I am now in my 11th month of being unemployed.

19 Comments

1. AnonymousFebruary 14,2026 at 2:05PM UTC

   Do you have a part time job while you’re searching, to slow the bleed of your remaining finances?

2. AnonymousFebruary 17,2026 at 2:40PM UTC

   Great advice! I had a friend years ago that was between jobs and had become so desperate she took a part time retail job. The job not only helped pay some of her bills but she ended up quickly moving into a full time position and has made this her career. She is now up for yet another promotion that will bring in over 6 figures a year. Members of her family and some of our friends turned their noses up at the job she had taken, because "why on earth would someone with a college degree work that kind of job". Well the job she was working with that "college degree" did not pay nearly what this job was paying her within 3 years, so that's why! Not only that, she absolutely LOVES her job now!

3. Elaine FontanezFebruary 17,2026 at 7:02PM UTC

   I don’t have a part time job. Unfortunately, I am limited in the type of job I can apply for since I have had back surgery in 2022. So anything that requires standing for long periods or lifting/moving, are a no go.

4. BiancaFebruary 14,2026 at 2:38PM UTC

   What a difficult position to be in, I’m so sorry. I was unemployed last year. Tips that helped me:

   Customizing each resume to use exact words from each job description.

   Writing thank you emails to hiring managers after interview.

   Post on my linked in I’m looking for my next opportunity in ___ roles and appreciate any networking leads.

   I would also consider contract or PT roles I wouldn’t have previously considered.

5. Elaine FontanezFebruary 17,2026 at 7:00PM UTC

   Thank you for your suggestions! I do all that you have listed but I still get the dreaded, “we have chosen a different candidate….” email.

6. AnonymousFebruary 14,2026 at 3:55PM UTC

   Are you using AI and ChatGPT to be more efficient in your job applications and to create tailored cover letters and resumes?

7. Elaine FontanezFebruary 17,2026 at 6:55PM UTC

   Yes, I use AI everyday to tailor each resume & cover letter to all the positions I apply for. It can be tiring at times.

8. GirlBossanova934974February 16,2026 at 4:06PM UTC

   2 points. A) When you post on jobs or careers forums like this one, be sure to always list your field (finance, IT, marketing etc), your expertise, and region of the country where you live and/or wish to work. Jobs these days are being filled from/by insiders, not necessarily public postings.You never who might read it and say I know a company that is hiring. B) Be sure your resume is up on Linkedin and is completely filled out. In the 40 days, I have seen a large increase in recruiters sending me jobs postings. Most are contract roles so be sure your resumes show you are open to contract roles.

9. Elaine FontanezFebruary 17,2026 at 6:53PM UTC

   I updated my original post with my background & field of work.

   As far as LinkedIn, I do all of that and I apply for contract positions also. Anything to work. What I am finding is that it is very hard to find a good recruiter. I have met many but only consider a few of them as being helpful. I just had an interview today and my recruiter has been absolutely amazing. He has positioned me to get the job. That’s what any good recruiter should be doing with their candidates.

10. GirlBossanova934974February 18,2026 at 4:45PM UTC

    I have gone through your LinkedIn profile in detail. I have worked in IT for a number of years so I have some familiarity. For your social media postings, I would mention you are in the upper NY state area. Many jobs are hybrid these days so people will want to know if you can get to the job. As for your LI profile, I would move to bullet points rather than paragraph descriptions.. Recruiters want to be able to quickly scan and see if you have the skillsets they are looking for. They will run a quick keyword scan to find you but they have got to be able to figure out if you've done this or that VERY quickly. SKILLSETS is the next point. You have entered in paragraph level lists of keywords or TASKS. Recruiters want to see things like PL/SQL, Alteryx, SentinelOne, CrowdStrike, VMware Carbon Black Cloud, Nmap, Nessus Pro, OpenVAS, Kali Linux, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Aikido Security, McAfee MVISION Cloud, Keeper Security, Bitwarden, KeePass, Splunk, Wireshark. Hope this helps.....

11. Elaine FontanezFebruary 21,2026 at 10:55AM UTC

    I took another look at my LinkedIn profile. I have shortened my 'ABOUT' section, however everything I have read states to use short paragraphs not bullets. My profile was put together by a career coach who meets weekly with a LinkedIn advisor who reports any and all LinkedIn updates. She knows the ins and outs of LinkedIn. Also, the 'SKILLS' section is formed by LinkedIn, not me. They separate each skill so that others can validate your experience for each one. I do appreciate your input. Thank you!

12. AnonymousFebruary 17,2026 at 1:13PM UTC

    I am sorry that you are going through this. In this job market, people are staying put. With layoffs over the last couple of years, the market is also flooded with qualified candidates.

13. Elaine FontanezFebruary 17,2026 at 7:03PM UTC

    Thank you.

14. Joan Marie VerbaFebruary 17,2026 at 2:36PM UTC

    All I can do is sympathize. I've been there, more than once. Unemployed for a year, or over a year. After I was laid off in 2018, it took 4 years for me to obtain a part-time job, and another 3 years to find a job that paid enough for me to cover my bills. I was living off my credit cards. You aren't doing anything wrong and you aren't missing anything. It's just that it's extremely difficult for anyone to find a job right now.

15. Elaine FontanezFebruary 17,2026 at 7:04PM UTC

    You are right. Thank you.

16. Christina WeberFebruary 17,2026 at 8:16PM UTC

    I'm so sorry to hear about your situation, and I hope you find relief soon. I'm curious how much time you spend connecting with your network. From my experience, the best way to find an "in" is through the people you know. Wishing you the best of luck!

17. Sonja StreuberFebruary 19,2026 at 2:58PM UTC

    If you are in FL, please check out Insight Assurance on LinkedIn. I used to work with the owner (at a previous company where we were both employees)--he is great, and he is now growing his own company by leaps and bounds!

18. AnonymousFebruary 23,2026 at 7:42PM UTC

    I would try to find some recruiters in your field/ industry and approach them. They are being paid by companies to find people. I've had much better luck this way

19. Elaine FontanezFebruary 24,2026 at 8:07AM UTC

    Thank you and you're right about having better luck with recruiters in our fields. The only thing is finding one and finding one that is good! I've dealt with many, believe me, but not all recruiters are willing to work with & for you! I've seen them all...