I having a hard time.
Fearing a layoff, I applied for another job while at my most-recent former employer. A co-worker found out, told my bosses, and they fired me for it immediately. I was an otherwise great contributor and dedicated employee because I had been out of work for 8 months leading up to this job. It literally saved my life. And my bosses knew that.
Four months later, I've been treating my job search like a full-time job. M-F, 9-6, and some weekends. I've been in and out of work many times over the past 20 years due to layoffs, so these past 4 months feel compounded more so than their actual weight in time because of my past unemployment and because my progress has been extremely low. I also didn't deserve to be fired. I was just trying to protect myself. Or maybe I did. I've never run a business before so, I don't know the bosses perspective.
I feel as though if I had done absolutely nothing for the past 4 months, I would have the exact thing I have now to show for it: no leads and no closer to a new job than when I began back in Februrary.
Not asking for sympathy. I'm asking if there is anyone else out there who feels like me who would want to talk here? I pray for the unemployed every day.
Please be kind.