There are a lot of opinions about how today’s economy has been recovering since the start of the pandemic. And, this is the place where I would usually say something like, “people much smarter than me can better explain where we may be headed.” But lately, I feel like nobody actually knows anything. Especially when it comes to our current economic realities, much less the future and where our prospects are headed. All I know is my lived experience. I assume that’s the same for you, too. So I want to give you a peek into what it’s been like for me, looking for work in Biden’s America, and trying to navigate a constantly changing economic landscape.
In a surprise to probably no one, I tracked my job search in a spreadsheet. Here are a few of the facts and figures that I gathered as I scrolled LinkedIn every hour, emailed people I haven’t spoken to in years, and posted a couple of hundred words here every weeknight:
70: Days since the layoff announcement 51: Blog posts since getting notified 54: Applications submitted 29: Cover letters written 7: Phone screening calls with recruiters 6: Discussions with teams and potential collaborators 6: Unique presentations created showcasing my work and experience 4: Interviews with hiring managers 17: Written rejections
I don’t have a lot more of these posts scheduled. By my count, the Soundgarden titles left to use are “Kristi” and “Like Suicide”. So, I plan on posting just two more (for those keeping close track, Soundgarden released 121 songs, nine of which are covers which I didn’t want to use as titles, which would bring the grand total to 112 posts since starting these in November). After that, who knows?
I like the process that making these has forced me to go through. I feel like I’ve sharpened my thinking here in a couple of helpful places. And I know that some of these first drafts turned into more polished thoughts and answers to questions during my interviews. It’s odd how this initial idea morphed into something so very helpful. And it just reinforces the notion that I never know what’s coming next. Even if that is one of the hardest things for my mind to accept. So, on this last official day of my Google employment, I want to say thank you to my now-former colleagues who have reached out after reading something on this blog. I hope I can find a way to keep us connected, even if it’s just through reaction emoji on LinkedIn posts. Most importantly, if you’re reading these words, I want to thank you, too, for coming on this journey with me. And as I mentioned a few nights ago, if you need help in your own search, please let me know.
Little Joe
31 March 2023
All systems Joe.
There are a lot of opinions about how today’s economy has been recovering since the start of the pandemic. And, this is the place where I would usually say something like, “people much smarter than me can better explain where we may be headed.” But lately, I feel like nobody actually knows anything. Especially when it comes to our current economic realities, much less the future and where our prospects are headed. All I know is my lived experience. I assume that’s the same for you, too. So I want to give you a peek into what it’s been like for me, looking for work in Biden’s America, and trying to navigate a constantly changing economic landscape.
In a surprise to probably no one, I tracked my job search in a spreadsheet. Here are a few of the facts and figures that I gathered as I scrolled LinkedIn every hour, emailed people I haven’t spoken to in years, and posted a couple of hundred words here every weeknight:
70: Days since the layoff announcement
51: Blog posts since getting notified
54: Applications submitted
29: Cover letters written
7: Phone screening calls with recruiters
6: Discussions with teams and potential collaborators
6: Unique presentations created showcasing my work and experience
4: Interviews with hiring managers
17: Written rejections
I don’t have a lot more of these posts scheduled. By my count, the Soundgarden titles left to use are “Kristi” and “Like Suicide”. So, I plan on posting just two more (for those keeping close track, Soundgarden released 121 songs, nine of which are covers which I didn’t want to use as titles, which would bring the grand total to 112 posts since starting these in November). After that, who knows?
I like the process that making these has forced me to go through. I feel like I’ve sharpened my thinking here in a couple of helpful places. And I know that some of these first drafts turned into more polished thoughts and answers to questions during my interviews. It’s odd how this initial idea morphed into something so very helpful. And it just reinforces the notion that I never know what’s coming next. Even if that is one of the hardest things for my mind to accept. So, on this last official day of my Google employment, I want to say thank you to my now-former colleagues who have reached out after reading something on this blog. I hope I can find a way to keep us connected, even if it’s just through reaction emoji on LinkedIn posts. Most importantly, if you’re reading these words, I want to thank you, too, for coming on this journey with me. And as I mentioned a few nights ago, if you need help in your own search, please let me know.
See you tomorrow?