To have burnout but no job

[Biggybigbiggles]

I got made redundant after 15 years late last year. Was on garden leave until 2 months ago. Since then I've applied for about 40 jobs. I've had 38 outright rejections.

2 interviews, both to the final stage. One was a no and the other I'm still waiting on.

I am fucking exhausted. Every company has a different application process. Some want your CV and others want you to write your CV but anon through a form.

Some want you to do tests and case studies.

I tailor my CL and CV to each application.

I'm just completely disheartened and feel like a stupid moron.

I've had multiple people I respect look at my CV and say it's good.

Any words of encouragement?

I'd maybe get a stranger look at the CV, it could be that there is something that could be refined but the people you know feel awkward to tell you that. Good luck 💐

Back in Feb, I was made redundant after only working 5 months at a new job. No warning, just gone the same day as the "consultation" meeting. It was a huge shock.

I viewed job hunting as my new job, and tackled it with an obsessive zeal. I decided to think of it like a sales job, a numbers game. The more applications I sent out, the odds are something would stick! I applied for over 100 jobs in the end. Some AI tools helped me to identify key words for me to include in my cv if they weren't obvious already, or to compare my cv to the job description to discover any gaps in my experience I could address with an updated version. Stuff like that.

It was gruelling, and that was even before the interviews started. Loads of duds or poor fits, ditherers, ghosting, or waiting for weeks just to hear no.

But mostly it's just a matter of keeping going. Giving yourself breaks, but don't give up. You'll find the right fit.

Keep going OP. Maybe take a few days away from it completely to de-stress ?

Keep your cover letter short. It doesn’t get read by a large proportion of recruiters but those who do read it are very busy.

Are you public sector by any chance? Honestly I find the stuff they ask so ridiculous. It’s so exhausting. All I can say is keep going but pace yourself. Fingers crossed you get the right post before too long.

What makes you think that?

Research some companies you like and send your CV on spec with a detailed letter of why you are applying to be considered should a role come up. I know three people who landed really good jobs this way because their CV wasn't being considered in a sea of other CVs but individually. And the initiative is impressive. It can also help companies avoid tedious and expensive recruitment processes if you pre-empt them needing someone new.

The other thing to consider - since you got outright rejections from 38/40, is to reword your CV to parrot the language in the ad and job spec. Recruitment is often done by people who know nothing about the actual job so they just look for a vocabulary match. Sometimes it's even screened by AI bots who also can only use word bingo to select candidates for interview.

It’s absolutely ridiculous what they expect you to do now op, I’m old enough to remember when you filled in a two page application form.
However you will have to think of this as your full time job and basically spend 8 hours a day looking, researching etc.
It took my Dd several months to find a job when she was made redundant but she eventually got one on lots more money that she loves. So keep on trying there is a job out there for you.

Ah. Perhaps it was her Saturday job