Laid off about 3 years back.

9 Comments

1. Rebecca AliNovember 29,2022 at 1:28PM UTC

   I think we are going to need more details to offer advice. Are you getting to first round interviews? Are you not getting calls on your resume? Are you limiting the types of roles you're applying to and the type of companies? It's always good to start with an objective look at your resume. Then, think about ways you can remain/or have remained active while you job search - are you volunteering? have you considered temp work? do you have a friend who needs help pro bono or for a nominal fee? Have you considered doing consulting? Did you take the time to focus on caregiving? There's value in unpaid work but you'll have to spell it out for the recruiters. Good luck!

2. AnonymousNovember 29,2022 at 2:53PM UTC

   Well right now things are very tight in the job market. Clearly you have outstanding experience.

   I would turn to networking as your "in" to get to hiring managers and inside recruiters.

3. AnonymousNovember 29,2022 at 2:57PM UTC

   Hi dear,

   First, you need to check your resume and make sure it looks professional "sometimes a badly written resume can be the reason". then check the skills needed in the job market, go through the job description, and check if you know/have all the needed knowledge or if you need to gain/expand your skills. I have been there and struggled a lot until I learned my mistakes. Wishing you the best of luck!

4. AnonymousNovember 30,2022 at 3:55PM UTC

   "sometimes a badly written resume can be the reason".

   —-

   True but, a lot has changed about resume writing within a matter of years. What is now considered a poorly written resume could have been acceptable 10 years ago. Old fashioned style resumes aren’t getting passed ATS and that’s the big thing. The advice in resume writing books changes drastically from year to year. I’d suggest the op seek out resume writing services even if it is from a website. Some websites have pre written statements that they’ll plug in a template. It feels lazy but, it’s been sure fire getting past ATS.

5. AnonymousNovember 30,2022 at 7:27PM UTC

   Agree, I started to be called for more interviews after modifying my resume using Canva.

6. AnonymousNovember 29,2022 at 8:44PM UTC

   Do not say you have "25 years" of experience. Don't go back over 7 years when listing previous employers. Ageism rears its ugly head.

7. RichDecember 2,2022 at 2:53PM UTC

   Start by tracking what is working. What are you doing that is producing results? Keep doing that.

   But you need to do something else as well. You need to make a list of everyone you ever worked with in those 25 years. ALL of them. Don't leave any of them out. Then reach out, not to ask for a job, but to find out how they are doing and if you can help them with something. Some will help you back.

   The most successful method for mature professionals to find jobs is by being referred to a hiring manager by someone who has worked with you in the past, and who now works at that company. More than 60% of the time it will lead to an interview, and 20-25% of the time it will lead to a job offer. Employers prefer to hire people who are referred by current employees. These people once hired tend to be better cultural and professional "fits" and they also tend to remain employed with that company much longer.

   Meanwhile, do not exclude anyone you knew in the past. The person most likely to refer you is a professional contact, not someone who worked closely with you. That's because the person who worked closely with you knows the negatives as well. For example, they might recall you always cooked fish in the break room microwave on Fridays. They might remember that you always used your speaker phone in the office, even if it was disruptive to others. But, someone you only dealt with from a distance, because they were in another department, will remember you as polite, professional and effective. So reach out to all of them.

   And, make a point of following up every 85-95 days, because they will have forgotten your situation.

   When they ask what you are looking for, be concise and to the point. If it takes more than 30 seconds to tell them - you're going too long. If it takes 5 minutes, they've already tuned you out, and are looking for a way to avoid ever talking to you again. So focus your job search on a specific one or two roles.

   This should wake up your prospects.

   Keep it up!

8. AnonymousDecember 2,2022 at 6:56PM UTC

   I agree with some of the comments below. Start reaching out to people you have worked with in the past, in your department and outside of it. Add them to your LinkedIn profile. Make sure your LinkedIn Profile is up to date and professional. In addition, make sure your LinkedIn does not have any spelling or grammatical errors. Then add in connections of people you have worked with, or even went to school with. You can then message them on LinkedIn if you see a position at their current company. Reaching out to connections from time to time like for a work anniversary or promotion is a great way to stay in touch and may help to a job down the line as well.

   I would reach out to any and all staffing agencies in your area. Places like Robert Half are everywhere. LHH is another nationwide staffing agency. They can help you find a job and even temporary work to get your foot in the door. They may even help you with some interview questions.

   You also need to make sure your cover letter and resume are free of any spelling or grammatical errors. I highly suggest having a professional look at both. Some are a lot more expensive than others, so I would check out a few companies and pricing before choosing one to do your resume or cover letter.

9. AnonymousDecember 3,2022 at 1:28AM UTC

   Dear Anonymous,If you are in the Vermont area, please check out USAJOBS.gov as there are many openings for Federal jobs. If you wish to consider moving to Vermont, you may contact any SSA field office there (Rutland, Montpelier or Burlington). There are openings that are not advertised on USAJOBS.gov. You will be instructed on how to submit your resume directly to the hiring official in Burlington, VT. I wish you the very best in your job search. Sincerely, Fellow FBG-er