Lessons from a yearlong job search

Posted 22 hours ago

This week, I’m starting a new role, and I couldn’t be more excited to jump in. I’ve had about three weeks between accepting the offer and my first day, and I’ve used that time to reflect on the past year and think about what I’ve learned, both personally and professionally. Today, I want to share a few of the professional lessons that really stood out to me during my job search.

Build a support system

One of the best decisions that I made in this process was to reach out on day one and ask several friends to commit to pray for me. I promised to regularly share my progress and to update them with specific ways they could pray for me. Another thing that I did was to lean into my small group at church. I meet weekly with a small group of guys to study the Bible and most importantly, to share and support one another in our lives.

Unemployment is tough. You really need people who can walk through it with you. It made a huge difference to have friends who knew me well and who I could be real with. Every time I sent out an update or a prayer request, I’d hear back from several people. Sometimes it was just a quick note to say they were praying—short but meaningful. Other times, they’d just sit with me in the hard stuff, showing up with quiet compassion. And a few took the time to write longer, encouraging messages that really lifted my spirits.

A few friends stayed in touch with me more regularly, which meant a lot. One dear friend in Hungary checked in about once a week—just to see how I was doing or follow up on something I’d mentioned in an email. Another friend would call every so often just to check in and offer to pray with me over the phone. The guys in my small group were always quick to respond to my texts and would ask about specific things I’d shared, like upcoming interviews or prayer requests when we met together in person. Their steady presence made a big difference.

Unemployment can feel incredibly isolating, but having a solid support network reminded me I wasn’t alone in the fight. When I finally got to share the good news about landing a new job a few weeks ago, I was struck by how invested these guys had been all along. Honestly, I think some of them were even more excited than I was—it completely blew me away. What a gift to have friends who stood with me and cared that deeply.

Build a support network. Find some friends that you can share both your highs and your lows with. Lean on those relationships when the days are difficult–when you get another rejection, when you face the disappointment of not getting a job you were really excited about, when you just face silence because you are not hearing back from the jobs you applied for, and on the days when your hope is close to failing.

Your network is better than you think

When I first started the job search, I honestly had a pretty negative view of my network. I didn’t think it was very strong. A big part of it was made up of connections I built while living in Central Florida, especially through various networking events. Many of those relationships grew deeper thanks to the Front-End Design Conference, which I attended every year during its first four years. I kept running into the same people, and over time, we stayed connected through social media. That regular face time—both in person and online—really helped solidify those connections more than I had realized.

But after moving to Chattanooga, it was a different story. I went to a few networking events, but I never really connected with anyone who shared similar interests or experiences. Working remotely added to the challenge, too. That’s not to say I didn’t make any new connections—even in Chattanooga, there were a few. But they weren’t as frequent or as numerous as what I had experienced in the past.

Another mistake I made was overlooking the smaller investments I was making. I tended to prioritize big interactions—like face-to-face or even online conversations—more than I should have. I also wrongly assumed that just because I hadn’t had a direct conversation with someone in years, the connection had weakened. In reality, those relationships were still strong.

“The best suggestion I can give is to make sure your entire network knows you’re looking.”

This was probably the best piece of advice that I received. It stemmed from a relationship I had nurtured over the years by making numerous small efforts to stay connected. I took his advice and started direct messaging several of my stronger contacts on LinkedIn to let them know that I was looking and I would appreciate any help that they could give me.

But I was still hesitant to contact a broad spectrum of my LinkedIn network because I didn’t think those connections were as strong. Boy was I wrong. With some encouragement from my wife, I finally got up the gumption to reach out to a broader group in December. I was amazed by the people who reached out and how eager they were to help. I was also surprised at how much stronger the connections were than I had assumed.

One of those connections was someone I met at a WordPress camp and worked with on freelance projects over 10 years ago. I wasn’t sure we had that strong of a connection, but he responded right away. That simple outreach led to a Zoom call—and ultimately, new contract work with his agency. I realized that the investments I had made in that relationship did not have an expiration date. Just because we hadn’t been in touch directly for a while didn’t mean he wasn’t eager to help

Time and time again, I was amazed by the support I received from people I hadn’t connected with in years. My advice? Never underestimate the value of the relationships you’ve built. People who care about you are often eager to help when they can—so don’t hesitate to reach out.

Keep your network updated that you are still looking

You are probably familiar with the saying, “out of sight, out of mind.” You need to keep yourself in front of your network, especially if you face a longer job search. Most people are only going to remember that you are looking for a brief amount of time. And as the time stretches out longer, there is a need to remind people that you are still looking.

I initially reached out to my network about a month after I was laid off (April). In July, I posted on LinkedIn that I was still looking to help keep myself in front of people. I also reached out by direct message to some people I had not contacted before. At the end of the year, I posted once again on LinkedIn that I was still looking for my next opportunity and recontacted people over direct message to let them know I was still looking. I also gathered the courage to reach out to those ‘weaker’ connections I mentioned earlier.

I heard back from many people, and they appreciated that I had reached out to let them know I was still job hunting. They said it was a helpful reminder.

In early February, I received a call from a long-time friend. We had caught up over Zoom last April when he was still job hunting. The first thing he asked was, ‘Are you still looking?’ I told him I was. He mentioned that he had thought of me since I’d reached out in December. A friend of his had mentioned an opening on his team that was a perfect match for my skill set. My friend connected me with his contact, which led to a casual Zoom call, then an interview, and eventually a job offer, which I accepted just a few weeks ago. It was a small investment that paid off, helping me reach the goal I’d been working toward for over a year.

Tailor your resume to each job you apply for

This is a piece of advise that I was slow to embrace. I had been tailoring every cover letter for each job I was applying for but I was not doing the same thing for my resume. It is not as hard as you might think.

I was getting very little response for the first five months. But then I started employing a new strategy–tailoring my resume to the jobs I was applying for. I started getting more interviews after that point and I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that my resume was matching better with the job descriptions. I was probably having more success going the initial gatekeeper of the ATS scans.

And here is how I did it. I used ChatGPT to help me. I would give ChatGPT the job description and then I would give it my base resume and ask it to make suggestions on how to align my resume more closely with the job description. So I was not starting from scratch but using ChatGPT as an editor. Most of the changes were not that big. Some wording changes or helping to make it more consise.

I would take ChatGPT’s suggestions and then edit further from those suggestions. At times, I would change the wording a bit to sound more like me. Other times I rejected its suggestions because it would want to highlight skills that I either didn’t possess or I wanted to tone it back to better represent what I brought to the table.

I would always give it some formatting parameters. For example, I had four strong summary statements and wanted to maintain their formatting, while remaining open to suggestions on how to better align them with the job description. I also had a specific format that I wanted to keep for my achievement statements. I had watched Jenny Foss’ Resume Makeover on LinkedIn learning (I believe it is free). She suggests the format of the impact you made (quantitative or qualitative) followed by what you did that led to that result.

After updating my resume, I would ask ChatGPT to suggest a cover letter based on the job description and updated resume. From there, I would refine it more or edit it to sound more like me. You have to remember that LLMs are tools to support you and not completely rely on what they output. You still need to put in some work to inject your own personality and to insure that your resume or cover letter is not embellished and it truly represents you.

Go for Walks or Do Whatever Exercise Works for You

I remember reading in a career management book how crucial it is to stay active and take care of yourself during the job search. I started walking just before I got laid off. My motivation for walking was to build some stamina before taking a trip to Europe. From past experience, I knew I’d be walking a lot, and I realized I’d enjoy it much more if I got in better shape. After returning from my trip, I made walking a regular habit and kept it up.

Beyond the physical benefits, exercise is a great way to relieve stress. Unemployment can be incredibly stressful, and I really needed those walks. Many days, I just needed to step outside, clear my mind, and take a break from the job search. Getting out and moving around did wonders for my mental and emotional well-being.

My walks became a lifeline during my unemployment. Every time I went out, I spent that time talking to God. I poured out my feelings—frustrations, disappointments, and anxiety. Some of the most honest and genuine prayers came during those walks. I also took time to reflect on my blessings and remember how God had worked in my life. That reminder often renewed my hope on days when I felt like it was slipping away. I’d also ask God for the strength and guidance I needed to face the challenges of the day.

Walking also gave me the chance to connect with people in my neighborhood. I’d pass Dan nearly every morning last summer, and while our conversations were brief, I looked forward to those moments. I also got to know a few people from my church, which is right in the neighborhood. Sometimes, I’d stop and chat with them for a bit. Jeffrey, in particular, would always check in, ask how things were going, and offer to pray for me. It was such a joy to share the news of landing a job with him and celebrate together.

My walks also gave me a real sense of accomplishment. I started tracking them on Strava early on, and it was fun to set goals and celebrate milestones along the way. You need something like that during unemployment, especially when you don’t have the regular work achievements you’re used to. The job search can feel pretty pointless or even absurd at times, so it was refreshing to finish my walks and feel like I was making positive strides—both in my health and in my mindset.

Define what you can and cannot control

One of the hardest things about unemployment and the job search is dealing with the constant uncertainty and all the things that are beyond your control. It’s easy to get caught up in frustration over these uncontrollable factors.

But one of the most helpful shifts I made was learning to focus on what I could control. This simple perspective change allowed me to better manage my time, my energy, and my thoughts.

So what can I control?

• My words
• My attitudes
• My motives
• My actions
• My thoughts
• My responses

While it’s hard not to feel like your life is spiraling out of control, I found that taking ownership of these smaller aspects helped me regain some peace. It wasn’t always easy. Each day, I had to actively choose where I put my focus. I could decide how to respond to disappointment, like when a job I was excited about went to someone else. I could choose how to relate to others, even when I wasn’t at my best.

By focusing on what I could control, I learned that I had more power than I thought. It became clear that investing my energy in these areas was much more productive than wasting it on the things I couldn’t change.

Take control of your schedule

One thing you do have control over is how you plan and schedule your day. While it can be challenging, especially when the only scheduled events are interviews, having a routine is essential. During this time, you have to be your own motivator, and that can be tough to sustain day after day.

Here are some things that you can schedule:

• Time to look through job boards and identify jobs that you want to pursue
• Time to tailor your resume and write a cover letter to apply to jobs that you have identified
• Think through people in your network to reach out to
• Time to draft and revise emails/messages to those people
• Taking time to refresh your resume
• Researching and thinking through employers that you could reach out to directly
• Time to draft and revise correspondence to execute that strategy

Another thing you can do is sharpen the saw.

• What skills could you take time to develop or strengthen?
• What soft skills could you improve?
• Would it help to go through a course on how to refresh your resume or how to write an effective cover letter?
• Could you retool and learn some new skills to make you more marketable?

One thing that helped me avoid feeling overwhelmed by the chaos was taking time to think through my day and plan ahead, even if it was just in my head. Sometimes, I would use Todoist to keep track of smaller tasks. Of course, you’ll need to adjust your schedule as opportunities—like interviews or other conversations—come up. But it’s much easier to tackle the day when you have a few key commitments already set, leaving you room to fill in the gaps as they come

I started working through Josh Comeau’s The Joy of React course about two months in. As some promising opportunities as a WordPress developer started to emerge (I was interviewing), I took the time to watch videos on the Learn WordPress platform to sharpen my skills.. Later in the year, I decided to reacquaint myself with Craft CMS so I took a month to work through several courses on CraftQuest.

These times of learning became the rocks in my day. I also scheduled time to research current job openings, time to apply for those jobs, and time to get out and walk.

Give yourself a break

Finally, it’s important to give yourself a break now and then. The job search can be draining, and it’s tough when you get your hopes up for an opportunity only to see it go to someone else. Sometimes, you just need to step away—go for a walk, play a video game, read, or confide in a close friend. Taking these moments to recharge can help you stay focused and refreshed.

There were days when I had planned to work on The Joy of React course or research job openings, but I found myself dealing with disappointment or frustration over the lack of progress. Some days, I just couldn’t find any good opportunities—or any at all.

It was tempting to beat myself up for not sticking to my plans, whether because I was struggling with negative emotions, low energy, or just exhaustion. It’s tough when you feel the weight of needing to provide for your family, and you want to do everything you can each day to secure a new job. But sometimes, pushing harder doesn’t speed things up, and beating yourself up doesn’t help either.

The key is to give yourself grace. I’m not suggesting being irresponsible, but you have to recognize your limits and respect them. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is take a nap instead of forcing yourself to push through and finish that lesson.

It’s okay to step away for a while. I took many walks when I felt frustrated by the lack of opportunities. And it’s okay to grieve when disappointment strikes. Give yourself the space to process, and then come back ready to keep going.

Forge your own path

By no means am I an expert on job searching—there’s still so much I don’t fully understand or that continues to confuse me. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for success. Sometimes, it’s just luck. Other times, it’s about perfect timing. But one thing I’ve learned through this process is the importance of leaning into my professional network. In the past, I’ve landed most of my jobs by responding to job ads or working with recruiters. This time around, however, the most promising opportunities came through the connections I’ve built over the years and through relationships my wife had built.

You have to figure out what works best for you. There’s no shortage of advice out there, and people are more than willing to share their opinions. But at the end of the day, it’s up to you to forge your own path and decide which strategies will resonate with your unique situation. These are the lessons that stood out to me, and the strategies that helped me during my year-long job search.

Ultimately, the job search is different for everyone, and there’s no perfect way to navigate it. But by staying focused on what you can control, building a support system, taking care of your mental and physical health, and leaning on your network, you’ll increase your chances of success. Stay patient and persistent—it’s a journey that can be tough at times, but it’s worth it in the end.