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Career is Totally Unstable

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Anonymous

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Career is Totally Unstable

Stayed at my internship in college for 3 years, doing work for them even after graduating and that is by far my longest tenure.

My first job was horrible and I stayed there a year with my toxic manager before jumping for a different opportunity during the great resignation. Stayed there for 18 months before having to spontaneously resign (to avoid being asked to do unethical things). My manager was amazing but the owner was a psycho and started lying on employees and expected me to go along with it to keep the job.

Went to another company. Laid off after 10 months.

Went to another company. They lost a partner and now are cracking down on everyone. I am the least senior team member so they have basically let me know I am getting thrown overboard at the end of the month through a PIP (not valid but they don't care about the proof). I have been there for 10 months.

I am desperate. I have great reviews from the internship, the 18 month job, and the layoff job, but I am terrified. The 2 job losses ate all our savings and I have a toddler. I am in my early 20s and I feel absolutely sick to my stomach that I can't seem to keep a job for even a year. I worked hard in school and always try my best but it makes no difference. I have been unemployed for a total of 14 months since graduating due to all the gaps caused by COVID.

I keep looking like a madwoman but nobody is hiring. I have made measurable impact at each job but the stress is eating away at me and destroying my quality of life. My husband doesn't make anything compared to me and was recently laid off as well. I don't know if I should resign now to protect my reputation or let them fire me. They are already going to fight me on unemployment. How should I handle this? I desperately need some encouragement.

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  1. Anonymous

    I am so sorry this is happening to you. Unfortunately, this is becoming more and more common - especially for recent grads. I remember going through something similar in 2008 and while it was horrible at the time, it pushed me to start freelancing and now I have my own business. I know that is not an option for everyone, but maybe something to think about.

  2. Anonymous

    Currently going through something similar, but luckily do not have kids. I cannot imagine the stress. I am so sorry.

  3. Elizabeth Stiles West

    Contact your college for sure. The career services department can help you, as can your favorite professors, even if you have been out of college for a while. Also consider substitute teaching; districts are desperate for subs right now and at least that would be some income coming in. See if there are any job fairs you can attend as well, and ask other moms; let your kids' friends' parents and teachers know you are looking. So sorry you're going through this!

  4. Anonymous

    Thank you for the kind reply. I will absolutely keep those things in mind and reach out to my college tomorrow.

  5. Barbara

    Do NOT Resign. You cannot collect

    unemployment if you resign! Being laid off during these economic times is more the norm.

    pick up your head and do not panic. See what can be done at your current job to keep you employed. Ask

    for help finding you another job. Wake up and take control. Why isn’t your husband collecting unemployment! ?

  6. Ayian

    Document everything and send it to your personal email so that you have it for that eventual PIP fire. Being fired doesn't mean no unemployment, you just have to make your case to the Unemployment office. You might even consider an employment attorney if they've made any remarks in writing about any protected class you belong to.

  7. Me!

    I know it does not feel like it but, it will be ok and you will come out of this. To limit the stress at home, If you have not already done so look at the family expenses and cut out any spending you can. If possible one or both of you should consider a part time job. This is the reality of the job market right now and it will turn around again at some point. Until that time work hard, grow, learn and be resilient. This will be invaluable in life long term. Do not resign!

  8. Anonymous

    Thank you so much for this kind reply. I really needed it today.

  9. Patricia

    You’ve had a really tough run, and it’s no reflection on your ability or work ethic. Many of the issues you’ve faced — toxic management, layoffs, unstable businesses — are systemic, not personal. The fact that you’ve consistently delivered impact despite these challenges shows resilience.

    In most cases, it’s better not to resign unless you already have another role lined up. If you resign, you usually lose eligibility for unemployment benefits, and it may raise more questions with future employers. If they terminate you, you can frame it later as “company instability” or “restructuring.” With strong references from your internship and prior roles, you’ll be fine.

    Instead of focusing on short tenures, emphasize the impact and skills gained: “Implemented ___ process that saved time/costs,” “Delivered ___ project under tight timelines.”

    In interviews, keep the explanation short, factual, and neutral: “Unfortunately, the company underwent changes that affected my role, but I’m proud of the contributions I made there.” Then pivot back to your strengths.

    Broaden your scope: look into contract, temporary, or consulting roles — these often lead to stability later and help explain shorter stints.

    Target companies with a reputation for stability (larger orgs, government, established nonprofits).

    Use networking — alumni groups, LinkedIn, even reaching out directly to ex-colleagues who valued your work. Many opportunities never hit job boards.

    This is a marathon, not a sprint. Build small wins into your day: update 2–3 tailored applications instead of 20 generic ones, schedule breaks, lean on your support system. You’re not failing — you’re navigating a brutal job market.

    Your early 20s are about building breadth, not perfect stability. Many successful careers look “messy” in the beginning but later get stitched together into a strong narrative. You’ve already proven you can deliver results — the right environment will value that. Don’t let a string of unstable companies convince you otherwise.

  10. Anonymous

    This is extremely helpful, thank you so much. I would love to get into the nonprofit sector and actually made it to the final interview for a nonprofit last year that was my top choice, but they went with someone else. I do continue checking periodically though.

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