u/Wide_Peak_2080

I was a operations manager, laid off a few months ago and have struggling to get interviews. 13 years in operations, the last 8 in leadership roles. Used to head a business unit of over 100 employees durecting day to day operations as well leading special projects to improve and modernize processes, SOP, training programs, designing or redesigning KPI frameworks, creating new processes to address performance gaps or problems requiring solutions, incorporate new techbology/tools and so on.

Would say I had accumaulated around 5 years of project/continuous improvement experience by the time of my layoff.

I have no formal credentials in project mangement or contonuous improvement but I have a passion for the latter and want to upgrade and formalize my skills and resume sharpen up and boost my credibility as far as prospective employers go.

Should I start with green and upgrade to black later linearly or is it the best use of this opportunity of undivided time and attention (while being unemployed sadly) to just go for black belt?

I have 8+ years experience in operations leadership before my recent layoff. Last 5 years was heading a large depaetment as Operations Manager.

Approxmiately 40% of my work would be project related with the rest as typical operations day to day management, monitoring performance/driving improvement/ people management/coaching etc.

The application for PMP states only to input experience of projects you've led. This where things become unclear. In my experience there was rarely one leader. Senior leaders/directors would be responsible for projects but they would never really lead or take part in them.

I would say in most of the projects in which I was a part my team had to do between 65-85% of the work, which I would have to lead, strategize, organize, delegate, ensure timely completion and then return to the project meetings.

The actual project person typically just ran meetings and took minutes.

There would be other stakeholders like BI teams, client teams and so on however they usually took on 10-15% of any project workload.

I was not an individual contributor. Those would be the people I managed who were SMEs and staff that executed on project requirements.

Does this count? Or do I need to go CAPM?

Laid off after 13 years a few weeks back. Was a manager in the financial services/operations space, managing over a hundred people and half a dozen leaders.

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Fired off 50-60 application so far and no calls. 15 or so rejections, some merely hours after applying. But mostly silence.

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My self-esteem and mental health are deteriorating every day, almost linearly. At first I was motivated, somewhat even excited to start anew but now all I can picture is being in the same place 10 months from now.

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I have optimized my resume on numerous different platforms, often trying to parse between conflicting recommendations. Using AI heavily to boost my output and present my experience in the way ATS expects but it doesn't make any difference.

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My network is limited. I have tried cold connecting recruiters and messaging some people. It's hard not to come across as a beggar. A few kind people have had chats with me and looked at my resume but haven't progressed further than where I already was.

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At least if I failed some interviews I would know I did something wrong, I could practice, I could ask for feedback, something, anything but right now I feel invisible or like my whole work history is a joke.

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I don't know what I'm asking but needed this out there. Not sure at what point I should start looking at warehouse jobs or minimum wage but part of me would feel even more hopeless if I couldn't even land those so I don't want to risk my mental health further.

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Yesterday afternoon my boss and HR suddenly pulled me into a call, delievered the news that my position has been eliminated and that I am being let go. They seemed embarassed and apologetic and insisted this was not a performance based decision. I have worked for this company for 13 years, starting from the bottom and growing to managing a business unit of 100+ people.

I saw it coming somewhat with steady offshoring but it was still sudden and abrupt in how it was handled. The severence package also looks to be a lowball with pressure to sign within a week. I am seeking legal counsel but that is a separate matter.

Right now I feel not even angry or hopeless necessarily but empty. I am in my mid 30s now and I have no idea what I should do. I do not have a trade skill or specific trained skills like programming or coding. My work experience is in operations, people, change management, coaching, leadership, organization, projects etc which don't feel tangible in a job search.

I feel like I wasted 13 years and now I am washed up, too old for training or starting from scratch. I would wash dishes every day to provide for my family but I obviously don't want to sabotage myself and sell myself short by voluntarily starting over from the very bottom.

Not sure what to do. I took pride in my steady employment and career growth until now. When other things in my life had me down I would tell myself that at least I have a decent job with decent pay. Even less than a day after being let go I already feel like a bum. I can't help it. I am looking at my valuables and my car with the thought of having to sell it off. Maybe I am catastrophizing.

Sent a dozen or so apps last night and already getting the rejections this morning.

Just lost and not sure what to do. Amid the anxiety there is a sense of relief and freedom and starting a new chapter but I do not trust that that will actually happen.

Sorry for venting. I guess I am looking to collect advice.