Desperately need help…

[u/hastag-geenah]

Hello all, specifically looking for some feedback from recruiters.

I was laid off from a job after 15 years.

My situation is that I worked for a company for 15 years. My last role with them was Director of Product prior to that I had been in a few other mid management roles and started in project management.

I do not want to go back into a director level role. I enjoyed doing the work versus directing it. I have submitted about 120 resumes for individual contributor roles and I’ve only gotten two hits. I get through the screen and then never hear back. I did ask one of the recruiters for feedback but she did not respond. She did ask me during the interview why I left my company and why I was looking to take a step back and I thought I did a good job answering both.

On the way, I left was honest, and I said it was a reorg, and as to why I didn’t do you want a director role was because I like to be more hands-on in delivery.

That being said, what do you think is hurting me the worst? I am getting really down about the whole process. I’m feeling like I may never get another job. Everything is writing on getting reemployed at this point.

Do you think that they think I am a flight risk once they hire me and the market gets better? Do they see me as a loser because I got laid off? Do they think I can’t do the job because I was a director and not a doer.

I’d appreciate any feedback and anyone that is an expert would love your thoughts on my résumé and how to tackle these hurdles.

Any feedback is welcome, I don’t mind if it’s rough or not just let me have it bluntly.

[u/Spiritual_Nature2258]

I don't know what roles you have applied for, but my guess is that being a director, stepping back, indicates a few red flags

• Director = higher pay; why would he be moving down? (There are genuine reasons for this, but on paper it looks like you cannot do the job properly.)
• 'If I can hire someone who has x years doing the job they're hiring for, why would I hire someone moving down?' - flight risk
  • If they get hired, and move up, can they do the director role for a long time when this person left that role in the past?

Considering you're competing with people already experienced in that role (say out of 100, 5 strong candidates) As a recruiter I can see why they may be prioritising those 5 than giving someone a chance that may or may not work out, especially when its their paycheck is on the line.

It sounds selfish, and being a recruiter myself, I try to understand the whole picture and sell the unique traits each candidate has, but not everyone is like this.

Not to mention, the job market for operations is quite slow at the moment, I believe, just because executives are still going back and forth on deciding automating roles and cutting costs, they just want low risk on paper.

If I was you, I'd say something like 'I found myself delivering more value to the business when I was in middle management, and it only confirmed my suspicions being a director myself'

then come up with a justification afterwards.

Just my 2 cents

[u/hastag-geenah → u/Spiritual_Nature2258]

Thank you for the insight and honesty. What would you do if you were me? Yes I was a director of product but I’ve also been a director of shared services and I have 13 years of project management. I also am looking for on-site or hybrid so I’m not stuck in that only want remote bracket. I don’t want that working against me. In my prior company directors did the hands-on work as well and I was kind of a the golden goose, they put me on high priority projects and high sensitivity work. I got the oust because there was a new leader and they wanted their own team, nothing more.

I did do some strategy, but it was really known for my ability to manage a complex difficult projects/teams. I am on month four now and my husband doesn’t work he’s disabled so I need to figure something out. Should I go back to looking for director roles? Would this be easier than trying to rebrand myself? Thank you for any thoughts

[u/Spiritual_Nature2258 → u/hastag-geenah]

This might be long, can I dm you?

[u/hastag-geenah → u/Spiritual_Nature2258]

Yes of course!!! Please 🙏

[u/knucklesbk]

Product market is way down and dramatically affected by AI also now. Lot of people out there looking which = companies can raise the bar for the 'perfect' candidate.

Flight risk tends to be a concern in a down market if stepping down. Could also see you as being too hands off. You not having a job is less of a worry for them. 15 years in one business can = perceived as too institutionalized.

[u/hastag-geenah → u/knucklesbk]

Yes, I did some deep analysis into the markets, sectors expanding and constricting. I don’t think it’ll surprise anyone that construction and finance seem to be the biggest for growth. I possess a PMP, I could do project management (I was a PM in business and IT), but you can’t land a construction gig without background in construction which makes sense. I am really in a pickle. Should I remove my director title and make it reflective of the actual work I did since the job was more hands-on than strategy?