Surely I Can’t Be The Only One Who Feels This Way 😑
First and foremost, this is not one of my usual posts where I guide you through some Swift/iOS feature I’ve been working with or discovered. This post is regarding my hardship of being laid off months ago and struggling to look for employment.
I’ve contemplated even posting this because this is not the type of content I typically do. However, I’ve settle on two reasons why.
- I’m hoping if I can talk about it, I can take it off my heart for a while.
- I hope I can reach others that are in the relatable circumstance and not feel so alone.
It all started on April 28 this year. The remote company I was working with was wrapping up the Monday stand-up meeting over zoom. The CEO who leads the meeting dropped the news that a co-worker(I’ll call him Steve), who I’m very familiar with, is no longer employed with the company. The client Steve and I were assigned to decided to part ways that morning. Immediately, my heart sank to my stomach. Steve was such a gracious guy.
Two minutes after the zoom call, the CEO DMed me asking if I had time for a call; I said I did. Not even 30 seconds later, I suffered the same fate as Steve. 😔
Losing my job in April has been nothing short of a nightmare. Since then, I’ve been hustling to find a new position, but the current job market has made it nearly impossible. With only two months left until my unemployment benefits deplete, I’ve taken a leap of faith and started a Twitch channel — hoping either to catch the attention of an employer or generate a sustainable income to tide me over.
The job market is particularly brutal right now, and it’s not just me feeling the pain. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings have been declining since mid-2023, and competition for available positions has intensified. A LinkedIn survey found that nearly 70% of job seekers “believe that the current labor mark is not conductive”. Add to that the growing preference for in-house experience over potential in many sectors, and it’s no wonder that people like me, who may not tick all the boxes, are finding it harder than ever to land a role.
I’ve applied to countless positions, networked with local acquaintances in the tech field, reached out to Twitter friends who are in the mobile app industry, updated my resume and portfolio, but there always seems to be another obstacle — whether it’s automated applicant tracking systems or roles being pulled at the last minute due to economic uncertainty. The economic downturn has led many companies to implement hiring freezes or, in some cases, layoffs. Industries that were thriving just a year or two ago, such as tech and oil and gas, have seen a sharp contraction in new opportunities.
In the face of these challenges, I’ve decided to shift gears and try something different(and desperate). I launched a Twitch channel, where I share content that speaks to both my experience in iOS development and my broader interest in technology. It’s been a surprising pivot, but I’m hopeful that it can serve as a platform to either catch the eye of a potential employer or generate some much-needed income while I continue my job search.
I’m not alone in taking these measures. According to Statista, the freelancing workforce has grown to 73.3 million people in 2023, representing a significant portion of the labor market as people turn to gig work during these difficult times. But even so, turning to content creation is not an easy path either — many find it difficult to generate a consistent income unless they strike viral success.
For those who want to support me on this journey, feel free to check out my Twitch or simply buy me a coffee. I’d mostly prefer an iOS Developer role because I enjoy making apps but every little bit helps as I navigate this tough market and try to stay afloat. You can find all my relatable links on Beacons profile. Your support means the world to me as I search for more stable opportunities. The last thing I ever wanted to do was ask for a hand-out. I’ve had a stable job since I turned 17; I recently turned 40 jobless. One thing is for sure, though. I refuse to give up.
Thanks for reading, and I hope to share better news soon!
-Joe
