Job Hunting and Unemployment Can Be Hard but I Have Prevailed.

Finding peace in a season of unemployment and job hunting is hard. Personally, I try to avoid both happening simultaneously, yet life can get uncertain, leading us to situations we never planned for.

As an introvert, even if I attend events, network with new people, and seek help, I still prefer maintaining quality relationships over superficial interactions with people I’ve just met and have no genuine connection with. While this helps me avoid fake friendships, it does impact me negatively because, in my experience, the corporate world often rewards superficial interactions. You have to play a game, act fake in interviews, embellish experiences, or craft stories just to stand out. There have been moments when I genuinely possessed the required skills and experience, but personality tests or my inability to be as outspoken as other candidates became the dealbreaker.

At one point, I even tried to alter my personality to fit the mold, and it didn’t end well. I spent evenings practicing being an extrovert, rehearsing interviews, and reading extensively to expand my vocabulary. Despite these efforts, the results always felt artificial. Anxiety sometimes crept in, not because I feared bombing the interview, but because, out of 300 to 400 tailored applications, it might have been my only interview opportunity. The thought of going through that endless cycle again felt overwhelming. This is the harsh reality of job hunting in the age of AI, where hundreds of applicants use AI-assisted tools to flood job postings, myself included.

Networking, attending meetups, posting on LinkedIn, and maintaining a blog haven’t yielded much success either. It can feel like no matter how much effort I put in, it’s never enough, and friends or family might perceive this struggle as laziness.

Yet, in all these trials, I’ve grown into a better person. I’ve developed patience, resilience, and the ability to navigate uncertainty effectively. My ability to reflect and iterate on new ideas has improved significantly. Perhaps the universe is signaling me toward a different path. The peace I’ve discovered comes from choosing to move forward regardless of outcomes. I’ve learned to shift my focus away from achieving specific goals toward appreciating the person I am becoming in the process.

To anyone going through a similar situation: don’t hesitate to explore new things, start a business, pursue other interests, or seek help if you’re struggling to cover day-to-day expenses. Leverage every resource you have; that effort and resilience will become your strength and your story.