employHER’s Post

This is a heartbreaking post from Britney, who has been laid off for over 2.5 months. She, like many, poured her heart into an opportunity she was incredibly excited about, only to have her hopes crushed when she was informed she didn't get the job. These words struck me: "I am probably going to lose my home and more. I'm a single parent, and I have kids that need me. I have been so positive and giving this job search all I have every single day and I have been ghosted and led on. I just want to work again and love what I do again, and I ultimately didn't get it because I wasn't able to be in the office full time and move to another city, but I was willing to sacrifice to be there as much as I could." As someone who has also been out of work for over three months, I can relate to Britney's frustration, disappointment, and desperation. The job market is incredibly tough right now, and it hurts to put your all into applications and interviews only to be met with rejection or radio silence. To my friends and colleagues who are still employed: If you know of any open roles or opportunities, share them with Britney and other job seekers in your network. A simple referral or introduction could mean the world to someone struggling to find their next opportunity. And to recruiters and hiring managers: Try to have empathy for the candidates who are applying. For many, this isn't just about landing a job—it's about keeping a roof over their heads and providing for their families. A little compassion and support can go a long way for those facing unemployment. If you can offer real help—whether it's a referral, a recommendation, or just an empathetic ear—please do so. It could make all the difference for someone in desperate need of their next opportunity. #Hiring #JobSeekers #Jobs #Recruiting #EmotionalIntelligence #Empathy #Compassion #HelpSomeoneToday

Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to speak with the Rhize community, a collective of amazing individuals navigating the job search process together. Rhize is more than just a group. It’s a supportive network where people can share struggles, swap stories, and learn from one another in a space that truly gets it. During my presentation, I shared my layoff stories and the emotional toll job searching can take. But I also shared something I’ve learned through my own journey and my work as a career coach: no one should go through this process alone. Here are a few tips from our session that might help if you’re in the thick of it right now: 🔹 Reframe rejection as redirection: A “no” isn’t a measure of your worth. It’s just a sign that something better is out there. 🔹 Celebrate small wins: Job searching is a marathon, not a sprint. Every application you submit, every step forward you take, is progress worth recognizing. 🔹 Set small, manageable goals: The job search can feel overwhelming, but breaking it into daily tasks (like one tailored application or researching a new company) makes it more doable. To the Rhize team, thank you for letting me share my experiences and connect with your community. Your work is so important, and I’m grateful to have been a small part of it. If you’re navigating the job search and looking for a community of like-minded people who “get it,” I highly recommend checking out Rhize. Because job searching is tough, but it’s a lot easier when you’re not doing it alone. #community #jobsearch #layoffs

As I come up on a month of being laid off, I thought it might be a good idea to post that I am still #OpenToWork and could use your help. A simple like, comment, share goes a long way! 🤞 I've had some ups and downs over the last month. There have been days when I was excited about what opportunity will come up next, and then days where I'm down because I got yet another auto-rejection. BUT I choose to look at the blessing in it... While I am #opentowork and continue to interview, network and apply, I also look at this time as an opportunity to focus on the things that really matter. In this society, we are groomed to think the more money and things you have, the happier that you are. But the truth is it's not WHAT you have but WHO you have. Even though I spend hours every day applying and having informational conversations, I am also actively choosing to pour more into myself, my family, and my friends. If you're looking for a #DemandGeneration, #LeadGeneration, #InsideSales, #BusinessDevelopment Manager that has the ability to jump in with both feet and hit the ground running, let's chat! I have a strong background in sales and a deep understanding of the technical side, and I'm never afraid to learn something new. I've built up years of knowledge in the #LifeSciences and #CDMO space, but I am open to other industries and adventures as well. #Redundancy #OpenToWork #LayOffs #JobSearch #Network #Apply #Interview

The connection message can feel quite uncomfortable. Speaking from personal experience, I try very hard to approach it honestly. Reaching out to a former coworker at their new company for a referral can always be an awkward conversation to have. During my first layoff in 2017, I learned that you have to cast aside the shame you may feel in the moment. The truth is, those feelings are often all in your head. We have all been in similar situations before, whether it's dealing with layoffs, digging into our savings, or tirelessly applying for new jobs. The act of just asking can feel like the tallest hurdle of all. But what something "feels like" and what it truly is, can be two different things. For me personally, I generally reach out with a short message saying hello, explaining the situation, and asking them for a referral if they feel comfortable with it. If they aren't, there are no hard feelings, and I tell them so. In my experience, people are more than happy to help you. Oftentimes, companies will also have employee referral programs, so they also benefit. My career in community management and social marketing has been built on my ability to establish strong relationships with others. Being a good listener and someone whom people enjoy working with has helped me greatly. The worst thing someone can say is "no" to your ask, and it can end there. You don't have to take it personally, because everyone has different levels of comfort. Being gracious and understanding can go a long way in maintaining the relationship, even if they're unable to help. So if you're on the fence this morning, just send the message.

👋🏼 My weekly reminder that I am interviewing now and #opentowork! I'll keep posting this until my first day at my next adventure, because life happens. 😅 Re-attaching my resume as well. I would love to stay in the health equity space and/or in a role that supports partner success at the mid/senior level. (Ie. Director of Partnerships, Senior Account Manager, Customer Success roles) ❓ Where is everyone looking at jobs outside of Linkedin? Drop in your favorites below. 👇🏼 #jobhunting #techlayoffs #interviewing

I’ve been #OpenToWork for nearly two weeks now, and I’m truly grateful for the incredible support I’ve received so far. The likes, shares, comments, and introductions have been amazing, and I’ve met some truly inspiring people doing phenomenal things. Please keep the momentum going—like, share, and comment below! 👇 But, let’s be honest, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. I applied for a Product and Marketing Director role at a global fintech company—right in my wheelhouse. I got a call from the hiring manager who loved my CV and wanted to chat. We had a fantastic hour-long conversation. Great guy, strong chemistry, and the role seemed perfect for me. He told me I was a very good fit, had engaging energy, and wanted me to meet the Global IT Director. Brilliant! I followed up with a thank-you email, reiterated my skillset, and reached out to the IT Director directly. The next meeting went well too; we discussed the role, my experience, and everything seemed on track. Next up, a meeting with the COO. Another positive conversation, solid chemistry, and everything seemed to be lining up perfectly. Then, two days later, I received a generic, automated email saying they were not moving forward with my application. After three hour-long conversations, multiple emails, and LinkedIn messages, they sent me an automated rejection? I reached out to the hiring manager—not to challenge him or the process—but to understand what went wrong and to learn for my next application. His response? “You don’t have the skillset. You’ve got an incredible CV, so I wanted to meet you, but you weren’t right for this role.” I asked what I was missing and what had changed. He said, “I needed technical expertise.” I’m not a coder, but I’ve worked in and around tech for a long time. Based on the job spec and the previous feedback, I more than fit the brief they provided. In reality, there could be many reasons why it didn’t work out, and that’s fine. But after investing the time in their process, a 10-minute call with some constructive feedback would have been appreciated. I’m a big boy. I can deal with rejection, even if it was a ‘you’re not the right fit’ or ‘we found someone better.’ We’ve all got a job to do and it’s nothing personal. But to be shown such a lack of common courtesy felt pretty rubbish Bottom line; Kindness and empathy cost nothing. Being #OpenToWork can be a tough journey, filled with ups and downs. Recruiters and hiring managers should strive to be more communicative and supportive. You never know when paths may cross again for other roles, in future businesses and at networking events Onwards and upwards!

Last week was a ✨great✨ week. I had an interview for a job that would be able to start up my career. I had lots of recruiters reach out wanting to help me with my job search and career transitioning. This week - so far, not so good. I’m still in the waiting period. I got denied for some jobs I applied for that were my ✨dream✨ jobs. Being unemployed is TOUGH. So, I am taking the days step by step and trying to stay focused on the positives. #unemployed #layoff #hiring #letsconnect #opentowork #socialmedia #marketing #digitalmarketing #opentonewopportunities #recruitershiring

This is not going to be one of those posts where yours truly, the "opentowork" dude, will count his months of being unemployed mentioning he was the victim of layoffs. Been there, done that, got a few likes, some comments, never made it viral, didn't plan my thoughts to become viral. People in this situation don't pay bills with likes, comments and re-posts. And there are lot of us out there. They say it's an employer's market. They say the competition is huge. Over 100 applications on a job posting 2 hours old. We all see that. You're starting to wonder if you're worth. You're starting to lose the confidence that you had when you landed the job that got you laid off. They tell you to tailor your resume but not too much. They tell you to bring your genuine self. They tell you to be positive and chirp like you've been on a casual sabbatical where all you do is eat, pray, love. Someone in my network that is stuck in a job that's doing more harm than the paycheck can cover started looking for a job. They're hitting the same wall of superficial nothingness, automated replies and default rejection. Their story brought me some uncalled for justice and closure on every negative thought I ever had regarding my own process of finding a job these months: it's not me, it's them. I AM feeling better and AM NOT happy for their temporary misery. I hope they find that next job that will fulfill them. I got rejection to last me a lifetime now. I'm not the only one. We're tens of thousands floating in these murky waters, waiting for that one chance to get out of it. This is not about your experience, your skills, your awesomeness, your value no more. These are applicable in normal circumstances, definitely not met in 2024. If you have a job, keep it. You surely have at least one person in your network that's experiencing this hellish imposed "sabbatical". Make a good deed. Reach out to them. Ask them how they're holding up. Push it one step further. Send a note to your HR team, recommend them. It won't hurt you. You know why? Because no one's seat at the table is solid no more. Be a good sport. What's the worst that can happen? Them being ghosted? Rejected? Interviewed and left waiting? They've seen that too many times. But what if they get that chance? Let's start from around us. It takes a village. #jobseekers #jobmarket #resilience #referrals #helpothers

Hey #recuiters in the tech space, who am I to tell you how to do your job, but do you mind if I make a suggestion to fill your pipeline very quickly? Include the #opentowork tag in front of the job title or role you are 'hunting' for in your #LinkedIn search. After hitting Enter on the keyboard, expect to be amazed by the list of highly skilled and 'hungry' professionals searching for an opportunity to enter or return to the tech workforce, waiting to hear from you. :-) #empathy #togetherstrong #jobhunting

To my fellow Linkedln connections that are #openforwork like myself… Over the last week I have had great opportunity to reflect on this thing called unemployment. I just spent 4 days on a cruise with my family. While it may be odd to go on a cruise while unemployed, it’s been a great opportunity to disconnect and spend time with my family and just refresh myself. The only other time I’ve had the opportunity to completely disconnect on vacation in probably 20 years was this past June while on my honeymoon, ironically, just a few weeks before all of this started with being let go from where I planned on retiring from. Now since then there has been 3 layoffs. Luckily this was a trip paid for months ago when I was employeed or one I would have had to tell my kids we weren’t going to be able to go on after much planning. While I know most that are #opentowork can’t just escape and go on a trip, I can tell you taking time and just staring out at the open water was much needed. Take some time for yourself if you are able and recharge yourself. Being unemployed can be mentally more exhausting than employed. To those that are still looking for your next work home, remember this…. Just because you have gone on countless interviews or phone interviews and keep having that door close, doesn’t mean you have any less worth. Something that I reflected on this past week that I think I’ll never understand, and nothing towards recruiters as I am friends with lots on here… but how many of you have felt great going into an interview, maybe you have connections there, maybe you have people that have given you great references, then you get to the interview and get asked some off the wall questions and you stumble giving answers you don’t feel so good about. Once you hang up that interview goes from a great feeling to feeling like you bombed it. So many great employees passed because of some bad answers to some off the wall questions. What happened to talking to someone and learning about them and their experience instead of asking “if you were an animal what would you be and why?”. I’ll be the first to admit I do horrible on interviews. I have fought a stuttering problem since I was a kid that gets much worse when talking to people I don’t know. Then when asked questions that make me stumble, it’s 10x worse. I say all that to say this, don’t give up. Don’t stop believing in your skills and yourself. The right job is out there for you. #opentowork #sfr #projectmanager #remote #Memphis