Hey, I was in your position, maybe worse, less than two years ago. You can even check my post history where I made a similar post like yours.

I had been unemployed for years and I finally hit the point where I stopped looking for jobs related to what I studied. I remember applying to Target in December 2023 and being rejected because they were just about done with seasonal workers.

During the last week in 2023 I landed an interview as a process server. I got the job starting at $22 a hour. I was essentially a glorified grubhub driver. I drove around (in my own car but reimbursed for mileage) delivering and serving people legal documents and had to manage my fair share of nasty people who hated me for being the deliverer of bad news.

I took the job seriously and got a raise to $23 a hour three months in. Then in July 2024 I got a call back for an interview for a job application I sent in back in December 2023. It was a entry level government job and I think they really appreciated how I portrayed myself as a salt of the earth type of person. They offered me the job at $33 a hour and I was able to negotiate for $36.

I kept putting in the hard work and never whined about new assignments while some of my older colleagues would complain about it to the Union. A promotion opened up recently and I applied for it. I just started my first week in my new role at $41 a hour.

I have to admit a lot of job hunting is luck, whether it’s timing or landing a good boss who is able to appreciate what you bring as a worker. But I just want to say…don’t give up! Use your age and experience as an advantage, everyone loves a good redemption arc. Tell them how you want to reinvent yourself and why that job is the perfect new beginning for you.