This Job Market Feels Very 2020-ish

Not in the dramatic, everything-shut-down kind of way…just the part where everything is supposedly “fine”… but nothing is moving the way you expect it to.

If you’ve been laid off, let go, or maybe you’re considering leaving because staying just doesn’t feel right anymore… you’ve likely felt that angst when you start noticing things like:

How quickly people are landing new roles

How long it’s taking

Who’s getting callbacks...and who isn’t.

You see the headlines about low unemployment. You see someone post that they just started a new role. Then there’s you… applying to what feels like 80 gajillion jobs just to receive 90 gajillion rejections.

Same market.

Very different experiences.

So when someone says, “You can find another job, everyone is hiring,” or “Where are you applying?” or even, “Have you tried a different type of job?”… that advice is missing context.

Yes, the postings are there, and yes, the applications are being submitted.

But the hiring?

That part isn’t moving the way people think it is.

It’s starting to feel a little… 2020-ish.

Some are landing a new job in 3 months. Others aren't as lucky

On paper, the “typical” job search is about 3 months. Some people bounce back so fast, you don't even realize they were unemployed. Heck, they may not even feel any negative financial impact (love that for them!). Then there's the rest of us… where 3 months quietly turns into 6, and 6 starts flirting with a year plus, and we start to question every application answer, every resume version, and ultimately ourselves.

How you leave your job actually changes how hard it is to come back:

If you quit, you might feel better mentally… but it doesn’t necessarily speed things up;

If you are laid off, there's usually a false sense of security and ability to bounce back with help from ''outplacement' agencies. (Don't get me started on that spiral, please.);

If you were "let go", be prepared for some uncomfortable conversations and what many consider the hardest reentry lane, which may lead you to some tweaks in reality around the shift.

This is where LinkedIn likes start dwindling, friendly networking starts to feel weird, and people start looking for ways to create 'new' streams of income, and where the news STOPS reporting numbers.

Are they playing favorites?

When you look closely, certain groups are staying in the market longer… and having a harder time getting out of it. Most of us were given a very specific formula for job security and success:

Get the degree → go for the interview → get the job → master the skills→ be fine.

Degrees still help, but they’re not creating the kind of cushion people expected. Especially because this was everyone's go-to plan. So basically, it feels like everyone has a degree, so more people are taking jobs below their skill level for a paycheck. These 'professionals' seem to be doing"better", but better just means less unstable, not secure.

Overall, hiring is slower, employers are pickier, and there are more qualified people competing for the same roles. So we are slowly creeping into an era where who you know could have a bigger impact than what you know.

Network → get the interview → get the job → master the skills→ be fine.

You position yourself to meet the right people for a chance at a job. We’re also in a different environment than we were a couple of years ago.

Unfortunately, we are seeing major shifts in this approach. Some of the guardrails around hiring practices are being changed or wiped out entirely for some of the largest organizations. It doesn't mean I've suddenly uncovered THE reason everything feels harder.

It's more so that the system is a little less structured than it was, and when structure loosens, outcomes don’t always stay balanced.

The part we don’t say enough

This isn’t just about getting a job. It’s about getting something that actually makes sense for where you are now AND where you're hoping to be on multiple levels;

Financially. Mentally. Logistically.

That bar higher than it used to be. Taking note of how uneven the market is actually helps change the strategy and approach. While it's SUPER fun applying to about 80 gajillion jobs, hoping one sticks? That’s not a strategy… it's survival mode. All this is going to do is have you questioning your experience, rewriting your resume for the 13th time, and side-eyeing your entire career like “wait… what have I actually been doing?”

Meanwhile, the market is quietly shifting...AGAIN. It's becoming even more selective, more referral-driven, more “who fits” instead of “who qualifies.” So no… you’re not crazy for thinking this suddenly seems harder than it used to be, even with your experience; but maybe you are a little crazy if you think you can still move like it's 2019 or 2021 (we'll just ignore that random gap year most of us can't remember.) Volume, education, and experience are no longer the attention-grabbing keywords they used to be.

Some people are getting pre-screened because they’re qualified, some are getting interviewed because they’re connected, and well, some are getting hired because they made it very easy for someone to say 'next'.

So the real question becomes:

Are you just applying… or are you actually positioning yourself?

Positioning is what shortens the timeline.

And if you’re not having luck right now… read this part twice

Before you spiral… adjust your rhythm. You don't need to apply to every recommended job you receive every day. Instead of:

Apply → wait → panic → repeat

Try:

Apply → step away → follow up → redirect your energy → come back with intention

Because panic will have you:

• applying to roles you don’t even want

• shrinking your experience just to “fit in”

• and burning out before the right opportunity even shows up

So if nothing is landing yet, don’t automatically assume you need to do more. Sometimes you need to do it differently.

Sit with this for a second

If it’s taking longer than expected… it doesn’t automatically mean you’re behind.

It might mean you’re navigating a version of the job market that nobody prepared you for…

using rules that no longer apply.

Once you recognize this need to shift, you stop panicking…and start moving with a little more intention.

✨ And lowkey… this is exactly why I’ve been pulling together something to help make sense of this “in-between” stage… because clearly, we weren’t given a manual for this part.

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