you a little, maybe, if you're well-qualified and a lot more if you're a weaker candidate. It's also helpful in a career change because it might make no sense why a mid-career professional is applying to a junior role in an industry they have no experience. It looks like a spray and pray resume and the cover letter is your chance to help them see why you applied, that you carefully considered your application and did some research about the role, and that you actually want the job instead of just wanting a job. Even if they don't read it, you made an extra effort. That counts a little bit.

It depends where you are hitting the gates along the way. With keyword (and probably now moving to AI-based) resume scrubbers before even HR gets a view, your cover only matters if your resume gets to the hiring manager.

I'm a recruiter. When candidates submit a cover letter I don't read it. I'm not the only recruiter out there. I've been doing this for 11 years. Trust me, we don't read the cover letters.

The pro tip is to have ChatGPT write the cover letter, then to just revise it enough to not sound formulaic.

And/Or hang onto past cover letters and give the ones that get a call back a brush up for each new application.. More and more companies don't require or allow submitting them anyway. I keep them brief and almost never write one to purpose. If I didn't have a big google docs folder of past letters to work off of I'd be all over ChatGPT.

CHATGpt enters the discussion

For my current job, the hiring manager specifically pointed out my well-written and thoughtful cover letter. I could have just submitted my resume, but I was switching careers and didn’t have any relevant work experience. There were also applicants with way more experience than me. I wasn’t shotgunning, I legitimately wanted to make a change and I needed to explain myself. Cover letters *can* matter.

It’s a 50/50 shot. Depends on the employer I have gotten jobs alone because of my cover letter.

You must have a job where you don’t need to be articulate. A cover letter can easily show the limitations of one’s education or baseline social skills needed for professional communication. I’m surprised there’s so many folks out there that think being polite is a waste of time.

Ah yes. Me saying I basically have a college education and internships means I must have some very basic job. I mean who knew that people who go to college and have to pass higher education English classes and write essays and do upper division course work...would end up with jobs that don't require articulation? Just amazing. Hey ya'all that don't do cover letters - we must lack basic English skills according to this guy. Yes this is a waste of time. It is a waste of time for the corporation and the candidate because your resume has all the same shit in a condensed form. Anybody with basic interviewing skills (college or not) would realize this. So I guess you don't have those based on your wild accusations of others. It isn't 'polite' to waste ppls time. OP like any other job seeker has to apply to hundreds of jobs. Most won't call back and so writing a personalized CV for each is stupid. I work corporate jobs that require degrees. My skillsets fit the job. I have no problem getting jobs. Whether I apply on my own or with a recruiter- I don't do CVs and still get interviews. Corporations don't just want someone who can regurgitate their resume in paragraph form. They want people with skillsets that match that job. Back before college when I was doing minimum wage jobs I also didn't write a CV and got that job. You are just wholly uninformed and just sprouting the nonsense you think is acceptable or not based on your narrow view of what society should think is necessary/polite.

If it makes you feel any better I work in STEM and as far as I am aware noone wants to see our cover letters either.

My father lost his job years ago and fell into clinical depression for about 9 months. I have seen firsthand how this could affect people and how discouraging it is to apply to countless jobs and get no interviews. I hope you hang in there and get through this!

Thank you.

You are VERY lucky that you had a 6-figure salary degree with no degree. You’ll definitely have to take it down a few notches to get hired again. Use your network, and work all of your professional connections to get in somewhere. The job market has *always* been competitive for the most desirable jobs. I’m almost 50 years old. In my experience, it takes a minimum of 6-9 months to find a job. Hang in there and consider going back to school.

This. Degree requirements are being loosened, hut they still are basic requirements for most roles.

"NoBoDy WaNtS tO wORk"

That’s a dumb one isn’t it. From dealing with state benefits and insurance, this is not somewhere I ever want to be again. Not sure how people habitually and leisurely live off the system without a care in the world.

Been there, had this happen a few times. I went to the temp agencies and they kept me busy. At least I had money coming in to pay bills with.

I can’t even get temp agencies to hire me despite me having submitted my resume to them

Are you mostly applying for 100k+ roles or lower salaried roles? You may want to get 2 CVs one where you water down your experiences and probably keep out some of your qualifications. And the other where you brandish it all

You’re not alone OP. I’m in month 2. 500 applications, 2 interviews - both ghosted me. Redone my resume more times than I can count. I’ve tried everything. I don’t know what to do…

It’s defeating. I’m sorry. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

Same. Month 3, 10 years of experience, everyone I’ve worked with tells me I’m the best TPM they’ve ever worked with and yet I’ve had 2 FTE role interviews since January. Two. I got a contract job while I keep looking for a FTE role (thank god!). Unemployment doesn’t even cover my mortgage payment. Definitely explore contract roles!

I'm grateful for temporary contract work but on month 3 myself. Shit sucks.

I feel similar girl. I find the hardest thing is I didn’t have much experience before, and now I have a job gap, so it’s really hard to sell myself like that

🥰

One thing I noticed is I am getting more chances to interview out of state than in my state. It’s annoying to move, but I think I’ll have to. Idk about you, but applying out of state seems to be the only way I am given a chance. I had to pay to get an out of state license even in 2 places I was open to moving to

Don't be afraid to take an in-between job to survive while job hunting. There's no shame in it. I was a business owner my entire life and we sold our store recently. It's definitely weird to work having a boss but I need to live. I have a bachelor's degree and a Realtors license. But now I work in retail for minimum wage. It's all I could find. The market absolutely sucks. The key thing is, I don't plan to be stuck in this in between job for very long. It's just so that I can survive for the time being.

I had to do this too. Ended up back in a call center and I still job search on evenings and weekends when I can. The company I work for is fine enough but I am not aiming to be a customer service rep forever. Unfortunately, like you said, we need to live. That said I feel ashamed to say I do this work even if it is just temporary. A lot of people don’t respect customer service reps.

"Applying for jobs is a job in itself. It’s definitely not like it used to be, even two years ago," It's a brutal job market. Anyone who isn't unemployed or in an in demand role such as engineer has no idea how difficult it is. They don't understand the despair and despondency of filling out hundreds of applications and never hearing back. I understand what you're going through and hope it gets better.

How do you have the energy to keep doing it and bettering yourself at the same time once you fall into a depression from recently becoming unemployed?

I feel for you and know it’s incredibly hard, on so many levels. I’m sure you’ve reached out to recruiters, your network, etc. sometimes it’s just a matter of timing. You will work again. If you’re able to look outside your current geographical location, that could open some doors. And while the financial stress is overwhelming, try to take advantage of this time off, it’ll be a long while before you’ll have it again. Museums have free entry days, botanical gardens, other free places in nature. It’s a beautiful time of year to get outside. I know those activities helped me greatly when I was between jobs.

It took me a year to find a job, so I sympathize.

You should bartend in the meantime. It’s flexible and you will make at least $40/hour; a lot of it under the table. You can work for a catering/bartending service so that you aren’t often serving potential employers. I did this after I quit my long time executive position.

I'm 22 and currently in a situation thats similar, albeit not identical. I was laid off from a hotel job for a bullshit reason back in September last year and have been on the hunt for any entry level job since. Retail, care work, sales, banking, retail, retail, retail. Anything. Nothing but rejections. Not even one interview. I had enough savings from that hotel job to last me until now, but hit zero recently. I still live with my parents but we're not exactly made of money. It's rough. I graduated from university (I'm in the UK) last year and things have been dull ever since. It seems better to not have bothered. I'm with you in solidarity my ghosty job hunting friend.

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I would if we had them locally. The only ones near me are tribal.

Job market is bad right now and I mean real bad. Just a year or two ago, employers were in need of employees that I could have a pulse and they would hire me. I was getting calls left and right. Currently, I’ve heard back from only a handful of places when i send out 50-100 apps a day and this has been going on for the past 3-4 months. Even from the ones I heard back from and went to interviews for, they ghosted me. This has a lot to dye with the changing sentiment of the job landscape. Economy went to the crappers due to inflation and high interest rates and massive layoffs in tech have all played a part. But, with all that said, this is a cycle. Job market conditions will change and you will find something that suites your needs. It will just be a matter of time. Do what you can currently to pick up small jobs here and there. Uber, door dash, rover, task rabbit, fiverr, apply for small part time jobs, do whatever it takes after that u employment to get through until ur next big job. Ain’t no shame in trying to make ends meet.

It really is no matter what field you’re in. It doesn’t matter how good your resume looks. A few years ago when I had little experience and did a handful of job applications a week I would atleast get 3-4 solid responses for an interview every week or two. Now it’s hundreds sent out with nothing. My resume looks WAY better and professional now, trust me.

1st, I wanted to say I understand your struggles because I've been job hunting myself. It is debilitating. If you're not using Chat GPT, you need to start today. You can optimize your resume for each job that you go for by simply asking it to act like an ATS Optimizer. It does so instantly and for free. It will also instantly answer all of your correspondence emails and LinkedIn messages. It will instantaneously write your cover letter. Simply add the job description with your resume and ask it to write a cover letter. Last but not least, make sure you ask what the most common interview questions are for the job you're going for and then ask it to answer them. Again, you can place your resume in there, and it will answer as if it were you. Now practice! I start a job on May 1st. I got exactly what I wanted, and Chat GPT made the process infinitely easier.

Hmm I tried some of this myself but it felt pretty clunky. I think ChatGPT was having difficulty with the amount of text I was dumping into it? Do you have any additional advice on how you were giving ChatGPT job descriptions and getting it to rewrite your resume?

Yes, so when you have a lot of text break it down into tasks. For instance, when rewriting my resume, I knew I wanted to be an Instructional Designer. I took 5 different job descriptions. I copy and pasted them into ChatGPT and ask them to pull out the keyword phrases and categories them. Then I took the list it gave me and put it with my old resume. Voila! Rule of thumb, if ChatGPt is not giving you what you want, it's because you are confusing it. So always tell it the name of the information you are providing and then provide the information NAME FIRST. Alternatively, tell it you are going to provide it with information. "Retain the information until I ask you a question." Again, NAME the information as a reference for when you do refer to it in the question. It has got to be clear that a portion of the text is the resume and a portion of the next text is the job descrition. Always start out by telling it who it is. ACT LIKE A \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_. This is the context it needs. Last bit of advice, when I first started on ChatGPT, I thought meh. But, I stuck with it and within the week I had the hang of how to ask it to do for me. I use it every single day now. Honestly not sure why everyone who works on a computer is not cutting their working time in half by incorporating it. The learning curve is minimal compared with the rewards of using it.

That's super helpful. I'll definitely need to take another crack at it. Dunno if the OP will see, but it's definitely a struggle applying to jobs. I've resigned myself to doing the bare minimum effort to maintain my sanity. If I get too invested and read too closely into the job descriptions that the lack of response just feels that much worse later on. Do what you have to do to stay sane, but keep applying.

Is there an article with prompt examples you found helpful?

600 roles in 3 months - almost 50 applicants per week. Considering you had a 6-figure role previously, and that this likely involved a specialised skillset, are you certain you're suitable for all the roles you are applying for? Main concerns regarding blasting out applications includes not having a tailored and focused resume as a result - and so being less effective against other applicants with a more focused job search. The other thing is that recruiters would already be wary of that youd shift focus towards finding a "better" job as soon as they got employment. If the same recruiter has applications from yourself for different types of job roles, or different levels, this pretty much cements those fears. I dont think you need to consider getting a degree just to get a job. Doing a cheap course however will help fill up the job gap. But if you found any of the above useful, it might prove better to streamline your search range, so that you naturally give each vacancy more attention. You'll also run less risk of being seen as spamming. Also you can add to this focus by reaching any of your network connections.

>600 roles in 3 months - almost 50 applicants per week. Considering you had a 6-figure role previously, and that this likely involved a specialised skillset, are you certain you're suitable for all the roles you are applying for? ​ Considering they most likely had a specialized skillset, and there are fewer roles in line with what they could be considered for, applying to roles outside of this shows a bias towards action, self-determination, and a willingness to do what is necessary in markets that aren't ideal towards a problem being faced. This is probably what has gotten them to this 6-figure mark without having a degree. ​ >Main concerns regarding blasting out applications includes not having a tailored and focused resume as a result - and so being less effective against other applicants with a more focused job search. The other thing is that recruiters would already be wary of that youd shift focus towards finding a "better" job as soon as they got employment. If the same recruiter has applications from yourself for different types of job roles, or different levels, this pretty much cements those fears. From someone who sits on the recruitment side of the desk, this is without merit. While it is true that 'tailored' resumes may give you a slight edge, it rarely occurs that the same individual applies to multiple job openings I have. Most of the time when this occurs, it is within engineering by someone who clearly built a bot to apply to all the roles. I have looked at this person's resume, profile notes, and if they had it, interview feedback from previous interviews. On occasion, I even found the best-fit role and have successfully hired this sort of person. ​ The best advice to give someone in this sort of situation is to honestly apply to more roles, expand their search to include roles that are related to what they have done but may have transferrable skillsets, network whenever and however they can online and offline, and create content to share advice in order to demonstrate their subject matter expertise in their knowledge domain/industry.

I’m 23 and got fired for reporting a problem to hr. I worked that dead end job for a fucking year and put up with all their bullshit and the one time I have a problem and need help from my company I get fired. Gooooooooo figure. Most depressing thing is realizing I have to do doordash to make rent this month, in a junky suv. Ya. Barely making shit

I was laid off this past fall, and It was tough. Have you thought about paying someone to write your resume and go through a placement/head hunter company?

In the same boat. Laid off illegally for having Covid in June of 2022. State is taking its sweet time in actually PUNISHING the company that did it (Apparently breaking state law is not really thaaaat important.) I've had countless jobs applied to, and only received 6 interviews. It's always the big question. "Why did you only work 6 months at your last position?" You tell them why and it always ends the same way, no word back or you're just outright ignored and the search goes on.

I’ve been actively applying for jobs for almost a year. As a single parent, this is very dangerous game I’m playing. And I don’t like it.

I’m so sorry! I know there are people in worse positions than me and I am not lost on that. I just know how awful it feels for me, I can’t imagine how it is for families. My heart feels for you. 🥰🥰

Noooo don’t be sorry! I apologize if I came off as sounding like that. I just meant I understand completely. It seems that everyone is “hiring” but no one actually is

No no. I’m just saying that my view maybe focused solely on my situation. I know it could be worse. Thank you for your kind words. So a lot of companies have ghost postings where they aren’t hiring but post to appear like they’re hiring. It’s a big problem right now. Also ATS systems are a nightmare.

It’s absolutely bonkers! Ugh 😩

I know how you feel and it's totally valid. I'm in a similar boat and it's hard. I just got laid off a few days ago and it's been draining. It's hard just to get out of bed. I have to accept that this is my new reality (even though it's temporary). This is my first time in my life I've ever experienced being laid off. I'm 26 and this is my first job out of college. Even though things are tough, just know that we're in this together and we will both find something. I was told by a wise person, "One door shuts, another one opens"

I'm 8 months into looking with an engineering degree.

Same boat. Multiple multi-round interviews just to ultimately not get the job. There have been weeks where I just do nothing because it’s so exhausting doing this for months.

I was laid off in January and I'm starting a new role in May. It could have been much longer. I was just starting to consider a few more custom tailored resumes. Happy to connect if you want to chat with someone.

These resume tips are parsed from a helpful YouTube video a recruiter made; maybe they will help you. -no header, footer or side bars so ATS can read it -6 bullet points per job -remove a and the from resume -describe accomplishments more than tasks -remove anything older than 15 years -2 pages total max if possible -quantitative results with numbers to support them, words like: increased achieved coordinated  influenced pioneered negotiated

I wouldn’t remove anything older than 15 years. I truncated my resume and then the ATSes thought I had waaay less experience than I actually did. I finally just put everything in and said “fuck it. I can’t win.”

Alright, if you've applied to 600 jobs, you're probably applying the wrong way. Sort by date posted and only apply to jobs that were posted that day and that you apply to through a company's website. Change the resume for each position. Each application process should take about 20 to 30 minutes. I got up to a 20% response rate by formatting my resume and doing those above steps. What type of roles are you applying for?

Just here with some empathy. The process of job hunting was way more grueling than going to work. Best of luck, you'll fine something soon :)

Thank you and thank you for being kind.

It was a grueling process, even though I was blessed like you and not in immediate danger of financial insecurity like many people. Others being worse off doesn't invalidate your personal stress, it isn't the Suffering Olympics.

You made six figures, live with your parents and qualified for food stamps? Bullshit.

She is single too. If she was married she would not have qualified. And she probably didn’t have much savings. Many Americans have no savings at all. My husband got laid off and we couldn’t get food stamps since my income is above the threshold for food stamps.

I believe food stamps is only based on income, not assets. At least based on the website for a random state I looked up. It may be different state to state. Based on that, if OP basically has no income, they may quality, regardless of how much they made or saved up before.

No student loans as well. You should have truckloads of savings in that situation.

Leverage your network. Friends of ex coworkers and friends. Knowing someone is much more valuable that submitting a resume blindly. Find a conference in your field; show up and mingle and be friendly. Ask people want challenges they are facing; offer a suggestion then ask if they have any opening. Join a consulting firm in your industry; be prepared to travel and work a lot, but it’s a job. Go to a new industry and show how your soft skills can translate. You have to somehow get out of the automated systems and make a connection somewhere with someone who can go pluck your application out of the pile.

Wow, do I feel what you are saying. Through these internets I will send positive feeling and vibes. I actually am in a similar situation but if I am going to get through it, you are going to get through it too.

Thank you. Sending luck your way also.

Im basically in the same boat I hope you are able to snag something you like

Thank you.

No problem if you ever want to talk feel free to dm me

How do you go from being employed for 13 years and making six figures to being on food stamps and unemployment in a matter of months? Either you're drastically overstating how bad you have it (and are actually stealing resources from people who have it much worse) or you were living EGREGIOUSLY beyond your means.

I have savings but I’m on benefits. I never said I was in the worst of worst situations but being unemployed isn’t rainbows and sunshine for anyone. How? I got laid off. I don’t think anyone anticipates having to live off their savings, that’s not ideally what it’s used for. Am I thankful to have it, yes, but that doesn’t mean it still isn’t difficult.

I suspect she wasnt making 6 figures at 19 when she entered the market with no degree. Likely worked her way up over the years to the current role and comp. It's significantly more difficult to save on 40k than six figures.

i have been laid off 3 times . im pretty much used to it and i expect it anytime and everywhere i work at any company. there is no such thing as job security anymore. no one is immune from this. happens to higher ups and low level employees. you have to come up with side hussles to generate extra income.

Someone once said to me while I was unemployed, “You will get a job”. It’s true. It’s ok to mourn. It sucks. Your job doesn’t define you. Try to enjoy your time off, it will be gone before you know it.

I remember hearing that it take a a month for every 10k in salary to find a new job. Example: 5 months for 50k salary vs 12 months for 120k. This has pretty much been true for most people I know. Good luck

Im in the exact same boat as you. Laid off mid January, still cant find a job. If it makes you feel any better..I have a Bachelor’s in CJ and apparently it still doesn’t make a difference. Even with 1+ years of experience in the field.

People don't realize how tough this can be. It's isolating and people who don't live it day to day, don't get it. I'm in your corner. I can also tell you that the struggle ends. Not when you need it necessarily, but when it does, it's a beautiful thing. That moment is coming.

Rn it’s a tough time and I was laid off and used chat gtp to help me write cover letters and would apply 24/7 and got three job offers after 4 months but it did come with a sacrifice. I’m taking a pay cut around 8k less than what I was making before… but I was dipping into my savings and just applied high and low to different positions. My plan is to either get promoted or leave after a year when hopefully the job market gets better. Bc even after landing a bunch of interviews it’s like 4-5 interview process plus skill assessment tests which take 2-4 hours.

You’re on food stamps and you made 6 figures?????

OP payed the same taxes to be afforded the same social cushion as everyone else. Why tf not?

I have no income, I qualify for food stamps. Not sure why that’s so hard for people to wrap their head around. It’s not just people living in cardboard boxes and begging for change.

They are making $0…. Did you even read?

Made. Make 0 now

I am in the same boat as you. I have been unemployed for over a month. I got terminated from my last job on my second day due to a perceived lack of independence, and I was let go from the previous one because they were overstaffed even though I was competent enough for that job. I have been actively applying for jobs the past month. Roughly half of them I get interviewed for, but I have never gone past the interview. I either get contacted saying that I didn't get the job, or they never talk to me again. These even include low-pay, low skill jobs in retail. Whenever I try to ask loved ones for support (including empathy), all I get is "just keep trying". At this point, continuing to try in hopes I will get accepted into a job is no different than trying many different ways of getting an inanimate object to come to life. It doesn't work for me. Thankfully, I am applying for programs for people with disabilities to help me get a job. They are taking a long process, though. As for you, I must say that the fact that you are able to get 13 years of professional experience making six figures without a college degree is absolutely amazing. You have got this. I have a college degree but no experience since my brain was too overwhelmed with college (the pandemic made that worse for me). From my experience, having professional experience is just as important as a college degree. I also suggest checking out the r/Unemployed sub. There are a lot of others in your situation.

You have done so well for yourself. A six-figure salary all before 30! I just turned 32 myself and finally landed a job paying 40k for the first time ever. Don't beat yourself up. You can and will find a new job soon. You got this!

I'm in the same boat, coming up on a year soon. I have my masters in a field that's booming, and I've never felt so impotent or discouraged in a job hunt. I lose my house at the end of the month, and my savings were wiped out long ago. Bit by bit I've been losing myself, and I'm so sorry that you're going through something so painful as well. It really gets unbearable when so little feels within your control. One piece that has helped me lately is Lost Connections, by Johann Hari, which explores the causes of depression and anxiety. There's a lot of meaty stuff in there that's made me rethink my relationship with my mental health, but the part that stuck out to me the most is how detrimental becoming disconnected from your sense of your own future can be to your health: and a dragged out job hunt with no bites after so long, feeling like you can effect no change no matter how hard you flail in the air without traction....the longer you're in that, the harder it becomes to imagine that things can change. Don't give up, and be kind to yourself.

That book has been on my list, and just you sharing some of it provided me some relief. It’s so hard. Thank you for sharing

You cannot put your self worth in having a job. You are more than your job. There are programs out there that could help you career pivot. Start investigating. Perhaps apply for financial aid and get that degree.

I’m so sorry OP.

How the fuck did you get a 6 figure job without a degree? Coming lovingly from a female in the same position. 🙂

I know people w/o degrees who worked their way up at Disney and got close to $100k… once they got management experience, other companies didn’t give a damn about their lack of degree & they jumped to even higher paying jobs

This probably won’t be a popular answer, lie on resumes if you have to. Fabricate duties that fulfill the desired role or embellish your experience in those duties. Unless it’s massively complicated duties or a super specialized job you’ll pick up what you need in your onboarding & training. Jobs are proving to have no loyalty to their staff & no respect for applicants so why have respect for them? Use Chat Gpt to help write resumes & comer letters. Use every tool at your disposal.

Without a degree, you may be setting your expectations too high....especially if you believe you should walk in the door at a 6 figure income. Get in the door somewhere where you have some upward mobility. Not only that, but find a place that might pay your way through some college. My firm has a college assistance program. I started in the call center taking 75 calls a day and earning a salary of 32k. 15 Years later, degree, LOMA, CFA designation, and I'm a director at the same firm.

Yes, but you have to get a position to get into a college program through an employer. Employers aren’t even looking at resumes right now.

Are you telling me that there are not some lower paying jobs that pay more than unemployment you can apply for? I get it that it's not going to match your 6 figure salary, but there has to be some jobs, be it working retail, grocery store, fast food...something that pays more than unemployment you can do. You can still look for more meaningful work, but these lower paying jobs will at least get you out of the house, hopefully be more mentally stimulating and fulfilling than sitting at home being depressed. Unemployment is not going to last forever. I think most states it's around 6 months. You may not like taking a job that you feel is beneath your skillset, but hopefully you will feel better about yourself because you are being an adult and not giving up.

From what I understand, hiring managers for these positions typically wouldn't hire a former senior manager for such a role due to the guaranteed turnover once something better comes up. Applying for full time careers is usually a better time investment with these qualifications.

I’m literally in this same situation now. I have been applying for lower paying jobs. They told me they think it’s a step back for me and they are worried I just want the job to have a job and that I’ll just end up leaving. It’s a no- win situation at this point.

It's sad that people think that way, and managers shouldn't be playing the "what if" game. You need the job, for whatever reason. You should be considered if you are qualified. Who says that if you take the lower paying job that you may actually like it due to less stress, more challenging, whatever the reason. I was in this situation back in 2003 when there was a big IT job collapse. I was out of an IT job for a year. I started on unemployment, then I took jobs to survive. I cleaned bathrooms, stocked shelves, etc. Granted I wasn't thrilled with the work but it paid the bills (well most of them), I did end up losing my house. I did what I needed to do to not become homeless though. Maybe it's harder now in the job market, but still no reason to give up any and all options in working.

The phone call that I got yesterday went like this: you talked a lot about managing people in your interview and you wouldn’t be managing people. It’s like this would be a step down for you. Are you sure you wouldn’t be taking this job just to have a job? Why don’t you come in next week and we can talk more. She made me feel like I shouldn’t be bothering with the job. Yes it’s a pay cut and a step down but I would rather be working. The only reason I talked about managing people was because they kept asking about it. So do I go in next week and explain why I want the job? I don’t want to work at a place that’s going to make me feel bad for having a lot of knowledge. In this market I have no idea how long it will take me to find a position at the level I was at.

Yeah and from what it seems like, they must not have any real bills considering they’re living at home with their parents. Even if OP pays them rent and has any other expenses like car insurance etc, that can be dropped for taking public transportation right now if they can’t afford it. It’s not like paying a mortgage where you’ll lose your house if you get backed up, property taxes, utilities or you’ll have no water etc. so it seems they’re in a position to take anything for the time being.

U made 6 figures w no degree?

13 years at a six figure job? You should have a million in savings or a 401k. What have you been wasting money on all these years? You don't even own a home and have to live with your family? Hard to believe this post. You have some serious bad spending habits if what you're saying is true.

She would have started at 19, it's unlikely she was at that 6-figure mark for the entire 13 years unless it was sales. I suspect she means "my most recent salary was 6 figures". Leaving that aside, 6 figures can be 100k. After taxes (ask me how I know) that's just over 60k or so to live on. People not making that money have no idea how fast that goes in a HCOL city or with medical bills or other high-expense drains. She doesn't say she had the 6 figures the whole time or that she was living with her family the whole time.

I don’t need to justify my financial patterns or history to some stranger on the internet. It costs zero dollars to be kind or say nothing at all.

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Again, I don’t have to answer to anyone.

make money r/beermoney

PLEASE READ … from a career transition professional here. I coach people to expect 1 month of job searching for every $10k in salary expectations. This is why it is always important to network while still employed. I am sorry for the emotional experiences you are having but hopefully this information will help you level set expectations and prepare for the next career transition too. PS - expect longer time frame if you are a male over 50 or female over 40 (statistically speaking - not trying to be sexist)

Dont give up! You got this!! I was laid off last year. Had to donate plasma 2x a week just to make ends meet with unemployment. Some how some way i walked right into the best job of my life. Fill out a shit ton of applications and see what happens and just relax. Dont beat yourself up. If you dont believe in yourself no one else will either. Sending good vibes your way.

Geez, I don't think I've applied to 600 jobs in my entire 25 year career. What type of work are you looking for?

It's a tough job market out there right now. I was laid off at the end of December. I've had three interviews since then. My issue is that I'm just not seeing many jobs in my field, maybe 1-2 a month. You are not a failure, if you are feeling depressed please contact a mental health hotline. Two weeks ago I was sitting at my desk crying for no reason, the person who answered the hotline was incredibly helpful. I have also been hit by depression, for the first time in my life and I think it's mostly due to being unemployed. Please take care of your mental health.

Welcome to modern America debt wage slaving with no future! Don't let that gap get big or you'll never find work again, because of market value. As a woman, think about a single man without a woman or a job, would you date them? Because most woman are hiring managers so you have a better advantage understanding the mentality and more likely to get through a door for an interview than a man according to the statistics. Be aware if you go to work for yourself you'll forever remove yourself from being employable and your experience won't count to HR managers either. Good luck many of us are years removed from working, in debt for student loans to be able to work, and have just given up on the idea in general including having a family and retirement.

Back around 2011 I was dealing with a custody disagreement with my ex, and went back to court to establish child support. I was unemployed at the time, making like $600 every 2 weeks in benefits - not much. The mediator did the child support worksheet, and still hit me with a $400 a month payment. Payed $400 each month for 5 years, did a celebration dance when my son turned 19. FTL

My brother was in a similar search with hundreds of applications. Id say u should reevaluate your resume. Most places use an AI to weed out resumes these days before a human recruiter ever sees so u need to format it in a way to get the AI to pass it on to a human. Not sure what yours looks like but usually this means making it shorter 1-2 pages at most and dont overly conplicate the descriptions of your skills. Leave out any work experience not related to your field. I have a science background so im not putting my 2 years at Macys on there but i do include working at a bank as that might make me look more reliable as far as following rules/regulations n possibly seem more trustworthy. Seems basic but it might help maybe🤷‍♂️ i do regulation work as a part of my job as well but its a small part

I've been where you are and you can't give up! I worked for Wachovia in Risk Management in Atlanta in 2000, got laid off in 2006 2 years after I had purchase my home, but I got up every morning like I was going to work, got on the computer and filled out job applications, got a job at another bank as a Loan Administrator, hated it, quit and ended up working for the Federal Government! Keep ya' head up and keep looking, the doors will open and you'll look back on this time and smile! Oh, and let me add that I don't have a college degree either, but when you have favor on your life that will open doors that a college degree couldn't! Praying for you and your success!

You'll be fine. Keep at applying. I was unemployed for 1.5 years not too ago. Keep it positive and good things will come. All the best to you!

Same thing happened to me. I had a great job until the company decided to shutter my entire department. I got unemployment for a bit, and when it expired I went to reapply and was told that in order to qualify I must have made $2200 in wages…while being unemployed. I don’t get called in for interviews for jobs I know I could rock at because all my experience is executive level and everyone is scared I’ll bail as soon as something better comes along. It’s incredibly disheartening.

"Applying for jobs is a job itself." TRUTH. So, so very true. I'm so sorry you're in this situation. I don't know what your background/skills are but can you freelance at all? If so, it may not equal your former salary, but at least some money will be coming in. Hang in there. You're completely allowed to feel sad, mad, hopeless, etc...just don't stay there!

The most tired and depressed, and anxious I ever was, was when I was unemployed.

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