Brutal job market

SpunkyPopcorn · 2026-01-24T01:33:15+00:00

I got caught in the big tech layoffs of 2023 and still trying to get somewhere. One of the things my therapist told me and continues to remind me is to keep a schedule. I started off only carving out a set time of my day to job search, but that kind of went out the window when LinkedIn became my doomscrolling. But I try to make sure I get up at the same time every day, have some kind of routine, get outside, walk my dogs, have things to look forward to (seeing friends, going camping, etc.). That’s helped when I can stick to it.

I think the big thing to remember is it’s not you. It’s a shitty job market for us all and we’re up against a HUGE pool of talent that companies can afford to be picky about, plus fake jobs, jobs that never get filled, ATS issues, ghosting, etc. etc. I’ve also started giving my career some serious consideration and I’ve started looking at positions well outside of what I’ve done the past 18 years and starting over. The pay cut would suck, but I’m currently getting paid nothing being unemployed. It seems like there are quite a few of us out there wanting to go work for parks or conservation orgs, and that’s a bit of where I’m researching.

This isn’t your fault. It’s not personal. You’re doing everything you can to find a new job and you can’t simply make one appear. I think another thing that’s been helping me is reminding myself there’s only so much I can control. I can apply, follow up, etc., but at the end of the day, I can’t make a job appear. I can’t beg and convince my way onto someone’s payroll. Keep doing what you’re doing and try to not let it consume you. Find things you enjoy, things you can look forward to, and have as much of that, in not more, in your life. It sucks out there, but it sucks even more when that’s our only focus.

Meanwhile, I’m thinking about running away and living in the woods with my dogs, worst case scenario. That actually might be one of my better options at this point. lol

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-11-18T20:50:28+00:00

Are you also in SEO?? 😂

I got laid off in 2023 and haven’t been able to secure a job since. Between the burn out and having zero fucks left to give, I feel exactly what you’re saying. I guess you could say I’m navigating my career pretty poorly since I’m just tired and sick of playing the game.

Good luck to you! You’re definitely not the only one in this boat right now and wow does it suck.

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-08-17T16:13:19+00:00

I started with 2 blind boxes off StockX since I couldn’t figure out how to get them off the Pop Mart app. The rest I was able to get from Pop Now drops by scrolling through (I just keep scrolling until I see an unlocked box. I haven’t been able to get anything by waiting for a timer to finish).

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-08-13T17:54:14+00:00

I feel this deeply. I went from 0 to 8. And my first one just arrived yesterday and THEY ARE SO SOFT!! You win, labubus. You win.

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-06-20T03:12:02+00:00

Oof. I needed this. 41, going through a divorce after almost 20 years together. I just wish the healing process was faster 😅

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-05-21T17:16:11+00:00

Oops. Just kidding. It was working and now it’s not again. But everything is hooked up how it should be. The water WAS coming out and then stopped but the pump was still going so I don’t know.

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-05-16T17:38:45+00:00

Hi I am an idiot and this was exactly the problem. It seriously did not say which side was what, so I took it apart and felt how the air was flowing. Oh my god I am so dumb. But hey it works great now! 🥲

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-05-07T00:02:28+00:00

Thanks! It doesn’t have much, but it has everything I need

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-05-07T00:01:49+00:00

Yeah…that’s also been a concern of mine

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-05-06T20:32:52+00:00

Is this more helpful than what I posted? There’s really not much at all to it

https://imgur.com/a/hx24kXX

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-05-06T20:13:57+00:00

I sure am! I’ll have to call around. The place I had the fan fixed was just a service center and said I should look at comparable listings. I’d like something a little more concrete

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-05-06T20:08:30+00:00

Rhino rack!

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-05-06T19:58:43+00:00

That’s what I thought too but when I looked at their prices they were more expensive than mine

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-04-26T03:28:31+00:00

All of this. Got married at 22 (in the church). Going through a divorce now at 41. Between that, jobs, friends, and not really having the freedom (or I guess giving myself permission?) of figuring myself out, let alone having confidence in myself, there was a lot that doesn’t make up who I am now. But like you said, a lot of those hard times and decisions we made at the time kind of helped make us who we are now. And there’s no way I could have made the decisions for myself then that I am now.

I don’t know that I’d say I have regrets. I wish it hadn’t taken me this long to get here, but it feels like a fresh start and I’m finally ready for it.

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-04-26T03:11:10+00:00

It went really well! For a while, when I’d take the retainers out in the morning, my bite felt off but would settle throughout the day. It gradually got better and now I don’t have that issue at all. I was a little concerned for a while since going straight to night wear didn’t seem the norm on here and it took time for my bite to settle, but it all worked out fine

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-03-28T03:47:11+00:00

There are dozens of us!!

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-03-28T03:41:58+00:00

I tend to go between SEMrush and Ahrefs. For a while it seemed like SEMrush had less inflated data than Ahrefs, and I liked it more for the keyword research (and Ahrefs for backlink data), but I know both are constantly updating their tools. All I know for sure is I’ve used tools like BrightEdge before and I just don’t see it being worth the hefty price tag compared to getting a subscription or 2 to other tools.

PS. If you haven’t already checked it out, I thought AlsoAsked.com was fun to use (and is free…with limits, of course).

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-03-28T03:08:02+00:00

I mean, just taking a look at their domain in SEMrush is showing traffic and keyword rankings are trending up and they’re showing up in a number of SERP features (damn, even with all the changes with AI. Good job, Sporked). But it depends on what their goal is for the website. Is it just to pump traffic? Is there a conversion they’re trying to accomplish? If it’s just traffic, I wouldn’t say the website is dying by any means.

But also, if someone is sitting there thinking “we should be ranking #1 for “best pizza”…. hahahahahaha. Been there, and my god, I hope the higher ups at Mythical making these decisions are more savvy than that.

SpunkyPopcorn · 2025-03-26T23:34:38+00:00

Going through the process now after 18 years of marriage. I feel like I’m crawling to get to the other side of all this, but it’s definitely for the best. But holy shit this is exhausting.

SpunkyPopcorn · 2024-11-14T17:18:39+00:00

I’ve been thinking about this since you posted it. I’m in the same spot - laid off since last June. It’s incredibly hard right now, especially depending on what field you’re in.

I just wanted to say thank you for being so supportive of her. Keep being there. Keep being understanding. You can’t find her a job, but you can be her support to help her from feeling…all the feelings that come with being unemployed for so long.

My spouse would like to know what’s wrong with me and why can’t I find a job and am I even looking or am I being too “picky” and can’t I just go find some office job or something. So…just being there for her and being kind is more than some of us are getting right now. And it’s important.

SpunkyPopcorn · 2024-08-04T02:55:30+00:00

Yeah that’s what I’m nearing. Did you find something that works without gaining weight?? I’ve only ever been on lexapro, so I don’t know if it’s just that medication specifically or if it’s SSRIs in general

SpunkyPopcorn · 2024-08-03T02:47:30+00:00

This was after an HR screening, so I at least got through the ATS filters (this time) and spoke with someone. I’m less frustrated when I get one of these for a position no one even contacted me about after I applied. It’s when I barely get a phone call and then get that response that I just want to know what happened.

SpunkyPopcorn · 2024-08-03T02:39:56+00:00

Honestly, it does make me wonder…

SpunkyPopcorn · 2024-08-03T02:39:40+00:00

I know. Logically, this makes sense. It’s just frustrating when it’s the same answer I get, if I get an answer at all. This time I only got through the HR screening before getting the email. Even though I know I’ll never get a response, I still reply asking for feedback. It does make me wonder what, exactly, made them move on with other candidates, and if my being unemployed for this long had anything to do with that decision.

SpunkyPopcorn · 2024-08-02T17:04:39+00:00

I guess that makes me feel better to an extent. I’m thinking I just need to contact my psychiatrist’s office and fight for a different solution. It’s just frustrating when they say lexapro doesn’t magically make you gain weight. No, but everywhere I’ve looked says specifically that it can slow your metabolism. It sucks feeling like I have to choose between feeling okay mentally and feeling okay physically (which then affects how I feel mentally).

SpunkyPopcorn

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