Track your layoff journey and support others

I've been feeling really stuck in my job search lately. I was laid off back in March when my company was acquired by a private equity firm, and since then, I've been struggling to find a suitable role. I'm in the marketing and communications field, and it seems like there are hardly any mid-level positions available. I feel overqualified for junior roles but underqualified for senior ones, leaving me in a frustrating limbo. My last job was incredibly demanding and toxic, but it forced me to gain a lot of experience in a short time, especially in niche areas that most candidates only know theoretically. Despite my extensive experience, my previous boss only allowed me to hold a junior title, even though I was essentially running the entire marketing department and had successfully developed and implemented strategies for multiple brands with great results. Now, I keep getting rejected for senior roles because of my title, and for junior roles because employers think I'm overqualified and might leave them as soon as a better opportunity comes along. It's been disheartening to hear that I'm 'too good' for these positions, especially since I'm not looking to jump ship in this tough job market. I'm curious if anyone else is experiencing this same struggle.

I quit my job at Costco 21 years ago when I was just 20 years old. Looking back, I realize how foolish I was for just stopping showing up and not even calling to explain. I’m now wondering about my chances of getting hired back there after all this time. Do companies like Costco blacklist former employees for situations like mine? Is it even worth applying again, or should I just move on?

I’m excited to share that I’m starting a new job on Monday after more than a year of searching! This past year has been the toughest job search experience of my life, and I'm 51 years old. I left my job of over 21 years in September 2024 for long-term disability, and it wasn't until last year that I felt ready to re-enter the workforce. That gap on my resume was a major hurdle. For over a year, I applied to countless positions, tailored my resumes, went through interviews, and often got ghosted. I submitted hundreds of applications. At the start of this year, I briefly worked for a terrible company that paid poorly and laid me off after three months because I was overwhelmed. This new job feels different already. They provided a structured 90-day onboarding plan that can adapt based on my progress. The offer letter was clear about expectations, and I recently had a Teams meeting where I met the small team of about 13 people. They seem very close-knit, which is a bit intimidating, but I’m genuinely optimistic about fitting in. I used to roll my eyes at all the “Don’t Give Up” posts, but here I am writing one myself. If you’re in the midst of your job search, even when it feels hopeless, don’t lose faith. Things can change. My wife and I were down to our last two months of savings, so this journey has truly tested us. I know many can relate to that pressure. There wasn’t any magic formula, but I found that using ChatGPT to tailor my resumes made a huge difference. It learned my style and helped me customize my applications more efficiently. Just remember to proofread everything to ensure accuracy. I believe if companies are using AI to evaluate candidates, we should use it to present ourselves better, as long as it’s truthful. Once I started leveraging AI, my interview opportunities increased significantly, and interestingly, I don’t even need it for every application anymore because it has improved my writing skills. Thank you to this community for being a supportive space where I could vent and find useful tips. It reminded me that even in a tough job market, there’s still hope. If anyone has questions about my job search, resume strategies, or how I used AI, feel free to reach out. Sharing is caring! 🙂

I recently came across a job offer for a tech professional position that requires a minimum of 3 years of experience, but the salary offered is only 26K. I find this quite disappointing, as it seems low for someone with that level of experience in the tech industry. I'm currently evaluating my options and considering whether to apply or continue my job search for better opportunities.

I recently got laid off from my security job at a local company after it was bought out. I had been working in security for several years, including a role at a university where I hosted events. Before that, I was a car salesman and have experience in customer service from various jobs, including fast food and restaurants. Now, I'm considering a career change to become a server. I’m not sure if I can start as a server despite my experience in related fields. I'm hoping to find a position that offers 40 hours a week or more, as my current pay of $15 an hour isn't enough to make ends meet. Any advice or insights into transitioning into the serving industry would be greatly appreciated!

I’m feeling really down and unemployed again. I’ve been through at least 7 to 10 different jobs since moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2019, and it seems like I’m stuck in a loop. I took a job as a warehouse picker to support myself while going to school, which I finished in 2024. Shortly after, I had to undergo shoulder surgery. I was eager to find a better-paying job that would utilize my skills and what I learned in school, but that’s been a nightmare since I quit my last position. I was hired in July for a new role, starting on the 6th, with a two-month training period. However, just 14 days in, I was let go because I apparently didn’t fit the role. Since then, I’ve been struggling to find work without the help of a temp agency. I’ve dedicated so much time to tailoring my applications and resumes to match job descriptions, but I still keep getting rejection emails, even for applications I submitted months ago. Since being let go last Thursday, I haven’t felt motivated to start looking for jobs again. I feel hopeless and lost, and it’s affecting my health. I’m too devastated to eat and too anxious to sleep. I used to have three cats, but I couldn’t afford to keep them, so now I’m just alone in my apartment with my thoughts, which is exhausting. Today, I finally managed to get outside for a drive, parked at a park, and ended up sobbing for a while. It’s been really tough fighting off this debilitating depression.

I'm feeling really frustrated with my job search right now. I've been applying to nearly every retail chain in my area, but I keep getting ghosted or rejected. I have 6-7 years of experience in this field, and I've even worked at some of these places before, so it's disheartening to see it being harder to land a job now compared to when I was a teenager with no experience. I reached out to HR at one store after a month of waiting since my recorded interview. The HR representative assured me that they were still hiring and would remind the hiring manager to check my application. However, today I received a rejection email, and when I checked online, the position is still open. I reapplied immediately, but I just don't understand what they are looking for. I'm more than qualified for the role, having done it for years. I'm considering calling HR again to ask why they continue to post the job but aren’t hiring anyone. I feel like I'm stuck in a loop, and I can't help but wonder if there's something I'm missing or if it's just a matter of luck. It's really disheartening, and I wish I could get some clarity.

I applied for several jobs last week through Indeed and LinkedIn, and I'm starting to feel a bit anxious about the wait. It's been a week since I submitted my applications, and while my job tracker indicates that my applications are still in progress or actively being reviewed, I haven't received any updates—no rejections or next steps. I'm wondering if it's common for recruiters to not notify applicants of rejections or if I just need to be patient. Is there a typical timeframe to expect feedback from employers?

I currently work as a W-2 contractor for a freight company, and I've been facing ongoing payroll issues with the small contracting company that hired me. The company is run by a small family—let's call the owner 'T', along with his daughter and possibly his wife. They are friends with the Senior Director of IT at my company, which is how I got this job. Every other month, it seems like there's a new problem with my paycheck. Just today, I noticed that my current paycheck is missing a week of pay. I've tried reaching out, but 'T' has been out of the office all week, so I probably won't hear back until next week. Two weeks ago, I experienced another issue where I didn't receive my paycheck on the scheduled payday, and I didn't even get a pay stub. When I followed up, 'T' responded after three hours, explaining that they sent my paycheck from their business bank account, which felt unusual. Additionally, about a month into my contract, 'T' demoted my role and cut my pay by 25% through a text message, which was quite shocking. There have been other minor issues related to hours and pay as well. With over 14 years in the workforce, including 8 years in tech and about 5 years contracting, I've never encountered anything like this before. I’m starting to wonder if any of this is even legal and how I should proceed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I recently left my position at an IT Helpdesk where I had been working for 2 and a half years, which was my first job after college. It was a tough decision, especially since I had formed great relationships with my coworkers. However, after several of them left for better-paying opportunities, I realized that my own salary was stagnating, and I needed to seek better compensation. I found a new job that offered significantly more money. When I informed my boss about my decision, he was not pleased and told me to go home the next day, offering to pay me out for the remainder of my two weeks. This abrupt ending hit me hard. I had invested so much time and effort into my old job, and being sent away without a proper farewell felt like a huge blow to my morale. Now that I've started my new job this week, things are going well, but I can't shake the feeling of missing my old workplace. Every time I encounter a different way of doing things, I feel a pang of nostalgia and a desire to return. I know this new role offers me the growth and salary I was lacking, but the emotional attachment to my past job is something I'm still grappling with. I'm hoping that with time, these feelings will fade.