From Hustle to Halt: My "First" Four Days of Unemployment

After six-months as a contract sourcing-recruiter for one of Seattle's largest tech

companies, my team's contract ended five months early. Sometimes, that is how it goes with contract work. This sudden shift left me immediately contemplating my next steps - still contemplating today. I haven’t blogged all year, primarily due to my uncertainty about what to share. I have always made it a priority and a promise to myself (and my readers) to keep it real, but for my own career and livelihood's sake, I held back discussing my experiences the first half of 2025.

Partially because I was immersing myself into recruiting for a tech giant (largest company I've ever worked with directly like that ) and mostly, fear of coming across inauthentic. I didn't have much I could say. I needed that job. I was grateful for that job. I couldn't jeopardize losing it over my blog.

One day, I may share more about it but I am not sure that I really need to at this point. I am grateful for the experience and opportunity. Myths of the company's recruiting practices were demystified, I learned some new things along the way, and what I am most grateful for (outside of the income that kept me afloat for six months) are the people I met and the relationships I built. For such a short period of time I really have to say, I was gifted more than the ability to pay my bills - I was gifted more community. Between the job seekers I worked with or came in contact with to the co-workers around me and virtual - I met some incredible people. People, that if I have any say in it, I will one day work with or support again in some form or another. That's really all I have to share on that.

I've heard from some folks that were expecting some sort of juicy story or a deep dive into the guts of such a huge hiring machine but at the end of the day - I was working with and supporting some incredibly talented humans. At my core that is a basic professional necessity that the employer met for me at the time. If I had to choose one word to describe my experience there, the word would be - GRATEFUL.

For now, I’m all gas and no brakes in the search of my next role.

Or something like that.

Even a recruting SHEro needs to sleep and center herself from time to time.

As I write this, it’s day four of being a job seeker, again - and I thought I’d take a moment to share what the past four days have looked like for me. If you're a job-seeker or have been in the past 24 months, this may sound familiar. Let me know either way. I want to hear from you.

Day One: The Shock and Reality Check

The first day began with a wave of mixed emotions. Waking up early, almost instinctively, felt like preparing for a normal Saturday - but it wasn't. As I sipped my coffee, I remembered my spawn came home the night before to visit for the weekend. It was a happy realization and distraction from what was happening or not happening for me professionally. I decided to make breakfast (something my spawn was looking forward to - a home cooked breakfast). As I cracked the eggs and grated the cheese the shocking reality of my current professional and financial situation brought feelings of both liberation and anger, but when I really looked at it, I realized the feelings were all FEAR.

I spent the rest of my morning catching up with my spawn and tried not to think about what was coming next for me. I really really tried to live in the moment. I wanted to avoid spinning out in front of my adult child. The last thing I wanted to do was cause worry or concern. I am positive that I failed that mission.

Early afternoon I found myself reflecting on my career. I acknowledged the accomplishments from my previous role and those before it, yet I wrestled with the uncertainty of the labor market. Would my next steps lead me to success? Should I start diving into job listings, or was really doing a deep dive into crafting my resume the priority? Did my resume even matter anymore? I started to spin out internally to a point where I recognized it and decided I should allow myself an hour to rest. Sometimes a nap can change a perspective, right? I was overwhelmed with fear and layed down for just under an hour.

When I woke up I decided that focusing on updating my resume should become my main task of the day. Revising it, even after only six months, was necessary. I began to "restructure" my experiences, emphasizing the skills I developed during my contract recruiting role. This process felt both cathartic but mostly daunting. I wondered, would my experience stand out in a competitive market, where according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate hovers around 3.5%? I wont even begin to rant about how inaccuratly misleading those stats are - STILL, in 2025.

Day Two: Self-Care and Reflection Coupled with Overthinking Everything

By day two, I recognized the importance of self-care during this challenging time. It didnt take me long to see I had managed to stress myself and kid TF out! The emotional rollercoaster of unemployment and job seeking can be draining. I learned that morning after applying for Unemployment benefits that I may not qualify for them at all. I panicked for about 5 minutes and said to myself "fuck it all to hell". I am not going to let this experience, this life of mine kill me with stress. I am not going out that way. I knew in order to truly embrace the "all gas, no brakes" mentality I'd need to survive this, that I also needed to recharge.

I consciously stepped away from screens to engage in activities that spark joy. I went for a walk that evening, watched two episodes of a series I am slowly binging, and experimented with a new recipe.

I also took time to contemplate what I genuinely wanted in my next role. Was it just about earning a paycheck, or did I seek a company whose values aligned with my beliefs? My recruiting background taught me the critical nature of finding the right fit, and I knew I must decide pretty quickly if I was going to adhere to this idea throughout my search or take what I can get and run with it kinda thing.

As I embraced this uncertainty, I found strength in the belief that this challenge was temporary (but is it really? seems like it has been a year of this now). I reminded myself that being a job-seeker does not define my worth. Each rejection simply brings me one step closer to the right opportunity. And then I told myself to stop acting like it's okay. I promised myself that if someone asked me this go around if I was okay, or asked how I was, I was going to be 100% honest in each moment. My goal in this was and still is to push the people who really don't care but are just "trying to be polite" away and pull in the people that truly do care and value me not only as professional but also a human. Maybe it's the neurodivergence in me, but I've never asked someone how they are or inquired about their wellbeing not wanting to actually know what's up. Turns out many people (and I'm going to step out on the ledge with this one) do and I'd guess they're mostly neurotypical. Just a random observation I suppose.

Day Three: Laying the Groundwork for Networking & Search While Actively Grieving the Loss of a Job

On day three, I redirected my energy toward networking. I rifled through my connections on LinkedIn, making a list to reach out to of former colleagues and industry contacts. The importance of maintaining relationships in recruiting stood out to me and made me feel grateful for mine. Many opportunities are filled through personal connections rather than advertised jobs that the actual person getting hired saw first. My last role, the one that just abruptly ended, was a job post that I hadn't seen but someone in my network did and they tagged me in a LinkedIn post about the role.

Crafting personalized messages felt more comfortable than I expected it from the get go. But then I realized that before I could reach out with a friendly reminder of our past collaborations or emphasize that I was actively seeking new opportunities and would appreciate any leads they might have, my resume needed more work. That resume that I "scoured" and hunched over with vigor and good intentions, had somehow become a worthless piece of digital paper. When I realized that I had sent it out to two people already, I cried. No really, it was a quiet cry with a stream of tears going down each cheek just like the emoji, 😭. I remember asking myself with judgement, "I wasn't crying over the resume, was I"? In hindsight, I realize it was the first time I really cried about my circumstances or expressed any real emotion outside of shock. I'd been teary eyed the day I found out, but I'd made myself suck that shit up and push past the tears that day.

I updated my resume.

A trusted recruiter I know looked it over and provided some feedback and I updated it some more. I sent out and completed a few more applications that day to only realize I was missing a date range for my oldest work experience on my resume. I literally said out loud to myself (while home alone), "how TF did you miss that Cupples?!?!" and fixed it.

I decided from this point that I needed to post on LinkedIn officially that I am looking and what I am looking for. I made the post. There was a typo in the graphic I shared initially and all I can say is how grateful I am for community and those always willing to look out for me. Thank you, Tom. I deleted the post immediately. Reposting was both liberating and nerve-wracking. I wondered if anyone would see my post and if anyone would be willing to help. I also wondered at that same moment why I posted to begin with. Knowing just how garbage the labor market is right now, would I just look like someone who can't keep a job? And then I pushed that negative talk aside began sourcing roles to apply for and look into. I needed to focus my thoughts on positive, forward motion actions and not some random self-doubt. This is a common anxiety and sadly, many people understand the complexities of the job search in today's U.S. labor market. If you were sitting with me as I write this, you'd also hear me mutter, "3.5 % my ass".

Day Four: Job Applications and Strategy Mixed with More Overthinking

As day four unfolded, I focused on applying for jobs. With my updated resume and refreshed perspective, I dove into job boards and company websites. This experience reminded me the necessity of being strategic in my job search.

Instead of applying to every position, I chose to target roles that matched my skills and interests. I utilized my knowledge as a recruiter. I tailored my applications to show how my previous experience made me a great fit for each role, paying particular attention to specific skills that align with the job descriptions. For example, in one application, I highlighted my experience in sourcing candidates, as the hiring team was looking for that exact expertise.

With each application, I battled the anxiety of uncertainty. What if I didn’t get any responses? What if I was overthinking my approach? Yet, I remained focused on the fact that each submission was a step forward, regardless of immediate feedback or whether I'd get feedback or a reply of any kind at all.

Taking the Leap: Embracing the Unknown Ready or Not

As I wrap up this reflection (but is it really a reflection or is it more of a play-by-play?!?!?), I encourage fellow job-seekers to be kind to themselves. It’s easy and absolutely normal to feel overwhelmed in this garbage labor market, but every step taken is a journey toward a future opportunity. If we cannot at a minimum cling to that and focus on positive forward motion, I cannot see how we will overcome this - and we have to, we just have to overcome this. We are meant to. I believe that. Sometimes it means relooking at what good looks like to us, sometimes it's rethinking career path and strategy, and sometimes it's all of that and more. I've said this before, but I want to remind you, I am with you. I see you, job-seekers. We've been dealt a garbage hand, but we can make the best of it. Doesn't mean we have to accept garbage but we take it and turn it into something else - if we get out of our own way and open ourselves up to all the possibilities we can. Sometimes we get so stuck with our visions for our lives that we let a fixed mindset creep in and stop us from trying new things, from leaving professions and starting a new, and so many things we get caught up with and stuck in because of it. We have to adjust our thinking or we wont make it out of this intact.

Some advice I was given yesterday from someone who has worked for the same company for 16 years made me think and also pissed me off due to the lack of awareness and immense privilege that came from their POV in sharing it. That said, I want to share it with you too. Even if it pisses you off at first too, if you rethink and readjust your mindset about your career, this can be helpful. Listen, if I got there mindset wise - you can too. Do I think they copy and pasted this advice from somewhere else? Abso-frackin-lutely!

The advice/message:

"Practicing patience and allowing oneself to embrace uncertainty can lead to personal growth and valuable experiences. Whether you're just starting your job search or navigating through callbacks and interviews, remember to stay true to your values and capabilities."

This process, for me, is as much about self-discovery as it is about landing a new job. I’m not sure if the word, "excited" is appropriate but I am looking "forward to" seeing where this journey leads, and I hope you can find some encouragement in your own job search or in support of someone else's job search as well.

Let’s embrace the garbage together and allow ourselves to blaze some different trails where we can. There is a song lyric I've quoted in blog posts before but it's a sentiment I belive in and hold dear, "You can grow flowers from where dirt use to be". The song was talking about love, however, I think it can apply to anything really - even a career. My career. Your career too, if you let it. I know I am trying to.

Until next time...