Nothing is going like it’s supposed to.

34 Comments

1. Stephanie LekowskiOctober 7,2023 at 8:25PM UTC

   Do not quit. You have to keep believing in yourself. What type of business did you try to start? Give it and yourself a chance so you'll never wonder "what if?"

2. AnonymousOctober 7,2023 at 9:27PM UTC

   It took me a year to find a position so please don't give up . I know firsthand how frustrating it can be. Keep pushing ahead and while it sounds counterinitiative, be even more focused in your search. Hone in on what level industry and your experience that you have that will benefit a company. I made the mistake applying for everything as I needed a job and that wasted time and I ended interviewing for positions that I knew weren't the right fit. Keep pushing and you've got this!

3. AnonymousOctober 7,2023 at 9:55PM UTC

   Right now I'm taking a break and will pick up my search next year.
   I'm doing some contract work to pay some bills. I don't have debt so I just need to pay living.

4. AnonymousOctober 8,2023 at 12:11AM UTC

   In doing the same: contract work and extreme budgeting with no debt.

   Usually around this time of year is more difficult

5. AnonymousOctober 8,2023 at 11:42AM UTC

   ANY entrepreneurial route takes time to build, instant success is not the mindset that will lead to that. Limit your time you give your search, make it a quality search and most importantly REALISTIC on yourself.

6. AnonymousOctober 9,2023 at 12:28PM UTC

   Why were you laid off? I would take it as a welcome break from the rat race. I have been laid off few times and it was always great for me because I can take some time off, work on myself and travel if I wanted to.

   unless you have bills to meet that you can’t cover for some time, what is the rush? It takes time to find a new job, it took me 6 mo to over a year. This is very normal.

   try to relax and enjoy the time off.

   our identity is so tied to a job and we are more than our jobs and titles.

7. CJB62October 9,2023 at 1:20PM UTC

   Most people have monthly bills to pay/housing to worry about (rent or a mortgage). Frankly, the times I have been unemployed, I was afraid to spend money as I wasn’t certain when I would find a job or how long my savings had to last.

8. AnonymousOctober 9,2023 at 12:32PM UTC

   I know exactly how you feel - ruthless & the moon are bang on. Like others on here, I got a p/t 'pay-the-bills' job in the company I want to work for again & limit my job hunting, research & applying (your equivalent) to 2 days a week.

   I feel so much better just being back at work in the right organisation & around some great people, & continue to interview for career jobs & refine/ try different techniques regularly.

   I've had to seriously get it into my head that economic forces aren't within my control, & as unfair as everything's been since Covid (which we are still suffering the consequences of, with other things in addition) I have to ease up on myself & ride this wave too, instead of fighting the current & depleting myself of energy & the will to continue.

   Once you get your head round this & find a temporary alternative to pay bills/ have another purpose, it gets that bit easier.

   To quote my Step Father, "We are all in this shit together".

9. KathrynOctober 9,2023 at 12:33PM UTC

   I sympathize I too am out of work. And the next well meaning person that says do you network, apply here or some other advise I want to hit I know they mean well but just STOP. I keep trying and am sure something will happen. I am just tired or all the reaching out and being ghosted. I welcome the turn downs at least they are still in touch

10. AnonymousOctober 9,2023 at 12:40PM UTC

    try some job websites,like indeed

11. Zayda HernandezOctober 9,2023 at 1:17PM UTC

    Stay focused please do not give up. Take the time while you are searching to learn additional skills that may help upsell yourself on your resume. Find something to help you feel productive which is what you are missing right now but that is not your fault. See if the recruiting agencies can put you in a contract position. Apply to a part time in stead of a full time. Every little will help you get there. Good luck!!

12. AnonymousOctober 9,2023 at 1:38PM UTC

    Please don't confuse Entrepreneurial with MLMs. Your best bet is to steer clear of those - they will cost you more than you will make. If you decide, please read their income disclosures. Most make less than 10k per year.

    Unfortunately it has always been and probably always be easier to find a job when you have a job. One of the best employees I have had no experience in our field. He worked for amazon and got laid off before his 30 days so they wouldn't have to hire him permanently. He went to a job at a bakery delivering cakes. For me it was impressive that he did what he had to do to make ends meet.

    I know this advice isn't for everyone but sometimes we have to take a step back before we can step up. Never give up though. The perfect job is out there for you.

13. AnonymousOctober 9,2023 at 1:53PM UTC

    Sounds like you need a break to recharge and build up your enthusiasm again. There is nothing wrong with taking a break and getting some rest.

14. Michele Cresmen-BlockOctober 9,2023 at 1:58PM UTC

    I'm only 5 weeks into my job search, so I don't have the context of 7 months. I did notice in your headline "...like it's supposed to." Think about the expectations you have, is there a way to adjust them?

    I've learned a lot from taking advantage of the LHH resources my employer supplied (2 months of the service). One big lesson is that your LinkedIn profile is your most powerful tool (even above your resume, which is still important). Ensuring that you have what recruiters have been told to look for in your role is essential.

    • Look at your picture, is it professional or something you would use on personal social media?
    • Look at your banner, does it say anything about you? A great resource with free, customizable banners is Canva - search in there for a banner that helps you stand out (does require setting up an ID, but their free banners are sensational).
    • The About section should have similar information as the summary on your resume. While your resume is written in 3rd person, your summary should be 1st-person. AND the about section should have key words/skills in there so you come up in searches.
    • Speaking of Skills - LinkedIn allows you to have 50 skills on your profile in that section. Pick the ones that will catch others, for example: "Presentation Skills" and "Presentations" are similar, pick the one that is used most in the jobs you're applying for.
    • Liking and commenting on meaningful posts (to your role aspirations) gets you noticed as well. Do this regularly to be seen in your potential hiring circles.

    This is all above & beyond looking for hiring managers and "cold" applying. Also, I've heard that using the Apply button in LinkedIn is a black hole. Go directly to the company's website and find the role to apply that route.

    I hope there are some actions you can take here without feeling the burnout of applying. Sometimes focusing on something different for a short time can relieve the pressure.

15. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistOctober 10,2023 at 2:08AM UTC

    Since you're offering advice, I thought I would throw my two cents as a recruiter with over 20 years experience into the mix. I am well aware of who LHH is and what they do.

    YOU SAID: "One big lesson is that your LinkedIn profile is your most powerful tool (even above your resume, which is still important). "

    This is not true at all in my experience. Your LinkedIn profile is important, yes. But it is not more important than your resume.

    Your LI profile is in essence a passive job search tool. If a recruiter happens to run a search in LI for someone with your background and you happen to come up in their search results and they happen to click on your profile, then they will see your LI profile. Or you apply with your resume and they look at your LI profile (which I don't do as a general rule because I have all the info I should need from your resume that you applied with).

    Your resume is an active job search tool - and therefore more powerful. It is the tool you use to proactively apply to positions.

    I do not care if you have a picture, nor what your picture looks like. When I run a search and get 1,253 results, I can assure you that I do not go through those results critiquing people's pictures. I, myself, have not a picture on my LI profile for many years after receiving one too many creepy messages from creeps.

    When you're talking about your "banner", are you referring to the picture at the top of your LI profile? Something else I do not care about.

    What is very important is your headline - the line directly below your name. It should accurately reflect what you do/are looking to do.

    Things like "servant leader", "passionate about x" or Chief Happiness Officer are - I promise you - are things I have never searched for. PMP Certified Epic Healthcare Informatics Project Manager tells me what you do and if you might be a fit for my open requisition.

    Do not agree with the first person/third person. Third person.

    Yes, you should have as many skills as appropriate on your profile.

    Keywords are just skills or experience that we use in our search strings to find candidates (which is different than applying). Ideally, they should just be an organic part of a person's resume. Loading your resume up with words you think recruiters or hiring managers want to see may get someone to click on your resume but if the experience isn't there, it doesn't matter how many "key words" you stuff your resume with.

    The apply button is not a black hole - it should take you right to the Company's job portal, You can easily tell - when you click on the "Apply" button, you should be able to see the URL of the company you're applying to.

    Also, for those that don't know - the number of "applicants" showing on LI job postings is not the number of actual applicants - that is the number of people who click through the job posting. LI has no way of knowing whether or not someone completes an application. They have no way of knowing what happens once you leave LI.

    REGARDING: "Liking and commenting on meaningful posts (to your role aspirations) gets you noticed as well. Do this regularly to be seen in your potential hiring circles."

    One of the recruiters I network with on LI had a post about this a few weeks ago. And I agree with what she had to say - I can assure you that recruiters do not randomly troll LI looking at comments and "reach out to candidates who catch our eye". If I'm looking for candidates on LI, I doing it by running a targeted search.

    The job search is a LOT these days - lots of advice being thrown at jobseekers. Trying to give some context on what may and may not be important to recruiters - at least to this one.

    Please let me know if you have any questions.

    GOOD LUCK IN YOUR JOB SEARCH!

16. AnonymousOctober 10,2023 at 2:21AM UTC

    Very helpful insights! Thank you.

17. Michele Cresmen-BlockOctober 10,2023 at 10:26PM UTC

    Thanks for those insights, I'm not relying only on a decent profile, I'm treating it as one of the primary places I can be found. Your targeted search will find me if my skills are a match and if my About section meets what you've been told to look for - that meets my success criteria for my LI profile :)

18. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistOctober 10,2023 at 11:07PM UTC

    Except that's not the advice you gave to a struggling jobseeker.

    You specifically said "your LinkedIn profile is your most powerful tool (even above your resume"

19. AnonymousOctober 9,2023 at 2:02PM UTC

    4 months here, dear ) ; Enrolled to upgrade computer skills.

20. Elizabyth HarringtonOctober 9,2023 at 3:39PM UTC

    Don't give up! Also, take a good hard look at your resume. Does your experience contain general duties or specific accomplishments backed up with statistics?

    I went through a super long and unproductive job search while trying to get out of a toxic environment. It didn't work and eventually I was let go from the company (not really laid off but not fired either). I revamped my resume with the wins I had and made sure to include numbers to back them up. I personally prefer contract-to-hire gigs so that's what I went for and landed two offers pretty quickly. I'm now happy and making more money than my previous job with a lot less stress.

    Contract jobs/Temporary assignments can be a really good stop gap as well as give you an idea of a company's culture before you take the plunge of working there. I also recommend temp work as a way of lifting your spirits (which can really take a beating when you are unemployed and not seeing a lot of feedback).

21. AnonymousOctober 9,2023 at 5:41PM UTC

    Don't give up, its taking almost a year for some disciplines to find work. I can assure you you are definitely not alone. Take classes, fill the space with things that can benefit you and others, volunteer in a place where there are paying jobs because you just might in the short term be in the right place for work if/when they need to hire.

22. Barbara Brown NilesOctober 9,2023 at 6:23PM UTC

    I am still out of work but I will share 1 piece of advice that seems to have gotten me some traction. Exploit your connections and find the recruiters for the companies you've applied for and reach out to them. Best of luck to you.

23. AnonymousOctober 10,2023 at 7:06AM UTC

    I know this doesn’t make it better, but there are a lot of us feeling the same way.

24. AnonymousOctober 10,2023 at 12:55PM UTC

    You're not alone, your post really resonated with me because I've also been unemployed for 7 months and have been really struggling. I'm working part-time but I've had to ask my parents to help me pay rent. I'm in my late twenties and this is not at all where I thought I'd be. I just want a chance too—why is it so hard to land a job? I've been trying to utilize my network but I've been reaching dead ends or things just fizzle out. Lean on your friends right now, sometimes help can come from places you don't expect.

25. Rebecca MillikenOctober 10,2023 at 1:51PM UTC

    My only comment is this, tell everyone you know you are looking and talk to everyone about it. You never know where it will lead. The last two jobs I got were because of contacts, people I know, not from appying. And I have had several job offers from people I know or who know me through someone else.

    It depends on your field; mine happens to be close knit in a not large community so it works for me.

    But I always say never burn bridges and never be a jerk if you can help it. You never know when you will come across someone from your past.

    You also never know who can help you. Letting people--even those you may not think would care or are in the same field--letting them know you are actively seeking work can help.

26. AnonymousOctober 10,2023 at 7:19PM UTC

    When you stop thinking that nothing is going the way it's supposed to, is when things will start to turn around. I went through a job loss almost 5 years ago. When I stopped and listened to the feedback I was getting while it was discouraging, in the end it helped me find my way to what I'm doing now. There is a lot of help and resources available to you to help you begin working for yourself, several of which are free or very low cost. You just have to take the time to sit down and figure out what it is that you want to do, and then do the research to figure out what you need for start up costs and how long it will take for you to get it off the ground.

    I started my small business during a national government shutdown, so I had to wait to take the steps I needed to complete, so I could get business insurance and open a bank account. Then once I was finally able to officially launch it and it looked like it was going to take off with flying colors Covid 19 hit and effectively shut things down. If it hadn't been for being able to get unemployment during Covid as a small business owner, I probably still wouldn't have my business. You just have to remember everything happens for a reason, even if we don't understand it at the time. Besides making it through Covid, I also made it through having to have major open heart surgery followed up by a recovery that took almost a year, living in a hotel for a little over a year due to significant water damage to my home (we are thankfully back in our home now), and I also lost my mom earlier this year. The reason I'm saying this is that if it hadn't been for me being self-employed I wouldn't have been able to take the time I needed to properly take care of my own health, help out with my mom, or make sure things went as smoothly as possible with getting back into our house. Everything happens for a reason, even if we don't understand it at the time.

    I know it's hard to understand things now, however, when looking back you'll understand the "why" later down the road.

27. Crystal HowellOctober 10,2023 at 7:33PM UTC

    Keep your chin up, have you looked at temporary agencies, chamber of commerce in your area website,, you didn't say what is your skill set

28. Laura BrennanOctober 10,2023 at 8:27PM UTC

    Lots of good advice here! Let me suggest some action steps:

    1) If you haven't already, get something part time just so you have money coming in. It takes the pressure off a little bit, which gives you more mental space and shows up in what actions you take and how you come across in interviews. Now's a good time to pick up seasonal retail work, or sign up with a temp agency, or put your skills on sites like Fiverr. You're not looking for a career here, you're just looking to have a little money coming in, ideally with something you can mentally leave behind after working hours.

    2) Decide what you want as your next job. This is critical! "Looking for a job" is too amorphous for your network to be able to help you with. At a minimum, decide on the field you want to be in. It's okay if you don't know the job title you're after, so long as you have an arena.

    3) Focus like a laser on getting informational interviews. Tell everyone -- EVERYONE -- that you are looking to build a career in [field], and as a first step, you want to learn as much as you can about it as possible. Do they know anyone who might be willing to give you 20 minutes to talk about their experiences in that field (how they broke in, what they like about it, where they think it is headed, etc)? This is a very specific request and also an easy one. You are not asking anyone for a job, or even a lead to a job, you are just asking for advice. People love to give advice.

    These requests need to be made one-on-one! No group texts/emails/social media posts. Reach out to three or four people a day, email or text is fine, keep it do-able, but make it a habit to make the request. Whenever anyone asks you what you do or what you are up to, this is your new answer: "Right now, I'm trying to learn as much as I can about [field]. I'm talking to as many people as possible to get a full picture of what it's about and how I might fit in."

    People love to help. Any help that is offered, TAKE IT. Even if you've tried it already or you think it won't work. Take it help, try out the advice, find something to genuinely thank the person for. Thank them. Report back with good news. The real value is in these last two steps; you want people to see you as someone who creates a return on their investment in you.

    4) This same holds true for everyone who does give you an informational interview. Always ask something like, "What do you wish you'd known when you were starting out?" Your last question should always be something like, "What do you think I should do next?" These will get good, actionable advice. Take it. Thank them. Report back in 3 weeks with good news and thank them again.

    5) Your network is bigger than you think. It's not just your friends and family, it's alums of your high school and your college (USE THEIR RESOURCES! That's what they're there for), it's your barista, your yoga teacher, your friend's cousin. Join professional organizations in your field, go to lectures/meetings, take a class at a local community college to uplevel your skills and use their job boards. You will never run out of people to ask for advice so long as you take the advice, thank them, and report back with good news.

    You're doing a great job reaching out here for advice. When you've pinpointed what you want, maybe come back and ask for specific help -- tailoring your informational interview questions to the field, for instance. Thank us. Report back with good news!

    You've got this --

    Laura

29. Lisa MarieOctober 11,2023 at 10:29AM UTC

    I'm sorry you're in this situation. I haven't read any other comments, so not sure if this particular advice was given:

    Check your market to see if Instawork temp agency is active in your neck of the woods, snd sign up.https://www.instawork.com/worker

    With Instawork, YOU choose the jobs you want to do - job are not assigned to you. You can read the job expectations and decide which shifts you want to take.

    I use them to provide workers for my business, and I have encouraged my PT staff to sign up with them to be able to pick up jobs to earn additional income.

    If you wish, you can send me the name, email, and telephone number you will use to sign up, and I'll pass it on to my Account manager so your sign up can fast-tracked in just one day.

    This is just a suggestion for you to get you out and active, and visible to potential employers.

    Keep your chin up...

30. Farah BajwaOctober 11,2023 at 12:38PM UTC

    The universe is always working FOR you (believe me, I've been laid off 3 times and the longest stent was for 23 months). So if things feel like they're not going how they're "supposed" to, considering taking a pause. See if there's a direction or opportunity you've overlooked because sometimes its not in the form you were expecting. Or maybe its meant to be a time for you to rest and recharge. You know you're not alone so maybe connect with others; get a job search buddy; have your cover letter and resume looked at for improvements. Its difficult to be patient but it will work out for you. Good luck!

31. Kelsey BurnesOctober 11,2023 at 5:28PM UTC

    I feel you girl, I have been on the job hunt for just 2 months and it's hard (my partner is in the same position). I have good days and bad days. However, you have to keep positive and believe that what is right will come to you. Whenever I have hard days and limiting beliefs such as "what if I never going to get a job again", I stop myself and think of how unrealistic that actually is. When we are leading with fear, our beliefs can get a little silly honestly. Some good news, now that a large group of those that were laid off by the tech giants (Meta, Google) have found jobs, there are less applicants per job (or I am seeing that), and I am constantly seeing new roles pop up every day (and interesting ones!).

    A few things that have helped me:

    • Mindfulness and allowing yourself to truly feel your valid feelings.
    • Use this time to learn new skills/take courses. There are plenty of online courses online that can help you brush up on your skills and/or learn new ones!
    • Communicate your feelings with others (friends, family, partners) be open and don't struggle alone.
    • I schedule on and off days, one day on: looking/applying/learning, next day relaxing, next day off: doing something outside or something I enjoy. You likely won't have many times like this again where you have the freedom to experience life freely without a job. Ensure you can look back and be glad you took time for yourself.
    • Network (even if there isn't an immediate opportunity available. I have caught up with many friends in my network and I'm constantly getting jobs sent to me from them.
    • A friend recommended a book called "Never Search Alone" for job seekers. I have only read the first chapter but it's a methodology on finding a new job and one that you love!
    • Be open, while it's important to know your skill set and where you want to focus, try to stay open to what could be a new path for you.
    • Reach out to your school. I just found out my university has a career coaching calls every week. You never know what resources yours could have!

    Wishing you all the best and please reach out personally if you ever need! You are talented, valued and have so much to offer, never forget that.

32. AnonymousOctober 11,2023 at 6:24PM UTC

    Please apply for jobs at usajobs.gov.

    There are many positions available!!

    Apply for 10-15 at a time!

33. RichOctober 12,2023 at 3:50PM UTC

    There is a lot of good advice here, but there is one thing that we teach at BJM that is missing. You need to plan to spend 25% of your job search time in Self-Care. Otherwise, it will be hard to interview well.
    Self-care doesn't eliminate all the negative, but it does moderate it. Self-care is doing things that make you feel better about who you are. I can't tell you what will work for you - you're not me.
    But, they tend to include things like spending time with your family, especially your spouse or significant other. It also includes anything you do that makes you better - like reading, meditating, prayer, taking classes, etc... It also includes things you can complete, including hobbies, gardening, music. It definitely includes exercise, as well as volunteer work. Both of those release endorphins that make you feel better about your self.
    This does not include anything that makes you feel good short-term, but pulls you down long-term. That means No drugs, alcohol, gambling, porn, "binge watching," "retail therapy," or anything like that.
    Finally, resist the temptation to withdraw from others. Just stay away from those who tend to put you down. Invest in a coffee with your friends on a regular basis.
    The whole idea is to PLAN to take the time to help you feel better about who you are and what you do. True, if an interview comes up, take the interview first. But otherwise do your best to take care of yourself.

34. Johny RutsMay 3,2026 at 6:29PM UTC
    A veces en estas discusiones se repiten mucho los mismos consejos y cuesta encontrar algo realmente útil. Yo hace poco probé https://lolajack-espana.com/ y me sorprendió bastante porque es sencillo y práctico, sin vueltas raras. En mi caso me ayudó más que otras opciones que había visto antes, la verdad.