I'm feeling really lost right now. I'm a 36-year-old woman, soon to be 37, and I've been unemployed for the past 11 months. Before this, I had a job for six months, but it just didn't work out. I have a degree in sociology, and I thought things would get better with time, but they haven't. I've been applying for administrative and HR roles, but I keep hitting a wall because I lack the experience that other candidates have. I've had over 10 interviews, but none have led to an offer. The pandemic has made everything worse, and now I find myself approaching 37 without the career stability I thought I would have by now. I feel stuck in a catch-22: I need experience to get hired, but I can't get hired to gain experience. I'm also considering going back to school to retrain, but that feels like a huge commitment with no guarantee of success. I really want to know what others would do in my situation. Should I keep trying to break into my chosen field, retrain for something else, or take a completely different approach? The depression and financial hardship are weighing heavily on me, and it's hard to maintain my self-esteem when it feels like I'm being left behind while others move forward. I take care of my appearance and present myself well, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I'm really hoping to hear some advice or stories from those who have managed to turn things around after struggling for years.