OT: Career advice Part II

[will1066]

I'm just tired of being completely ghosted by recruiters after having really positive conversations.

Or not having one ridiculously niche skill for a generic role. It's almost like there is no ability to learn on the job anymore. I'm 54 effing years old. I have over 30 damn years of working experience. I'm not stupid. I can learn things quickly.

Having one ridiculously niche skill is both a blessing and a curse.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I'm just tired of being completely ghosted by recruiters after having really positive conversations.

Or not having one ridiculously niche skill for a generic role. It's almost like there is no ability to learn on the job anymore. I'm 54 effing years old. I have over 30 damn years of working experience. I'm not stupid. I can learn things quickly.

recruiters are completely useless. I got my current job from getting contact directly from the company higher ups. thats how i've gotten most of my jobs actually.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I'm just tired of being completely ghosted by recruiters after having really positive conversations.

Or not having one ridiculously niche skill for a generic role. It's almost like there is no ability to learn on the job anymore. I'm 54 effing years old. I have over 30 damn years of working experience. I'm not stupid. I can learn things quickly.

Yeah, I've felt this way for a while. Companies are so risk averse that unless you say you know everything you're screwed. The funny thing is no one knows everything so they're just rewarding the biggest liars.

 

[Overcast]

Sorry to switch the vibe from the current conversation, just wanted to toot my own horn real quick. My current job is to conduct assessments for kids/teens with special needs and I (begrudgingly) have to tell the families that we have to send out satisfaction surveys afterwards, and that it's always much appreciated if they have the time to fill it out. Last week a company-wide email was sent with some responses from families across all of NY state and I was pleasantly surprised to see my name included with some words of praise for how I conducted the meeting and my thoroughness. I usually haven't been recognized for the work I've done in the past so that felt nice to see.

 

[will1066]

...

 

[NickyFotiu]

Sorry to switch the vibe from the current conversation, just wanted to toot my own horn real quick. My current job is to conduct assessments for kids/teens with special needs and I (begrudgingly) have to tell the families that we have to send out satisfaction surveys afterwards, and that it's always much appreciated if they have the time to fill it out. Last week a company-wide email was sent with some responses from families across all of NY state and I was pleasantly surprised to see my name included with some words of praise for how I conducted the meeting and my thoroughness. I usually haven't been recognized for the work I've done in the past so that felt nice to see.

Toot your horn all you want. That must have felt awesome! Sounds like you are doing some admirable work!

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Sorry to switch the vibe from the current conversation, just wanted to toot my own horn real quick. My current job is to conduct assessments for kids/teens with special needs and I (begrudgingly) have to tell the families that we have to send out satisfaction surveys afterwards, and that it's always much appreciated if they have the time to fill it out. Last week a company-wide email was sent with some responses from families across all of NY state and I was pleasantly surprised to see my name included with some words of praise for how I conducted the meeting and my thoroughness. I usually haven't been recognized for the work I've done in the past so that felt nice to see.

I'd hate doing what you had to do and it seems challenging for you, so great job doing it well!

 

[Overcast]

I'd hate doing what you had to do and it seems challenging for you, so great job doing it well!

I just hate the idea of asking them to fill out these surveys. They have enough going on so it feels like piling extra unnecessary things on their radar (despite it probably not really being that big of a deal, but I'm a very anxious person so in my head it seems like a bigger deal). Turnover in this field is usually pretty high (depending on the role, usually anywhere from 3 months-3 years is a rough average that people remain in any given position) so a lot of the families very frequently complain about "Well last time I spoke with so-and-so, where are they now?" or "Who exactly are you? What do you do?" and it's understandably a huge source of frustration and confusion for them.

I'm basically a one-off for these families too so on one hand it kind of alleviates any stress of trying to sound like I'm going to be a long-term support for them; I just point them back to the role that is supposed to be that long-term contact. On the other hand, having worked in the special needs field for 10 years in every capacity imaginable, I know that me contacting them about these appointments is another layer of confusion. But knowing what I know, I try to make it as easy as possible for them so they know who does what for them, and where to go for what they need.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

So Im at a crossroads in my career.

I was with the same company for just about 20 years. Mid-size company of less than 150 employees for most of my tenure there, moved to a really nice office about 10 years ago. Had my own office with a great view in NJ. Commute was easy.

Pay was OK, time and half with OT which was nice. benefits and team were great, the work-life balance was very good. Manager level and mainly remote for the past 5 years post Covid. I was in a groove.

The job afforded me time with my family, to get things done around the house, stay on top of my exercise routine, etc. Work was interesting enough. I did it well and i enjoyed training others. It was never a job I was gushing to tell people about. But there was enough about it that was interesting and engaging, and it provided me the independence with little oversight that I enjoyed and excelled in.

Never really had the want or courage to look elsewhere, call it complacency if you want. But I was happy and saw myself potentially taking over the business and/or retiring there. About a year ago we started losing business and our debt grew. The owners had no choice but to look into a merger. Multiple attempts to merge failed and we wound up being bought out by another company. All of this happened rather quickly, many people who I had worked with for years let go.

Within a span of weeks and I found myself part of a small remaining transition group, commuting over an hour away to help them transition the work/clients over. There was a lot of mystery involved and those of us who remained (largely the managerial staff) felt it was not handled very well. Well, how could it be, really. A lot of long work relationships went to shit. And then the bottom fell out completely. Some of the transition team were offered roles with the acquiring company. I was not and was unceremoniously let go on a phone call with my owner on Friday.

Fortunately I had reached out to some old friends and was out of work two days before starting a new gig, but I hate it. My direct report is a nut case. Its stressful and shes on top of me. At times I feel like an intern, but yet completely over-qualified for the role. Not a manager who once had a team of 8 people below me.

Its a job. It pays the bills. Thankfully we have that. Its in person, every day and its a big change fof lifestyle and work-life balance. Many days I feel trapped inside. The traffic I had been used to riding through each day in my younger years - I just dont have the patience for anymore. The time drag. It eats at me. Safe to say I was pretty spoiled in the role I had and the ability to easily balance personal time with work. Im not a manager and dont have a team below me and im not relied on in a decision making level I was accustomed to. I had to take something while I looked for a position more substantial and fulfilling.

I'm not exactly a young guy, at 46 - And this job hunt is not fun. Any moments of excitement are met with seeing that over 100+ others have applied. Its been about 6 weeks, have applied to several jobs but havent landed an interview yet. Generally speaking I know its early in the process, but 'm concerned that im either coming off as a dinosaur or I'm just not as polished in tracking down leads. I've built out my Linkedin profile after years of it being unchanged.

Quite honestly, I don't want to have to impress anyone. I busted my ass getting to where I was and now its like starting all over and I find myself dreading it all.

I desperately want to get out of my current job and thats whats motivating me. But there is a fair amount of regret for not keeping my options open all of those years. Friends would tell me I was too loyal. Maybe I was. But I was happy and it worked. Now Im in a tough position and I just need to vent even if no one will read this.

The bottom line is no one is going to help me I need to keep plugging away at it. Stay positive. Yes. My hope is one day I look back and can say that getting laid off was the best thing that couldve happened - and i sure hope thats the case. But this in between period Im in, it sucks. The moments of self-doubt. The regret. The anxiety. Not fun.

Interestingly enough, I'm coming up on my 20th year at HF. I registered for HF one month after I was hired at my original job. Its pretty crazy how fast its all gone. I feel like as you get older, start a family - you begin to live in fast-forward. Hoping that my HF anniversary will coincide with a new job offer that Im trilled about and will take me through another two decades.

If anyone can share some advice or share a similar experience I’d be grateful.

 

[NickyFotiu]

So Im at a crossroads in my career.

I was with the same company for just about 20 years. Mid-size company of less than 150 employees for most of my tenure there, moved to a really nice office about 10 years ago. Had my own office with a great view in NJ. Commute was easy.

Pay was OK, time and half with OT which was nice. benefits and team were great, the work-life balance was very good. Manager level and mainly remote for the past 5 years post Covid. I was in a groove.

The job afforded me time with my family, to get things done around the house, stay on top of my exercise routine, etc. Work was interesting enough. I did it well and i enjoyed training others. It was never a job I was gushing to tell people about. But there was enough about it that was interesting and engaging, and it provided me the independence with little oversight that I enjoyed and excelled in.

Never really had the want or courage to look elsewhere, call it complacency if you want. But I was happy and saw myself potentially taking over the business and/or retiring there. About a year ago we started losing business and our debt grew. The owners had no choice but to look into a merger. Multiple attempts to merge failed and we wound up being bought out by another company. All of this happened rather quickly, many people who I had worked with for years let go.

Within a span of weeks and I found myself part of a small remaining transition group, commuting over an hour away to help them transition the work/clients over. There was a lot of mystery involved and those of us who remained (largely the managerial staff) felt it was not handled very well. Well, how could it be, really. A lot of long work relationships went to shit. And then the bottom fell out completely. Some of the transition team were offered roles with the acquiring company. I was not and was unceremoniously let go on a phone call with my owner on Friday.

Fortunately I had reached out to some old friends and was out of work two days before starting a new gig, but I hate it. My direct report is a nut case. Its stressful and shes on top of me. At times I feel like an intern, but yet completely over-qualified for the role. Not a manager who once had a team of 8 people below me.

Its a job. It pays the bills. Thankfully we have that. Its in person, every day and its a big change fof lifestyle and work-life balance. Many days I feel trapped inside. The traffic I had been used to riding through each day in my younger years - I just dont have the patience for anymore. The time drag. It eats at me. Safe to say I was pretty spoiled in the role I had and the ability to easily balance personal time with work. Im not a manager and dont have a team below me and im not relied on in a decision making level I was accustomed to. I had to take something while I looked for a position more substantial and fulfilling.

I'm not exactly a young guy, at 46 - And this job hunt is not fun. Any moments of excitement are met with seeing that over 100+ others have applied. Its been about 6 weeks, have applied to several jobs but havent landed an interview yet. Generally speaking I know its early in the process, but 'm concerned that im either coming off as a dinosaur or I'm just not as polished in tracking down leads. I've built out my Linkedin profile after years of it being unchanged.

Quite honestly, I don't want to have to impress anyone. I busted my ass getting to where I was and now its like starting all over and I find myself dreading it all.

I desperately want to get out of my current job and thats whats motivating me. But there is a fair amount of regret for not keeping my options open all of those years. Friends would tell me I was too loyal. Maybe I was. But I was happy and it worked. Now Im in a tough position and I just need to vent even if no one will read this.

The bottom line is no one is going to help me I need to keep plugging away at it. Stay positive. Yes. My hope is one day I look back and can say that getting laid off was the best thing that couldve happened - and i sure hope thats the case. But this in between period Im in, it sucks. The moments of self-doubt. The regret. The anxiety. Not fun.

Interestingly enough, I'm coming up on my 20th year at HF. I registered for HF one month after I was hired at my original job. Its pretty crazy how fast its all gone. I feel like as you get older, start a family - you begin to live in fast-forward. Hoping that my HF anniversary will coincide with a new job offer that Im trilled about and will take me through another two decades.

If anyone can share some advice or share a similar experience I’d be grateful.

It sounds like you are doing the right thing by keeping the job you don't like while looking for something different.

I know it sucks but sometimes bad unfair things happen in life. Try not to keep looking back. That is a trap. Dwelling in the past doesn't help anyone. We have eyes in the front to look forward.

If you dread your current job then I hope you do find something else for sure even if its less pay. My uncle years ago took a lower paying job but he enjoyed it much more.

I'm glad you spoke up. Its healthy to get all that out. Keep looking. It may not be today or next week but a door will open eventually. Good luck!

 

[NCRanger]

I FINALLY had an interview today. I don't think I did terribly, but I certainly didn't ace it.

I was prepared based on the notes that were given to me, but then the first question was about working in a supply chain environment when I have 25+ years' experience DOING THE SAME work in financial services.

Also don't think I interviewed for the same position was originally submitted to.

Just will have to wait and see what happens.

 

[NickyFotiu]

I FINALLY had an interview today. I don't think I did terribly, but I certainly didn't ace it.

I was prepared based on the notes that were given to me, but then the first question was about working in a supply chain environment when I have 25+ years' experience DOING THE SAME work in financial services.

Also don't think I interviewed for the same position was originally submitted to.

Just will have to wait and see what happens.

Don't worry about it. Hope you get it. By the way you can always ask questions about how they do things. It shows an interest in their business. Congrats on the interview!

 

[Greg02]

Don't worry about it. Hope you get it. By the way you can always ask questions about how they do things. It shows an interest in their business. Congrats on the interview!

Everything about employment is meant to be a two way street. I always recommend candidates come in with the attitude that they are interviewing the company as much as the company is interviewing them. It shows confidence and discernment.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

It sounds like you are doing the right thing by keeping the job you don't like while looking for something different.

I know it sucks but sometimes bad unfair things happen in life. Try not to keep looking back. That is a trap. Dwelling in the past doesn't help anyone. We have eyes in the front to look forward.

If you dread your current job then I hope you do find something else for sure even if its less pay. My uncle years ago took a lower paying job but he enjoyed it much more.

I'm glad you spoke up. Its healthy to get all that out. Keep looking. It may not be today or next week but a door will open eventually. Good luck!

Thanks for the lift Nicky.

And wouldn’t you know it, I was contacted today to schedule an interview from a larger company I’ve had my eye on.

The position isn’t necessarily in my wheelhouse but I have enough experience to make a run at it.

At the very least it will be good to get an interview under my belt after all of these years and will get my name and face on their radar.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Everything about employment is meant to be a two way street. I always recommend candidates come in with the attitude that they are interviewing the company as much as the company is interviewing them. It shows confidence and discernment.

That is very good advice for multiple reasons even if you are faking the interest.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Thanks for the lift Nicky.

And wouldn’t you know it, I was contacted today to schedule an interview from a larger company I’ve had my eye on.

The position isn’t necessarily in my wheelhouse but I have enough experience to make a run at it.

At the very least it will be good to get an interview under my belt after all of these years and will get my name and face on their radar.

Keep up the good attitude. A position does not have to be in your past wheelhouse. That could even turn out to be a good thing. I know some companies preferred no (or lesser) experienced people because they found training someone in their ways was easier than retraining someone who worked in a different way previously. Do some research on the company. Have some questions in mind. Let them know how you think you can help them. Then go in and be confident. Sometimes we all have to fake it till we make it. You got this!

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Well, I finished final round a couple of weeks ago and we're at the border of really delayed no and flat out ghosted. At this point I'm just hoping I got a form "thank you for your interest, we went with someone else" email. I'm not expecting an offer but getting ghosted completely makes me lose trust in people and that bothers me quite a bit. There is ZERO excuse for you to get ghosted after you put so much effort and made it to final round. People just f***ing suck.

 

[will1066]

So Im at a crossroads in my career.

I was with the same company for just about 20 years. Mid-size company of less than 150 employees for most of my tenure there, moved to a really nice office about 10 years ago. Had my own office with a great view in NJ. Commute was easy.

Pay was OK, time and half with OT which was nice. benefits and team were great, the work-life balance was very good. Manager level and mainly remote for the past 5 years post Covid. I was in a groove.

The job afforded me time with my family, to get things done around the house, stay on top of my exercise routine, etc. Work was interesting enough. I did it well and i enjoyed training others. It was never a job I was gushing to tell people about. But there was enough about it that was interesting and engaging, and it provided me the independence with little oversight that I enjoyed and excelled in.

Never really had the want or courage to look elsewhere, call it complacency if you want. But I was happy and saw myself potentially taking over the business and/or retiring there. About a year ago we started losing business and our debt grew. The owners had no choice but to look into a merger. Multiple attempts to merge failed and we wound up being bought out by another company. All of this happened rather quickly, many people who I had worked with for years let go.

Within a span of weeks and I found myself part of a small remaining transition group, commuting over an hour away to help them transition the work/clients over. There was a lot of mystery involved and those of us who remained (largely the managerial staff) felt it was not handled very well. Well, how could it be, really. A lot of long work relationships went to shit. And then the bottom fell out completely. Some of the transition team were offered roles with the acquiring company. I was not and was unceremoniously let go on a phone call with my owner on Friday.

Fortunately I had reached out to some old friends and was out of work two days before starting a new gig, but I hate it. My direct report is a nut case. Its stressful and shes on top of me. At times I feel like an intern, but yet completely over-qualified for the role. Not a manager who once had a team of 8 people below me.

Its a job. It pays the bills. Thankfully we have that. Its in person, every day and its a big change fof lifestyle and work-life balance. Many days I feel trapped inside. The traffic I had been used to riding through each day in my younger years - I just dont have the patience for anymore. The time drag. It eats at me. Safe to say I was pretty spoiled in the role I had and the ability to easily balance personal time with work. Im not a manager and dont have a team below me and im not relied on in a decision making level I was accustomed to. I had to take something while I looked for a position more substantial and fulfilling.

I'm not exactly a young guy, at 46 - And this job hunt is not fun. Any moments of excitement are met with seeing that over 100+ others have applied. Its been about 6 weeks, have applied to several jobs but havent landed an interview yet. Generally speaking I know its early in the process, but 'm concerned that im either coming off as a dinosaur or I'm just not as polished in tracking down leads. I've built out my Linkedin profile after years of it being unchanged.

Quite honestly, I don't want to have to impress anyone. I busted my ass getting to where I was and now its like starting all over and I find myself dreading it all.

I desperately want to get out of my current job and thats whats motivating me. But there is a fair amount of regret for not keeping my options open all of those years. Friends would tell me I was too loyal. Maybe I was. But I was happy and it worked. Now Im in a tough position and I just need to vent even if no one will read this.

The bottom line is no one is going to help me I need to keep plugging away at it. Stay positive. Yes. My hope is one day I look back and can say that getting laid off was the best thing that couldve happened - and i sure hope thats the case. But this in between period Im in, it sucks. The moments of self-doubt. The regret. The anxiety. Not fun.

Interestingly enough, I'm coming up on my 20th year at HF. I registered for HF one month after I was hired at my original job. Its pretty crazy how fast its all gone. I feel like as you get older, start a family - you begin to live in fast-forward. Hoping that my HF anniversary will coincide with a new job offer that Im trilled about and will take me through another two decades.

If anyone can share some advice or share a similar experience I’d be grateful.

I was in a very similar situation. I don't think you or I was complacent. It was just comfortability. Good pay, more than manageable workload, full time at home. Perfect work life balance. I am no longer ambitious or a risk taker. Steady eddy was fine until I got laid off. Now I'm making 10k less a year and have to commute in nightmarish traffic 3x a week. At the same time, I'm grateful to be working after only 5/6 weeks of being unemployed. Now im in week 5 at this new place and it's crazy to me. Lots of silos, and people doing their own thing and in a very antiquated way, and lots of cooks in the kitchen. I got a younger teammate telling me what to do like some kinda expert when I've been doing it for more than 20 years. Just gotta stay positive, as the job market is nuts out there. I doomscroll every time I check on LinkedIn.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I was in a very similar situation. I don't think you or I was complacent. It was just comfortability. Good pay, more than manageable workload, full time at home. Perfect work life balance. I am no longer ambitious or a risk taker. Steady eddy was fine until I got laid off. Now I'm making 10k less a year and have to commute in nightmarish traffic 3x a week. At the same time, I'm grateful to be working after only 5/6 weeks of being unemployed. Now im in week 5 at this new place and it's crazy to me. Lots of silos, and people doing their own thing and in a very antiquated way, and lots of cooks in the kitchen. I got a younger teammate telling me what to do like some kinda expert when I've been doing it for more than 20 years. Just gotta stay positive, as the job market is nuts out there. I doomscroll every time I check on LinkedIn.

Yep. Know the feeling.

That’s right just gotta stick with it and hopefully a similar or better scenario will present itself. Gotta be prepared to jump on something when it’s there.

Unless of course we are looking for the same exact job in the same location. Lol. Jk

That’s crazy though Will. We’ve been chatting for a while on here, of all the people who’s going through a similar thing in life… It’s probably more common than we think but hey it’s still cool. Good luck buddy

 

[will1066]

Yep. Know the feeling.

That’s right just gotta stick with it and hopefully a similar or better scenario will present itself. Gotta be prepared to jump on something when it’s there.

Unless of course we are looking for the same exact job in the same location. Lol. Jk

That’s crazy though Will. We’ve been chatting for a while on here, of all the people who’s going through a similar thing in life… It’s probably more common than we think but hey it’s still cool. Good luck buddy

Your post, word for word verbatim almost, is pretty what I'm going through. I guess I should keep my options open, but Im not a job hopper in my mindset. The honeymoon at this new job feels over, but I feel like I need to give it a chance. We'll see.

 

[NCRanger]

Well, I finished final round a couple of weeks ago and we're at the border of really delayed no and flat out ghosted. At this point I'm just hoping I got a form "thank you for your interest, we went with someone else" email. I'm not expecting an offer but getting ghosted completely makes me lose trust in people and that bothers me quite a bit. There is ZERO excuse for you to get ghosted after you put so much effort and made it to final round. People just f***ing suck.

The worst part is that is so common.

There's so much talk about people being so "divided" and "angry" and such. Sure, the political environment is what it is, but I think it's more about the lack of respect people have for each other. If people were honest with each other, I believe there would be a lot less anger out there.

 

[NickyFotiu]

The worst part is that is so common.

There's so much talk about people being so "divided" and "angry" and such. Sure, the political environment is what it is, but I think it's more about the lack of respect people have for each other. If people were honest with each other, I believe there would be a lot less anger out there.

We have always had issues through history but I believe online stuff has brought out the worst in many people in the last 2-3 decades.

 

[80s Kid]

I must be getting old

"According to a new Resume.io survey, nearly one in six Americans under 28 won’t even look at a job unless it comes with a designated nap zone."

Nap Time And Ping Pong: Inside Gen Z's Batsh*t Crazy Expectations For A Workplace | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

 

[Kane One]

I must be getting old

"According to a new Resume.io survey, nearly one in six Americans under 28 won’t even look at a job unless it comes with a designated nap zone."

Nap Time And Ping Pong: Inside Gen Z's Batsh*t Crazy Expectations For A Workplace | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

I nap during lunch when I’m working from home.

I never knew nap zones were a thing and that might be the only thing that could sway me to going into an office 5 days a week.

 

[Gardner McKay]

So Im at a crossroads in my career.

I was with the same company for just about 20 years. Mid-size company of less than 150 employees for most of my tenure there, moved to a really nice office about 10 years ago. Had my own office with a great view in NJ. Commute was easy.

Pay was OK, time and half with OT which was nice. benefits and team were great, the work-life balance was very good. Manager level and mainly remote for the past 5 years post Covid. I was in a groove.

The job afforded me time with my family, to get things done around the house, stay on top of my exercise routine, etc. Work was interesting enough. I did it well and i enjoyed training others. It was never a job I was gushing to tell people about. But there was enough about it that was interesting and engaging, and it provided me the independence with little oversight that I enjoyed and excelled in.

Never really had the want or courage to look elsewhere, call it complacency if you want. But I was happy and saw myself potentially taking over the business and/or retiring there. About a year ago we started losing business and our debt grew. The owners had no choice but to look into a merger. Multiple attempts to merge failed and we wound up being bought out by another company. All of this happened rather quickly, many people who I had worked with for years let go.

Within a span of weeks and I found myself part of a small remaining transition group, commuting over an hour away to help them transition the work/clients over. There was a lot of mystery involved and those of us who remained (largely the managerial staff) felt it was not handled very well. Well, how could it be, really. A lot of long work relationships went to shit. And then the bottom fell out completely. Some of the transition team were offered roles with the acquiring company. I was not and was unceremoniously let go on a phone call with my owner on Friday.

Fortunately I had reached out to some old friends and was out of work two days before starting a new gig, but I hate it. My direct report is a nut case. Its stressful and shes on top of me. At times I feel like an intern, but yet completely over-qualified for the role. Not a manager who once had a team of 8 people below me.

Its a job. It pays the bills. Thankfully we have that. Its in person, every day and its a big change fof lifestyle and work-life balance. Many days I feel trapped inside. The traffic I had been used to riding through each day in my younger years - I just dont have the patience for anymore. The time drag. It eats at me. Safe to say I was pretty spoiled in the role I had and the ability to easily balance personal time with work. Im not a manager and dont have a team below me and im not relied on in a decision making level I was accustomed to. I had to take something while I looked for a position more substantial and fulfilling.

I'm not exactly a young guy, at 46 - And this job hunt is not fun. Any moments of excitement are met with seeing that over 100+ others have applied. Its been about 6 weeks, have applied to several jobs but havent landed an interview yet. Generally speaking I know its early in the process, but 'm concerned that im either coming off as a dinosaur or I'm just not as polished in tracking down leads. I've built out my Linkedin profile after years of it being unchanged.

Quite honestly, I don't want to have to impress anyone. I busted my ass getting to where I was and now its like starting all over and I find myself dreading it all.

I desperately want to get out of my current job and thats whats motivating me. But there is a fair amount of regret for not keeping my options open all of those years. Friends would tell me I was too loyal. Maybe I was. But I was happy and it worked. Now Im in a tough position and I just need to vent even if no one will read this.

The bottom line is no one is going to help me I need to keep plugging away at it. Stay positive. Yes. My hope is one day I look back and can say that getting laid off was the best thing that couldve happened - and i sure hope thats the case. But this in between period Im in, it sucks. The moments of self-doubt. The regret. The anxiety. Not fun.

Interestingly enough, I'm coming up on my 20th year at HF. I registered for HF one month after I was hired at my original job. Its pretty crazy how fast its all gone. I feel like as you get older, start a family - you begin to live in fast-forward. Hoping that my HF anniversary will coincide with a new job offer that Im trilled about and will take me through another two decades.

If anyone can share some advice or share a similar experience I’d be grateful.

Before I touch on anything, I just want to say that the statement of yours at the very bottm of the post that I've bolded, may be the most truthful thing I've ever read in my life and I am in no way being facetious and I don't think it is hyperbole either.

I would say first and foremost, it is a numbers game when it comes to applications. When I landed at my current organization (where I have now been for 9 years), I was in a rut. I worked at a small company, where I was vastly underpaid, completely in over my head, but was obtaining great experience. I had a background in recruiting and so when I decided to look for a new role, I thought it would be easy. I mean, as a former recruiter, I should be able to find a job with ease right?

After two months of applying for roles, I remember sitting at my desk, feeling hopeless. It was actually @Megustaelhockey who came to the rescue. I was texting him because I was borderline depressed (which, if you knew me, I'm one of the most optimistic, glass half full, positive people) that I had not received so much as an interview request after all the applications, all the resume tweaks to ensure my profile aligned with the job posting, all the networking on LinkedIn and elsewhere to try and get my resume directly in front of a hiring manager...

And that is when he reiterated to me that finding a job comes down to two things: either levying a connection you know or just blasting out as many applications as possible. He told me to stick with it and to not stop. So I didn't. I kept applying to everything that I was remotely qualified for and you know what? Nothing happened. But it was ok. Because he and others were there to support me and keep me buoyed... which is my way of saying ensure you have a good support system.

However, two months later, as luck would have it, I had three interview requests in a f***ing week, which ended up in two offers. Numbers game for sure!!!

Stick with it. It may not be easy. It may be difficult. But don't stop. You will find something. Dealing with the unknown after having so much certainty and stability for 20 years, that is the hardest part. The fear of "will this be my reality until I retire"? It won't be. It is a speedbump.

Also, don't blame yourself for feeling complacent in your last role. There is nothing wrong with being happy in a spot, especially if that spot affords you a solid paycheck, good work life balance in terms of keeping up with health and family, etc. That is more than most people get.