Nike laid me off a year ago. I still don’t have a job.
Before you make suggestions or assumptions, let me explain that I’ve had a relatively positive attitude through this time, so sure something will happen for me. That the next thing is just around the corner. Everything happens for a reason, I’ll be better off long term, etc etc. I even spending part of my time volunteering to help others in a similar situation, because karma, right?
Something feels different at this year mark. Watching so many people land roles and even more others in the same boat as me
I’ve leveraged my network, who either aren’t hiring or so inundated with people looking they can’t help. I’ve led with the relationship without asking for anything, and I’ve tried asking for help directly. I’ve applied to thousands of jobs, had over 50 interviews, 14 business cases/projects , gotten to the finals a dozen times and am still stuck picking up part time contract work to make ends meat.
I’ve applied to multiple levels down, across different industries, across the world, open to full time in office, remote, or self-paid relocation.
I’ve re written my resume more times than I can count. Hired coaches, built websites, had coffee chat after coffee chat and gone to every networking function I can find.
My emergency fund is dwindling. This is going to take me years to recover, if ever.
I can count on more than 4 hands the number of people I know in my situation. There is absolutely no way the unemployment numbers are remotely accurate.
And finding out this weekend that within this very year that I’ve had to cut back on everything to avoid losing it all, with what seems like no end in sight, I find out multiple people on my team have since promoted.
Shame on you. People who have less experience, who drafted off of and I’m told are still presenting my work. They are hiring, multiple open roles. How can be that this wasn’t personal?
Everyone tells me it wasn’t, that I’m top talent, that they would hire me if and when budgets let up… that they would re-hire me if they could,,, but yet they don’t… and so a year later here I am, where people who I thought were my friend don’t reach out, check in, or offer help, or even just know how I’m doing. Is it that people only want to have good vibes and hear good news?
It’s exhausting, asking for help. It’s demoralizing having to sell yourself so hard and still be rejected, especially when you know you’re good at what you do.
I am not sure what I’m looking for except to share and hope to shed some light.
For those of you on the other side of the fence complaining about not getting in-role promotions, things are good for you, appreciate what you have, and don’t take it for granted. I would trade my situation for yours in a heartbeat.