I’m not going to sugarcoat the difficulties of finding a job right now in this market. People are getting laid off left to right in tech, government, and various industries across the country as we speak. It’s hard out here, and also quite humbling. As I just recently resigned and left a role that didn’t serve me anymore, I am now jumping back into tech for a full-time role.
People were shocked. They thought I was quitting out of rage, or quitting before securing a next role to take a break. But I was actually quietly networking and reaching out to contacts that may have leads on how to find my next job, and I’d like to think it was the accumulation and compounding growth of all the work I’ve done to grow my relationships in the past year.
Find a temporary job that will tide you over so you can pay the bills.
I can’t tell you how many stories you hear of uber or lyft drivers, cashiers, etc. who used to work in tech and are just working to make ends meet, as they should. A lot of these people have families and mouths to feed. If there’s anything I will always respect, it’s the hustle and people who are capable of making ends meet at all costs. There was even one lady who became an oyster shucker at parties after losing her job in tech, simply because she couldn’t find another corporate role and decided to pivot. It is definitely a tough pill to swallow for some; imagine you’re making $300K+ in a tech role and now you’ve been laid off and diminished to making a lot less, and in a less prestigious role at that. However, the main goal at that time is not to stroke your ego, it’s to make money to pay the bills as soon as possible.
Show up to events, meetups, and parties to network or expand your social circle.
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you need connections or referrals. You need to make it loud and clear that you’re looking for a job, and that you’re open to different types of opportunities. Some friends refused to take any role that was below their paygrade, and it took them years to find another role. One person I knew became a matcha bar barista while looking for another role as a software engineer; it took her almost 2 years but that’s because she had alternative channels of making money and she refused to find anything lesser. Especially in this day and age, it seems like companies are wiping out roles to be replaced with AI, then realize it may have been a bad decision, only to hire less performing or quality employees at a lower rate. The competition is fierce, which is why I’d recommend you to
Build a body of work or evidence that shows you can do “the job.”
Early on in my career, I wanted to intern for San Francisco Travel, a nonprofit organization that would bring awareness to the city. The PR team wasn’t looking to hire an intern, but I had so desperately wanted to apply and learn from their team. Instead, I sent out an email to their info email, shared a mock press release I wrote up myself, shared some ideas on how to bring more tourism, and my resume. It was one of the boldest moves I made as a bright-eyed busy tailed college student with minimal lack of work experience. My email was forwarded to the PR team, I went through two interviews, and then I got the job. Sometimes when you really want something, you make it known and push your way through.
Everyone’s sending job resumes to the system which goes into a black hole. How are you going to stand out? Why are you different than all the other talented applicants? How can you prove that you can hit the ground running and start the job? I’ve seen a lot of content creators and writers on LinkedIn get sought out for job opportunities, simply because they have clout, an audience, and thought leadership.
You should start thinking about how you can leverage your own skillset into knowledge or acumen, and share it to prove that you can do the job.
Do not discount different industries, roles, or pivots. Treat this newness as a different season in your life.
A big annoyance of mine is when people complain, but they don’t do anything about it. There’s a million ways to go about doing something, and while it won’t be perfect or the way you always envision it to be, you make things work. You just continue putting one foot forward, and hope for the best. While going through this process, I would also recommend keeping an open mind and exploring different avenues in your career. I’m not saying to drop everything you’ve done and do a complete 180, but keep an eye out and use this as an opportunity to explore.
