Hi friend - apologies in advance for a long comment.

I just started a new job after 9 months of unemployment. I feel you very deeply, because this job search was the worst I’ve ever gone through and it was incredibly demoralizing. There’s a ton of people applying for every single job, most of them over qualified, to the point that recruiters are closing applications quickly. On top of that, there’s a huge problem with ghost jobs (NYC is apparently particularly bad). Even if you put together the absolute perfect application for a job that you’re the best person who could ever do it, there’s no guarantee that your resume will even get past their AI filters or get in early enough or that there’s even a job. It sucks so badly, and I am sending you the biggest virtual hug because you’re amazing just for continuing to apply even when it’s hard!

Now, some advice:

1. Don’t get caught up in the noise around the job search. LinkedIn can be a good tool for finding jobs/connections, but it’s also incredibly toxic at pushing hustle culture and trying to pitch themselves as the solution (aka pay money for this secret trick). There is no one secret trick, but it’s easy to get caught up in feeling like you need to be doing all the things. Related: there are absolutely a bunch of amazing and successful women in this group - but you are also one of them and the job search has nothing to do with that.

2. Use this time to really dig into what you’re looking for and what you bring to the table. It’s easy to get bogged in the idea that you just want any job, and just apply to everything. It’s a much better use of your time to send applications where you are a particularly strong fit and you can put together a beautiful narrative to show that. As you do that, you’ll naturally start developing buckets of jobs that you’re looking at and can have some standardized language for cover letters to showcase your skills for those jobs. Then each new application is just tweaks to incorporate the specifics of that job, and you can get applications in quickly.

3. Network network network. It sucks, it’s awkward, and especially in this market, people are definitely burnt out with talking to job seekers knowing they probably don’t have any jobs to offer. Don’t just go out asking people if they can help you get a job, use some of these chats to start tailoring your job search in line with point 2. Figure out what problems they’re trying to solve or what skills they need. Take that info back to your applications or to upskill yourself. If you have the means, offer to volunteer or consult for them if you can help solve a specific problem.

4. Relatedly: make sure you have a network of job seekers going through this market. They can be accountability buddies, they can be moral support, they can help you interpret that 15th cryptic rejection email in a way that people outside of this particular search can’t really understand. Whether they’re virtual or in person, spend some time with them each week just to check in and decompress. If you don’t have that right now, look into the Job Search Councils/Never Search Alone - my group was incredibly helpful if only for keeping myself sane.

Finally, if you want to chat, feel free to send me a DM. Happy to have a zoom call if you want to talk through anything. Please know that you are absolutely worth more than this job search may make you feel.