When I got laid off, I thought that it couldn’t take me too much time to find a new job. Right?
Even though millions of other people are also unemployed and I have to apply to jobs out of state and I’m trying to narrow my field – it can’t be that hard, right?
Well it’s been a month since I got laid off and I’ve applied to around 20 jobs. I initially thought I would wait a while to give myself some time, but the waiting made me anxious. I’ve gotten one rejection and zero other correspondence. I know I’m not alone, but I thought I would’ve heard a little more by now.
One of my coworkers who got laid off along with me got a new job around 3 weeks in and I felt a pang of being left behind.
Maybe it will be easier once we move back to New Jersey. Maybe I need to settle for a job now and reach for my dream career later. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. All I know for now is that I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself and every job application takes a piece of my soul with it.
Rosie Culture 
I admire your transparency. It truly is a challenging time. Sometimes, change takes a little while to come. I pray things turn around for you soon.
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Thank you!
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Thanks for being so honest about your struggles! I remember being in the same boat a couple of years ago. Everyone else around me was getting jobs right away and I was applying for hundreds without hearing a word.
It’s so easy to get discouraged but the right job is out there somewhere. You are super talented and you’ll find a job!
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Thank you!! I’d love even a rejection email at this point lol feels like my applications are going into the abyss
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I feel you! I remember that it seemed like most of the applications I filled out went unanswered. It’s so frustrating!
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Applying to jobs is so stressful these days, pandemic or no. Its not uncommon at all to just get no response because the employers get too many submissions. A standard auto rejection reply is actually a change of pace. Give it time. A few months is normal and the pandemic has probably got a few hiring decisions off schedule. Have you thought about working with a recruiting company? I find it never hurts
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I will definitely look into a recruiting company!
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Hi Rosie,
Here’s my advice. It’s free and worth every cent you’ve paid for it…
Look for work in which you are at least moderately qualified for some portion of the job or think you might enjoy doing it (while you continue your job search). BUT, don’t expect your skills and qualification to be the main skill being asked for. In other words, look for leverage. I was an IT professional, but my last successful job search was as a management analyst (with IT skills).
Consider being mobile. If you limit yourself to one area (Conn. or NJ) you may severely limit your employment market. If you are truly NOT mobile, accept the probability you may have to take a less desirable job: less money, less opportunity, less interesting (or all of the above).
Change your attitude! You are not currently unemployed. You are currently unpaid. You current job is finding paid employment for “Rosie Culture”. Get up. Make your bed. Brush your teeth. Get dressed and get to work. Open your laptop and look for work. Review job sites (local, state and government jobs as well as other public sites). Sign up for them ALL!! Think shotgun, not sniper bullet.
Get your resume / “C.V.” down to two pages MAX! Do NOT send it to anyone without a customized cover sheet for the particular job being advertised. Your daily goal is AT LEAST two applications sent out per day.
Your resume should state what you accomplished at your prior job(s): “I raised sales X%. I completed this project. I managed this budget in this capacity.” You get the idea.
Your cover letter should indicate you’ve done some research on the company and / or job and “this” is what you hope to bring to the job / team. Your resume can be “kind of” generic, but your cover letter MUST be specific to the industry, company AND job.
Network, network, network. Call your family. Call your friends. Call your old classmates and teachers. Call your old co-workers. Believe it or not: MOST people don’t know you are looking for work and don’t know what skills you may have acquired since they last spoke with you. And “close the deal”!!! Ask them to ask around for you. If ANY of them indicate they will, close the circle and get back to them within ONE week. Regardless if they are successful in helping: Thank them!
Go to the library and get books on job searching. You can, of course, also use the internet. The two most useful books I found were “What Color Is Your Parachute?” and “Who Moved My Cheese?” “WCIYP” is updated every year. “WMMC” is updated less frequently, but it’s more about helping you “discover” yourself, than finding a job, so the information doesn’t really need that much updating. Read these at night when you are sick of looking at job sites / openings.
Set realistic expectations: in “normal” times an unemployed applicant can expect a 20% – 40% decrease in salary from their prior job (if hired in the same industry). Is that fair? 60% – 80% is better than $0.00 (well, whatever your unemployment check is, anyway). You only get a pay increase when they are trying to lure you away from your current employer. Remember: if they offer you less than you are worth, that’s what they think of you. Take the job if you need the money or the benefits, but keep looking.
The bad news is this is NOT a period of “normal” employment. Even if there is a vaccine or cure for COVID-19 found before 2021, the economy will probably not recover before 2022.
The good news is that you are young, healthy and have completed your degree, so you are primed for success once the opportunity pops up!
For what it is worth… my last period of involuntary unemployment was 2001 – 2002… The “Dot-Bomb”. I was totally unemployed for five months. I was then under-employed (30% of prior salary) for seven months. I was then hired at a “suitable” job at 60% of my prior pay, but it was a stable job with the Federal Government which saw me safely through the “Great Recession” to my retirement.
During my year of job-search I applied for almost 600 jobs (500 while completely unemployed, 100 when I could afford to be more picky). I received four (!!) written acknowledgements of receipt of applications (all from BIG companies): “Don’t call us. We’ll call you.” Only about 50 of my applications were paper based (even way back then). All of the acknowledgements were in response to a paper based application by me. I don’t remember receiving ANY acknowledgements from my electronic applications. I may have gotten one, but I don’t remember it. Of course, I got the “Thanks, you’ll be considered” message when I hit the “Submit” button. But, that’s all I would expect if I were you.
I did NOT receive acknowledgements from the two companies which ultimately hired me. They both called for interviews. I did receive written job offers after their interviews.
I apologize for the length of this comment, but I hope it’s been of some help. Don’t get discouraged!! This IS the job until you get your next BETTER job!
Kevin
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This is a lot of great info, thank you so much for sharing!! I have come to terms with taking a pay cut and possibly a job I’m overqualified for for the time being – it’s a weird thing to have to accept after working so hard! I will definitely be implementing some of these tips.
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You are welcome. The honor is to serve!
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Thank you for being so honest about your experience so far. I am currently employed full time but I am not enjoying my job in the slightest, and I have been applying for jobs since last year so I can quit this one and move on, but I haven’t even gotten 1 interview. I must’ve applied for over a hundred things! It is very disheartening but I am also grateful to be earning money now.
🌿 Marissa Belle × marsybun.com 🌿
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How crazy! I entered the job market in 2015, a time where getting a job was super easy – but now it’s insane. I tried to quit my job last year and only got one interview that didn’t work out after lots of applications.
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Hang in there, Rosie. As a heads-up, employers prefer to hire people who live in the area. It’s just too much of a hassle and too much uncertainty when people live further away. That’s probably why there’s a holdup. When you move, let all of them know you’re now living in NJ. Good luck!
PS:- I’m an HR major graduate. 🙂
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Thanks! I either apply without listing my location or with the information that I’m relocating to NJ, but hopefully when I’m actually back it will be easier
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In time you will be right back out there and on top of your game believe that ✨
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Thank you!
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Always remember one thumb rule of life. When you are at the lowest the only place you can go is up. This is just a phase. Things will get better. That is one line that keeps me sane in these trying times.
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Thank you! That is a good thing to hold onto
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Don’t beat yourself up. It’s only been one month. And this is one of the hardest times for anyone to find a job right now. There are so many people looking and not a lot of jobs going around. Also, a lot of companies are delaying hiring anyone. I know someone who went through three interviews a couple of months ago. And then she was told that the company is waiting to hire anyone at the moment. I also do think that things will be easier when you move back to Jersey. A lot of people will see the New Hampshire address and automatically write you off as crappy as that is. They just don’t want to deal with the hassle. Good luck with the job hunt. It may take a bit but you’ll find something great and it will work out! In the meantime, enjoy this break as best you can doing things for yourself.
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Thank you! That must’ve been so defeating for your friend, I’d rather be where I am now than strung along
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Job searching sucks. I feel like it’s especially difficult right now with the pandemic. While I’ve been focusing more on school right now, I only have two more classes left so most of my focus is going into job searching. It’s crazy how you can apply to so many jobs, yet barely receive any responses. The only interviews I received were when I actually spoke with a recruiter/employee instead of simply sending in an application. I’m sure applying to positions on job boards/company sites can be successful, but I only get ghosted or rejected when I apply that way, even though I always include both a resume and cover letter. I don’t know if your university provides any job resources for alumni, but it might be helpful to see if they have any virtual career fairs or anything like that. I also hear about people applying to hundreds of positions, so unfortunately it does seem like it can take a long time to get employed these days. I do hope you find something soon though, good luck!
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I will definitely look through my school, I haven’t thought about that! Job boards are such a catch 22, it’s nice to be able to find all the jobs in one place but there’s no way to get contact info to follow up so you end up ghosted
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