Personal timeline

littlepup26's journey

Milestones, reflections, and progress updates connected as your layoff-to-next-step story unfolds.

  1. 2
    Applied to a Job Feeling Got a Job Miscellaneous Thinking

    After 11 months of searching and submitting over 600 applications, I finally landed a job. I lost my position in the hospitality industry last September due to a sudden physical disability, which forced me to look for roles that accommodate my need to sit. Throughout this challenging period, I went on numerous interviews, revamped my resume countless times, and even changed my appearance and interview attire, desperately trying to stand out and secure a position. Each time I faced rejection, I felt like I was reaching my breaking point, but I had no choice but to keep pushing forward. It was incredibly frustrating and mentally exhausting. In a surprising twist, the job I got came through a friend of a friend who helped me get my foot in the door at his company. Ironically, I had already applied for the same position before he reached out. To bypass the system, I created a new email account to reapply through Workday, and shockingly, I received an offer less than a week later without even being interviewed. This experience has highlighted the broken nature of the job market. Despite my efforts and the challenges I faced due to my disability, I found it unacceptable that I could apply to so many jobs and receive no responses. At 36 years old and with 20 years of work experience, I've never encountered such a dire situation. The current hiring system feels unsustainable and unjust, especially for those of us struggling to make ends meet. I believe there needs to be significant reform in how job seekers are treated, especially regarding the influence of AI in hiring processes. No one should have to endure such hardship just to find a job.

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  2. 1
    Applied to a Job Feeling Got a Job Miscellaneous

    After 11 long months of searching, I finally landed a job! I lost my previous position in September 2025 and started my new role in August 2026. During my job search, I sent out over 600 applications, but only went on less than 20 interviews. Most of the time, I felt like I was just tossing my applications into a black hole, as I was ghosted by many employers. My situation was particularly challenging because I have a disability that limits me to jobs where I can sit down. One day, I decided to visit my friend Michal at a craft fair, and while I was there, I met another friend, Jen. During our conversation, I mentioned my struggles with finding work for nearly ten months. Jen then told me that her job was hiring for a work-from-home medical scheduling position and offered to pass my resume along to her supervisor. I was skeptical but sent it over. A week later, I received an email from a supervisor I had never met, saying that someone had recommended me and offered me the job without an interview! It felt surreal, and I initially thought it might be a scam. Thankfully, Jen confirmed it was legitimate. The process wasn't without its stressors, though. I had to go through a background check and employment verification, which made me anxious. For the drug test, I had to sneak in my mom's urine since I use medical marijuana for my disability. In the meantime, my neighbor was kind enough to bring me meals to ensure I was eating during this stressful time. This entire job search experience has been incredibly taxing on my mental health. I truly believe that without Jen's referral, I would still be searching for work. It's disheartening to see how broken the job market is; it shouldn't be this difficult to find employment. If you're struggling to find a job, please know that it's not your fault—many of us are facing the same challenges.

    Job title: work-from-home medical scheduling position

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