The day I got my FINAL unemployment payment, after 6 months, 287 applications, 151 ghosted apps and 91 rejections, I GOT A FUCKING JOB OFFER.
I cannot fucking believe it. I literally got my final unemployment check on a Tuesday, and that following Friday I got a call from a recruiter for a company I had a final interview panel with the week prior, with a FUCKING OFFER.
$2k more than what I was making at the job that laid me off, plus a bonus (didn't have one at my last job).
For the first time in 6 months, I woke up and just fucking...RELAXED.
I'm not 100% out of the woods bc my background check hasn't come back (but I literally don't have so much as a speeding ticket on my record, nor did I lie about anything), so I won't be 100% celebrating until then, but I GOT A FUCKING JOB OFFER, AND ACCEPTED!!!!
ANDDDDDDD...
It's a job that I didn't 'settle' for, out of desperation or self-preservation. It's in my industry, doing my specific niche of work, but an upward move from what I did previously.
I could cry right now, literally.
Attaching a little pie chart of my job search since having been laid off last April.
Best of luck to everyone on their own search!!! <3
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**ETA**: Here's a summary of what I did, that I felt turned things around:
I read a study showing that recruiters spend an average of 7-15 seconds on a resume, so I knew I needed to be strategic in how I presented my experience. Source: The Ladders Eye-Tracking Study
My goal became clear: pique the recruiter's interest within that crucial 7-15 seconds to get them to keep reading or move me to the 'call' pile. Here’s how I approached it:
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- Using the WHO Method: The WHO method was transformative for my resume. It ensures every bullet point highlights a quantifiable, measurable impact I had in previous roles. This format answers the recruiter’s unspoken question, "What’s in it for the company?" and shows them how my contributions made a real difference. Each bullet point follows this structure:
- What was happening before I started
- How I completed the project or task
- Outcome: The measurable impact my work had
This approach isn’t only effective for your resume but also preps you with solid “Tell me about a time when…” stories for interviews. You’ll be ready to talk about the impact of your work in a way that resonates with recruiters.
Helpful WHO method tips:
- MSU WHO Method Resume Writing Techniques: https://education.msu.edu/kin-nections/2016/the-who-method-resume-writing-techniques/
- The WHO Resume Development Method: https://edwp.educ.msu.edu/kin-nections/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2016/12/The-WHO-Resume-Development-Method.pdf
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- Simplifying the Format: I kept the design clean and easy to read. No photos, simple black and white text, and an easy-to-read font. Here’s a rough layout I used:
(Header)
First/Last Name (18-20 pt font)
City, State | Phone Number | Email Address | LinkedIn URL (use a custom LinkedIn URL) | Project Portfolio Link (10-12 pt font)
SUMMARY (12 pt font, all caps)
- WHO-method bullet point summarizing your biggest career win
- WHO-method bullet point with your second biggest win
- WHO-method bullet point with your third biggest win
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (12 pt font, all caps)
- Company Name (12 pt font) Position Held | Year Start - Year End
- WHO-method bullet point (12 pt font)
- WHO-method bullet point (12 pt font)
- WHO-method bullet point (12 pt font)
Repeat for each role, keeping a clean line break after the last bullet for each job.
COMPETENCIES (12 pt font, all caps)
I categorized mine like this:
- CRM: Salesforce Admin, Gainsight Admin, HubSpot Admin
- Project Management: Asana, ClickUp
- Data Analysis: SQL, Python
- Business Intelligence: Power BI, Tableau
EDUCATION (12 pt font)
- Degree Earned (or 'Studies in XXsubjectXX') Name of Institution | Year graduated (or last attended)
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3) Strategic Takeaway:
My ultimate aim was to tell a clear data story throughout my resume, one that answered the “What’s in it for the company?” question by showing the measurable impact I’ve had in past roles.
Hope this helps!
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