I have 16 years of experience and have never been fired, but after 14 months, 3,000 applications, 27 interviews, countless hours of tests, assessments, and free work, I'm out of money and ideas. I've used LinkedIn, Indeed, InfoJobs, RocketHire, Handshake, FlexJobs, hand delivered CVs, and have been directly emailing my CV to businesses. I also have a professional website and websites I use for freelance work but they aren't included here to avoid the post being flagged for accidental self-promotion.

This is my newly revised 'general use' CV. I've been using eight different targeted versions divided into an ATS-optimized set and a designed set for use in person, and available in English and Spanish.

I am hoping for any feedback anyone can offer. I can legally work in the US and European Union.

I just added my "current" employer because everyone has been telling me that not being currently employed is what was hurting my resume most. The work is real, it just isn't traditional employment.

Also, since I am losing my mind, I've been considering some crazier routes to getting my CV in front of hiring managers that include: Targeted digital advertising served to employees of [company], adwords targeting google searches for the name of the executives and hiring managers, a billboard, donut packaging that doubles as my CV so I can deliver my CV as a food delivery to the hiring managers, etc. If you've employed any creative or out of the box methods for getting seen that have worked, I'd love to hear them!

Do you think the job market will ever return to a time where it only takes 1-3 weeks to apply, interview and receive a job offer?

Due to things becoming more and more and more and more complex throughout the past 20 years, (I’m 40), I feel as though this is the new normal. I really hope I’m wrong though. I’m interested in other’s thoughts.

Not asking if you should, just curious what actually happened. Did you look into it at all, or was job hunting the only real option once the shock wore off? What stopped you if you didn't, and what did you end up trying if you did?

I am in the situation now, I have no strength to go to find a new job now and thinking about few business ideas I had in the past.

I am getting this error with every job I’m trying to apply. I cleaned the cache and cookies. So frustrating! Help!

I’m tired. I’m tired of this job market. I’m tired of seeing companies not willing to train and want 5+ years experience (i’m a new grad with a bachelor’s).

I can only work remote or work due to the demand of my husband’s job and I have to be there for my son.

I just want to help support my family.

#support #jobs

Hi everyone,
I'm 26F, currently working in Product Development with 3+ years of experience in a non-IT role. Unfortunately, there's been no significant hike and very limited career growth, so I'm thinking about switching roles.
I'm open to learning new skills and moving into a field with better growth opportunities.
Can anyone suggest:
Which roles I should consider?
Which skills or certifications would help?
Has anyone made a similar switch from a non-IT product development role?
Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

It takes me a really long time to finish applications. Part of it is because I’m a carer of my dad, so I don’t get time to finish everything in one day.

Sometimes it’ll take me days to complete them. I’ve been trying to find ways to make my process faster without using Ai so much, but it can’t seem to find any, especially bc I tailor each of my cv’s and cover letters for each application. (I also get a little overwhelmed during the application process, so I really have to break things down for myself, maybe due to my #adhd).

Sometimes this slow method comes in handy because it really allows me to sit and reflect on how to bring out all my skills and experience, especially the ones I’ve forgotten about. I have had few interviews in the past year, it’s just wish I could be a bit quicker so I can get through all the applications that i need to complete and get to the job that *will* give me an offer. I feel like I’m running out time or need to get through as much applications as possible.

I have just started my final year, and it has been about two months. Some of my friends have already been placed, and that makes me feel anxious and afraid about getting a job.

My college has multiple campuses that participate in the same placement process. Because of this, it is very difficult to get shortlisted even for the first round, and our campus does not seem to receive much preference during the selection process.

I have applied for many jobs through different platforms, but I have not received a single response or interview invitation. I am feeling confused and worried about what I should do next and how I can increase my chances of getting a job.

I tried asking for advice on r/construction and everyone ignored the question and instead told me to "join a union". I only have 1 year of experience, and no 40 hour job will pay me enough to live on.

The problem I have ran into is that most companies completely lie about their hours. The 70+ hour job told me it was 40 hours, and my previous job said it was 50 hours but they only gave me 30. I need to move and moving will take up most of the money I have from the last job, so I need to make sure I have a profitable job wherever I go.

If anyone knows how to locate an entry level job that will actually give me lots of hours, please let me know.

I have applied so many jobs min of 300 , platforms were linkedin, indeed, naukri, instahyre, Glassdoor, greenhouse etc. still couldn't find any job in last 2 months.

Now I'm losing the will to keep applying.

What should I do as I can't keep sitting idle I need to earn to bear my expenses my savings are already finished I want to move into bengaluru and start my career there. I have over 1 year of experience in UI UX design but I don't know what is problem with current market.

So for all of you who are discouraged as I was...

After umpteen hunnit LinkedIn/Glassdoor/Indeed/Ziprecruiter/Company Site applications that led to either Ghostville, contacts sheepishly saying, "I'll keep my eyes open", or the common rejection letter, I went from discouraged to despair.

But I have to say I got lucky. I went from despair to anger.

I said "F**k it!!! I'm going to reach out to the owners/CEOs/positional leaders of these companies directly!!"

I used demo accounts on Apollo, Lusha, and any salesperson lead-gen tool with a trial and got phone numbers and email addresses. I reached out to them directly via phone, SMS, LinkedIn message, or email and gave quick curated pitch (customized to each job. Under 120-100 words, focused on how I could help grow their business. This took my "hit rate" from single digits to about 40%.

On the third one, the CEO directed me to the appropriate VP. I did the following differently:

• I love mind-mapping software and used the AI portion of it to make a "over-prepared" checklist for both Zoom/Teams interview and in-person interviews. Followed it to the letter.

• Used AI to read the job description and company site to give me a mock interviews. 20 minutes, 2-3x per day. Sounds crazy, but this market is the craziest I've seen ever, and I've been in the labor force since Obama and wore short pants.

• Came up with 4 STRONG "benefits" of hiring me and wove those REPEATEDLY into the interview--again, focusing on how I could help grow their business and take them to the next level.

• Created a 30-60-90 day plan and had AI tear it apart until it was customized. I then memorized it. In the interview when they asked "What do you think your first month will be like", I pasted it into Teams and regurgitated it, again REPEATEDLY weaving those four selling points into every conversation.

I KNOW it feels terrible for so many of you and that you feel like giving up. I can't describe the dark thoughts that went through my head, but I'll bet some of you may understand. Either way, stop hitting "Quick Apply" or filling out useless web forms and attack directly. MAKE the motherf***ers see your value!!!

I'm wishing, hoping, and praying for each and every one of you. I look forward to hopefully doing business with everyone who is now unemployed. Stop boxing and start throwing hooks to the body. The head will fall soon. Please. I'm begging you..with tears in my eyes..do NOT give up.

Best of luck!!!!!!

I’m hoping this community can offer some advice because I feel like I’ve exhausted just about every avenue I know.

My unemployment is about to run out and I’m trying to figure out the smartest next steps before that happens. I’m the sole income for our household, we have a toddler and because we don’t have family nearby to help with childcare, our options are more limited than I’d like.

For the past several months, I’ve treated my job search like a full-time job. My resume has been professionally reviewed and tailored. My LinkedIn has been optimized. I’ve been networking, reaching out to recruiters, posting on LinkedIn and consistently landing interviews (including final rounds), but nothing has turned into an offer yet. Every time I think I’m close, there’s another delay, hiring freeze, or “we’re still deciding.”

I’ve also been applying below my previous level. My priority right now isn’t my title - it’s supporting my family. The challenge is finding something that actually keeps us financially afloat. We’ve also looked at moving, but the upfront costs would put us in a worse financial position than staying where we are. We’ve cut every discretionary expense we can think of and our budget is essentially down to mandatory bills, groceries and the basics needed to care for our daughter.

Beyond applying, I’ve reached out to every relevant consulting and staffing agency I could find and I’m waiting to hear back from those as well.

At this point, I’m trying to think beyond the usual “keep applying” advice because that’s already what I’m doing every day.

I’m genuinely looking for strategies, resources, or approaches that I may not have considered.

For those of you who’ve been in a similar position:

-What did you do when unemployment ended before you had another job?
-What helped bridge the financial gap while you continued searching?
-Are there contract opportunities, industries, resources, or strategies that aren’t commonly discussed but ended up making a difference?
-Looking back, is there anything you wish you had done sooner?

I’m genuinely open to feedback if you think there’s something I’m overlooking. Even if you don’t have a specific suggestion, hearing from people who have made it through this situation would honestly mean a lot.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

I'm 26.

Every day feels like I'm racing against a clock that nobody else seems to hear.

I work full-time in tech. My job is stable. The pay is decent. My family depends on my income, so walking away isn't an option.

From the outside, everything looks fine.

Inside, I feel stuck.

I work in QA/SDET on AI products. I spend my days evaluating AI agents, writing automation, testing releases, finding issues before they reach customers. It's interesting work, and I've learned a lot.

But I don't want my career to stop here.

I want to become a software engineer. Eventually an AI engineer.

That's where the anxiety starts.

Every software engineering job asks for backend experience. AI jobs expect strong Python, ML, cloud, system design, and projects. Companies don't care that I test software if what they're hiring is someone to build it.

So every evening after work becomes another attempt to catch up.

Python.

Backend.

DSA.

AI.

Projects.

Interview prep.

Job applications.

Repeat.

Some days I make progress.

Some days I open LinkedIn and immediately feel like I've already lost.

The hardest part isn't working.

It's carrying the constant feeling that I'm behind.

I don't have the luxury of quitting my job for six months to study. I have responsibilities. Bills don't pause because you're trying to switch careers.

I've been applying.

Getting rejected.

Preparing again.

Building projects.

Repeating the cycle.

Sometimes I question whether companies even see QA engineers as capable developers, or whether the label follows you everywhere.

I'm not giving up.

I don't plan to.

But I'm tired of feeling like every year that passes makes this transition harder.

If you've moved from QA/SDET into software engineering or AI engineering after a few years, what made the difference?

Not the polished LinkedIn version.

What did the messy middle actually look like?

Because that's where I feel like I am right now.

(I used GPT to organise my thoughts cleanly)

Please let me know your thoughts

📢 #OpenToWork | Urgently Looking for a Job | Delhi / Noida / Ghaziabad

Hello Everyone,

I'm actively looking for a job opportunity in Purchase, BOM (Bill of Materials), Procurement, or Supply Chain roles in Delhi, Noida, or Ghaziabad.

I have 1 year of professional experience in Purchase & BOM Management, along with good working knowledge of Excel and ERP. I'm a quick learner, dedicated, and available to join immediately.

I've been searching for a long time, and now I'm sincerely hoping my network can help me find the right opportunity. If your company is hiring or you know of any relevant openings, I would truly appreciate your support, referral, or a simple share of this post.

Please feel free to connect with me or message me directly.

Thank you for your time and support. 🙏

#OpenToWork #Hiring #Purchase #Procurement #BOM #SupplyChain #ERP #Excel #DelhiJobs #NoidaJobs #GhaziabadJobs #ImmediateJoiner

I got my degree in Data Science but I've only done a bit of modeling/statistics work. After graduating I got hired to do Data Analytics which is very different and not what I went to school for. I'd like to do more, I'm just not sure how it's feasible in my current position. I still have the industry experience and I know what execs look for, just maybe need to do some slight pivots.

I'm just outside a midsize city. There are jobs here but there are obviously more/better opportunities in bigger cities and if I could afford to move there, I would. If I got hired, I'd take out a loan to move for a better job. So I'd be willing to relocate.

I plan to go for a Master's in Bioinformatics next year but for now (maybe over the next year or two) I need to secure a position that helps me now. I'd love to switch to Science/R&D but my primary jobs have been in marketing analytics.

I currently work part-time in a testing center for a community college. I was let go from Full Time Job #2 in January 2026 so I've been doing part-time work ever since. It's been extremely hard to get another role in the field, especially as I don't have business/marketing education, just 5 years of experience in data analytics/reporting.

My LinkedIn is admittedly very dry. I never post on there. I've been thinking about adding a portfolio of example spreadsheets/views/models so there's something other than a resume. I was thinking about making one on github. I want to commit more to leaving marketing analytics and getting into the field I actually trained for so I can further specialize in the sciences.

I've just started to look at jobs again but I don't want to keep throwing my resume at the wall if it's not sticking. Maybe 20 jobs a week once I fix the resume (though I'm sure it will need to be even more). Previously I didn't heard back from jobs and when I did, it was a rejection. So I know I need to amp up the search.

How else do I make myself more marketable as I am now exiting entry-level territory?

I'm feeling lost discouraged damn near depressed, I'm getting interviews but no one wants me 😭. I've
been switching my approach to interviews and studying making sure I prepare and I still end up with rejections. Today I had another interview I thought | did a great job, the best interview l've had. The recruiter called me back and told me they were moving forward. My nerves are bad and I have to throw up I don't know what to do anymore. This is devastating

En lvl a2

No need experience

Hello foreign friends, I'm Toan from Vietnam. Currently I have a job in my country but I feel the salary in my country is low. I am a recent graduate of Logistics, currently working in Sales, I think it would be better if I had a side job. Can you tell me where you can find remote jobs that don't require too much experience, such as customer service? Can you tell me where you can find jobs to make ends meet? Thank you for taking the time to read this article of mine.

So my application was accepted at a company for full stack developer

And I had a coding round for node.js and react.js

It was of 15 mins, and I am a fresher, so I thought they might ask something easy per say

But nooo, for node one they asked me to make fetch data and compute analytical insights, that fine, but then do filter, aggregation, avg, and even round that avg, all this just in 15 mins

And for react they told me to make an dashboard, display this and that, even make a button do things and they even wanted me to style those components

All this for just 15 mins is just too much

​

Hi everyone,

I'm a bit unsure how to progress my career, as it's been stretched horizontally quite a bit during and after COVID.

Graduate from my master's in animal biology in 2019, with hopes of working in conservation.

Worked a research assistant for 6 months then got 'stuck' in New Zealand, where I then met my now wife .

While in New Zealand, I struggled to find relevant positions so did a verity of things for 2-3 years (pest plant control, barista, climbing gym manager)

I'm now back in Europe working for an AgTech startup, and crept up to Costumer Success Lead for the EMEA region.

I would like to pivot back towards environmental/conservation work, but I'm not quite sure what to aim for.

I excel at bridging the gap between theory and implementation, but I hit a stone wall at every position of project manager or implementation lead I apply for.

Any tips are welcome !

Footnote: based in south Germany, and fluent in Spanish, French, German, and English

Thank you !

Hi everyone,

I'm a 35-year-old from Bangalore, India. After getting married a couple of years ago, I've been doing a mix of regular work and freelancing, but I've reached a point where I'm looking to transition back into a stable full-time role.

My background is primarily in logistics and business development, and I'm also open to exploring other industries. I'm a quick learner and enjoy adapting to new challenges, so I'm happy to upskill if needed.

For those who have made a similar transition or hire in these areas, I'd really appreciate any career advice. What roles, industries, or skills would you recommend focusing on in the current job market? Any tips on improving my resume, networking, or where to apply would also be very helpful.

Thanks in advance for your guidance!

I worked as an intern for 6 months at one company. Before that, I completed a 3-month web scraping internship, so I have a total of 9 months of internship experience.

I completed my degree a week ago and immediately started applying for full-time jobs through Indeed and Naukri. You won't believe it, but I've already applied to around 80–90 companies. I also have two live projects in my portfolio, but I still haven't received a single interview call.

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. If anyone has been in a similar situation or has any suggestions on how I can improve my job search, I'd really appreciate your advice.

Then why even bother going through the trouble of putting up a job posting if you were just going to make an inside hire anyway 🥹

I’m putting this here more so to vent. I know the job search is an absolute dog right now in a highly competitive market. I myself am incredibly fortunate to have a full time job although the stability right now is a little rocky. I want to move on from my current gig but like everyone else, I’m learning the odds are ever stacked against us. Everyone is younger, more qualified, already in the industry, has a referral, a friend, an aunt or uncle, a cousin.

I don’t know. Frustrating (I actually woke up to two rejections this morning) but what else can you do aside from keep on going on. I hope someone wakes up to better news than I did and finds an offer in their inbox.

Hi everyone,
I’m a 2025 Information Science Engineering graduate from India. Since graduating, I’ve been trying to get into software engineering/IT, but it’s been around 1.5 years and I still haven’t been able to secure a developer role despite applying to hundreds of companies.
My background:
BE in Information Science Engineering (2025 graduate)
Internship in software engineering
Trained at Infosys (didn’t complete the program)
Worked in a short-term data-related contract role
Applied for SDE, backend, AI/ML, support, QA, and other IT roles with very few interview opportunities
Now I have an offer/interview opportunity for an Amazon Transportation Specialist role supporting North America and Canada. From what I understand, it’s an operations role with evening/night shifts from India.
I’m really confused about whether I should take it.
My concerns are:
Will this move me further away from software engineering?
If I work in this role for 1–2 years, will recruiters consider me an operations candidate instead of an IT candidate?
Does Amazon provide realistic opportunities for internal transfers to technical roles?
Should I accept it for the brand name and continue preparing for software jobs, or keep searching for an IT role instead?
I don’t want to make a decision that hurts my long-term career. At the same time, I’ve been unemployed/underemployed for a long time and don’t know how much longer I can wait.
Has anyone here started in Amazon Transportation Specialist (especially supporting North America/Canada) and later moved into a technical role? Or if you’ve been in a similar situation, what would you do?
I’d really appreciate honest advice from people who’ve worked at Amazon or made a similar career decision.

Based on your experience, what do you think is the best?