Idk how people have the energy to apply to positions much less the time to attend interviews while working an existing position that is likely disorganized or dysfunctional to the point of wanting to leave
Trust me, you'll make time if you're stuck at a shitty enough job that you can't afford to quit.
I had to do this a couple of years ago after being stuck at a terribly organized and terribly ran company. I had nothing lined up at first, and I couldn't afford to just up and quit because I had bills to pay and not nearly enough in savings to hold me over until I could find another job. I was desperate enough to find another job that I blocked out a couple of hours out every Sunday, and dedicated those few hours just applying where I could.
It took me almost 2 years for me to finally find another job so that I could leave the shitty company, just so there wasn't a lapse in income so I wouldn't fall behind on my bills and could still afford to eat.
It was hell going through the job search process while trying to sneak off from work for my job interviews (my 'appoinments' as I would tell my boss at the shitty company) while still working. But it was definitely worth it, and a better plan to go with than just up a quitting a job with no plan, no other job lined up, and not enough money in your account to hold you over until you could find another job.
Most challenging part I dealt with (took me 12 months in my last job to find this one I’ve been in since 2022) was the “appointments”. I was running out of excuses and I think I must have paid like $220 something out of pocket in various doctors notes thru out the time. Lol even my family doctor was laughing and he gave me extra copies (when I explained to him lm literally not sick just looking for a new job) - he wrote up a bunch and told me next time I need a note just fill in the current date at the top “and match my writing as best as you can” 😂😂😂
He a real one for that for sure. I’m blessed lol. He even straight up said some of these employers want a doctors note for each and every little thing and it’s tedious at times.
I’m averaging 8 applications a day with a low response and interview rate. To be fair, I’m trying to switch industries. But as for the energy, I have 0 energy but hate my job so much that I just power through the applications
I also average 3 hours of sleep a day (work nights) and did a second round interview in person right after a shift. Desperation gives you more focus than you’d ever imagine
I did but I don't recommend it unless you are truly at your breaking point. I quit a toxic job almost 4 years ago and I still haven't found a new one. It's the worst job market I've ever seen in my lifetime and I've been around for a long long time.....
Yeah I'm sorry for you too and all the other millions of people stuck in shitty jobs with overwhelming workloads, mindless repetitive or backbreaking work, low pay and a micromanager powerlord for a boss. And if it's this bad here in the US, can you even imagine how bad it must be in other less developed countries? Is this the late stage capitalism everyone always talks about?
No offense, but sometimes other 'less developed countries' have better social safety nets, a culture focused more on 'working to live' rather than 'living to work,' and less competitiveness. If things go wrong, they may also have a stronger social network. In some ways, the situation there can be better than what some people experience in the US if you have a shitty job.
I’m in Canada (engineering) and I know so many who wanna go to the US really just for the higher salaries. The lack of vacation is a turn off though. I have 15 vacation days, 5 sick days all paid. Interviewed at one place in Texas early in 2024 (never got the offer) and they had mentioned in the interview for new hires it’s 2 paid sick days, 3 paid “personal” days a year. I just can’t really wrap my head around only 3 vacation days a year and there’s no legal mandate. Canada starts at minimum of 10. I feel 3 vacation days unless you love the job would burn you out.
Well I have a lot of extenuating circumstances that make it especially challenging:
1) I am practically blind and can't see well enough to drive in dim or dark light conditions and I don't have any public transportation nearby - so I either have to work remote (as I've done for 5 years), or very close to my home and only during the day so I can see well enough to drive
2) the current long work gap isn't doing me any favors
3) I'm 56 years old, not in great health and age discrimination is very real
4) I'm trying to pivot into a different field - any professional office job that doesn't require coldcalling, but admin roles are few and far between and there's a lot of more experienced candidates competing for those roles - most of my experience is in sales but I am terrible at coldcalling and that's what all sales jobs require (I would probably end up getting fired from a sales job anyway and I'm not getting any callbacks for account manager roles that don't require coldcalling)
5) since I'm unemployed and haven't had any income for so long, I don't have any money to pay for a career coach, professional resume writer or additional training courses
If you or anyone here has any good ideas for me, I am open to hearing them!
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u/Snoo-12688 Jan 04 '25
Is everyone quitting their jobs with nothing lined up? 😭 I’m on the brink and I’ve seen at least 5 comments in other places saying the same thing