Personal timeline

ittarter's journey

Milestones, reflections, and progress updates connected as your layoff-to-next-step story unfolds.

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    I’m excited to share that after a challenging 15-month job hunt, I finally landed a job this week! It's a 12-month contract position, which comes with a decrease in pay, security, and responsibility compared to what I was hoping for, but I’m grateful to be working in my field again. This job search was particularly unique for me as I recently switched countries and this is only my second corporate role after being a high school teacher and a small business owner. Throughout my search since 2023, I applied to about 150 jobs, which was a bit tricky since I was also managing a move and taking care of my two small kids. I noticed a pattern in my job applications: every time I was asked to complete a business case and give a presentation, I received an offer. I had one offer in 2023 that was rescinded because I misinterpreted their expectations, but I accepted another offer in 2024 and just got this latest one last week. I realized that recruiters rarely ask for business cases, and often I get filtered out before I even reach that stage. Over the past three years, I’ve revamped my resume from scratch about ten times, and this year I created a strong project portfolio using Gamma. Additionally, I was fortunate to get some free career advice in Montreal, which helped me simplify my resume and tailor it for each job application, rather than just the cover letter. I think these adjustments made a significant difference. Interestingly, I had four recruiters reach out to me via LinkedIn InMail in the same week, which is unusual since I typically only hear from one a year. One of those recruiters was for the job I accepted. Although I was initially expecting a salaried role, I’m just relieved to have secured something in my field after such a long search.

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  2. 1

    I’m excited to share that after a challenging 15-month job hunt, I finally landed a job this week! While it comes with a decrease in pay, security, and responsibility, I’m grateful to be back in my field. This job search was particularly complex as it followed my move to a new country and was my second corporate position after transitioning from being a high school teacher and a small business owner. During this time, I applied to around 150 positions, balancing my search with settling in and taking care of my two small kids. I noticed a pattern in my applications: every time I was asked to complete a business case and give a presentation (which happened three times), I received an offer. I had one offer rescinded in 2023 due to a misunderstanding about my business closure expectations, but I accepted another in 2024, and just last week, I received this new offer. I’ve spent the last three years completely overhauling my resume multiple times, and this year I created a project portfolio using Gamma, which I believe helped me stand out. I also took advantage of free career advising in Montreal, which was invaluable. The advisor helped me simplify my resume and encouraged me to customize it for each job application, not just the cover letter. It seems those changes made a significant difference. Interestingly, I had four recruiters reach out to me on LinkedIn in the same week, which is quite unusual for me. One of them was for the job I accepted. I initially expected a salaried role, but I’m just happy to have found something. Here’s to new beginnings!

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