Personal timeline

Plastic-Agent-1970's journey

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

  1. 2
    Feeling Miscellaneous Thinking

    I’ve been reflecting on the current job market, particularly in the research and higher education sectors where I work. While things feel a bit shaky, I’m noticing that there are still job openings, albeit with a lot of competition. Living in a large city with numerous universities helps, but it’s still a struggle to secure a position. From what I gather, the tech industry is facing significant challenges, especially for recent graduates who are finding it tough to land jobs. Marketing seems to be another tough area, with reports of hundreds of applicants for openings that are posted for just a few hours. In my field, it’s more common to see around 50 applicants daily for new roles based on LinkedIn stats and conversations with hiring managers. Conversely, I’ve heard that healthcare remains relatively stable, which is reassuring for my friend working in that sector. However, another friend who is a primary school teacher is experiencing difficulties; their school has had to cut some paraprofessional positions, which is surprising given the usual demand for teachers. It seems that in our region, there’s an oversupply of teachers and not enough funding to support them. I’m curious to hear how others in different sectors are faring, especially those in social sciences and higher education.

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  2. 1
    Miscellaneous Planning Thinking

    I recently reflected on my cover letter writing process as an early career professional in social science research and higher education, specifically focused on student support. On average, I manage to craft about two high-quality cover letters each day. I put a lot of effort into tailoring them to the specific job descriptions, aiming to engage the hiring manager right from the start. My approach revolves around answering "why this job, why me, and why now" in a compelling way. To enhance my letters, I utilize AI tools for polishing and ensuring the inclusion of relevant keywords. Additionally, I have a family member who is an editor review my letters and provide constructive feedback. I keep my letters concise, usually under one page and around 300 words. Each letter takes me about three hours to complete, although I sometimes spend longer on positions that particularly resonate with me. As I navigate my job search, which has spanned about two months with around 40 applications submitted, I find that cover letters require the most effort. I'm curious about how long it takes others to write their cover letters, especially those who have submitted a large number of applications in this competitive job market. I'm aiming to submit three applications a day while maintaining the quality of my letters, and I'm looking for strategies to avoid burnout.

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