Nadine Schaeffer’s Post

The road to job satisfaction is custom built by your own decisions

I updated my job title today. When I was fired without cause 16 months ago from what may be my last job in the software industry, I went out and got a job the old-fashioned way: pounding the pavement. It was to keep me busy while struggling to keep up with dozens of recruiter's demands and failed interviews, rejection after rejection kept piling up, freelance wasn't panning out either. I didn't have the runway to do a months-long job search. Now I'm working a computer controlled mill, essentially a robot shaped like the mill in shop class, only much bigger and WAY faster. The work pays about a third of what I made in the software jobs, is very loud, routinely is hotter than 95° F and is often 12 hours of non-stop work on my feet. I am constantly cut, bruised and sore from what I do. Prospects? I could work up the chain of command for another 20 years and never break $30/hour. But it's been a whole year of consistent work. When I work longer hours I'm paid more - no questions asked. No one has threatened me with dismissal, or publicly humiliated me. I feel respected there. It is physically impossible to steal or take credit for my work. When someone tries to get ahead by making work harder for everyone else, they are corrected. AI is improving our quality of work and profitability without incentivizing layoffs. I am physically the strongest I've been in 25 years. So maybe I'm living a new dream, one that pays far less but costs my soul nothing. My career has been varied, not having a single guide star, but an entire galaxy of constellations. I'd like to say each industry switch was because of pursuit of a deep vision of how I want to change the world for the better. But the truth is it's mostly random. Maybe this current job is a step backward, certainly makes all the bills look way larger and reduces opportunities to amass wealth. But good Lord I am so much happier there than my last three software jobs. So now I'm a CNC Machine Operator. My coding language is EIA-ISO, a.k.a. G-Code, which turns the designer's vision into actual metal. I will do it with all my ability, focused every day to improve the quality of my own work, to mentor the less experienced, and give hope to those who feel that the Blue Collar is a death sentence.

You know, I think I'm going to try to be a bit less embarrassed when I am contacted by a recruiter with a lowball offer. Now that I've been laid off -- the startup where I was lurking for the past year just laid off a bunch of people (that's really all I know, it was so unexpected) -- I have nothing but time to search for a new job (I have enough money for the time being), and there's really nothing wrong, as an extremely senior developer, to expect to earn more than just barely covering cost of living in the Seattle area. I am quite confident in my abilities -- some would say bordering on arrogant; I disagree! I know I could easily perform the job duties of any tech or tech leadership job, at a small to mid-sized firm, from "intro-level code monkey" up to, and including, CTO. I've been in the industry for 25 years; the fact that I haven't stepped much outside of an "individual contributor" role is more from preference than aptitude. Yeah. I will still say "no" to recruiters who want to offer a person with industry-leading skills and experience (and who can prove it on paper, with skills tests, bring it!) the same offer they'd give to a green rookie fresh out of college. I am worth every penny of my target salary (which isn't exorbitant, and which is probably about half of what I'd earn in FAANG, but without the obnoxious tech-bro attitude, or the 24.5 hour work days... but which is also more than some smaller firms -- like my last firm... they really should have listened to me... -- can afford.) I am a big fish in some small ponds, so I need to be careful and methodical in my job search. But there is no reason to be embarrassed just to say "I'm sorry, no. That salary is MUCH too low." And for the nine millionth time, recruiters: you approach me without a number -- some number, even if it's open for negotiation -- and I'll assume you're low-balling me, and move on to the next one. Just... save yourself some time, and at least put a salary range in your "blast emails to everybody who has ever had a job, will have a job, or might be thinking about a job" (which is about how relevant most of those annoying recruiter spam emails are). I'll step up my game -- not my "employee" game; I literally don't know how to be a more valuable employee than I am. It may not be possible! But my game with regards to convincing YOU of that. But the recruiters need to do their part of that, too, to earn those big fat checks they get for placing me...

🌟🎉 Big News! 🎉🌟 Today, I'm excited to share that I am taking down the green banner! In just three weeks, I'll be starting my new role (more details on that soon! 😉). But before my first day, I'm taking a well-deserved vacation 🏖️, working on freelance projects 📝, and soaking up as much of summer as possible by enjoying leisure time with friends and family ☀️. This moment is a big deal for me. I've been on the hunt for my next position for quite some time - longer than I care to admit. Over the past year, even before I was laid off, I completed over 200 interviews and did five final project presentations. The ups and downs of the job hunt have been wild, and I must say, this is the most competitive job market I've ever encountered in my career. Here are some highlights from my journey: 😞 I received an offer that was rescinded because the company was cutting back. They did layoffs a few weeks later, so it was for the best even though I was disappointed at the time. 😓 I had to decline an offer for a job I really wanted because of bad timing and a broken arm. That one was a tough blow. 👻 I was ghosted after several rounds of interviews. Such a horrible candidate experience that unfortunately happens too frequently to those investing time and energy to explore roles. ❌ I withdrew from several processes after seeing red flags like unclear expectations of the role, misalignment on compensation, bad benefits, and corporate culture fit. I didn't want to settle for my next role. 🔄 I was told after a writing assignment and panel presentation that the scope of the role changed, and my experience was no longer a fit. 🚫 I was rejected for reasons unknown because I didn't get recruiter feedback. But also because I was overqualified, because the other candidate worked for a competitor, because the company didn't have enough opportunity for me to grow, and because I didn't have the "right experience." (The last one provided a good learning for me. I did have the right experience, I just didn't tell my story well. I was able to workshop that over time). 💪 It was hard and exhausting, but I learned so much about myself and what I wanted in my next role. For those who are still charging forward and looking for their next opportunity, 🚀 have faith in yourself. Don't give up. There will be moments of anxiety, doubt, and pressure. Manage through those lows and remember that each opportunity that doesn't work out (for whatever reason) will teach you something about yourself or about what you want. And most importantly, remember that you are capable and worthy, and rejection doesn't define you.

This is not just a thought of the day, but it's reality. You know why? Nowadays, many companies are conducting layoffs, and we don't have any other option but to find a new job. But the thing is, if you have a skill that earns you money in exchange for that skill, then what could be better than that? As I have experienced, if you have skills, you will not only be irreplaceable but also able to generate more money by freelancing and all. And don't forget this most important thing: this is an AI-driven market. Having skills is the only option to get a job, to earn more money, to be irreplaceable. I read somewhere, 'You can scale more if you have skills.' Use your time wisely and learn more things. #bestadvice #career #students #skills #experience #thoughtoftheday

𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝟭. 𝗕𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 Keep your message short and sweet. Use 200-250 characters per point. This will help you get your message across quickly and effectively. Read more: https://buff.ly/3s7wQRq #jobs #JobMarket #jobhunt #jobsearch #jobseekers #toughtimes #recession #layoff #EconomicTimes #SynergisticIT

Of course, job search is a full-time job, and most put only part time effort and wonder why it's taking them so long. Yes, there is ageism-fight it, yes, it's more than just submitting resumes, yes, you still can land quickly Read Hired-Cut Your Career Search in Half and gain success.

Why is it so hard to find a job right now? That was the title of an article in Fast Company from a week ago or so. several possible reasons were given including: Recent layoffs have spilled a lot of great people on the market so competition is greater (Seems likely) Candidates who are using AI to build their resumes are getting hired faster (Is that really true?) Employers are being pickier with so much talent to choose from (Seems likely) What do you think? https://lnkd.in/gXqPy5YB

Website time. It has become almost as valuable as cash comp when one is let go. It is a *lot* harder to find a job without a job. There are some exceptions, but this is true unless you have stellar credentials (the fanciest clerkships/T14 education with honors) or if you're in a super niche and in demand practice. Being kept on the website allows for the optics that you're still in good standing at your firm. And both sides have feelings about that -- very understandable human reactions. Lawyers alone must decide whether to disclose their layoff or to use their website time as air cover, and this may mean doing the self-preserving thing that clashes with their morals. Law firms (potential employers) are sometimes suspicious as a result- often of people who *haven't* been laid off. But that is the bed that website time has made, and we're all lying in it. I advise candidates on a case by case basis about what I would do - but that's all I can do. Ultimately they have to chose to do what feels right to them. Because they need to find a job, but it's also extremely painful to do something that goes against their values. My wish is that more firms would take the disclosure of a layoff as a positive in terms of the candidate's candor and honesty. But we're definitely not there yet. There is no right or wrong answer. Talk it over, sleep on it, and make the decision that works for you.

I've been unemployed for 6 months now and here's what I've learned in that time: - Relying on a service or other person to create your resume means that you are less likely to iterate and adapt that resume as you search for jobs. You trust that the one who provided you that resume knows more about it than you. I suggest that you recreate the resume provided to you by that service so you understand better how to change the content and formatting for each job. - Services that provide you a resume are likely using AI to generate career details, job descriptions, and more. Unless you are a <SPECIFIC INDUSTRY> professional and that service provides <SPECIFIC INDUSTRY> resumes, they do not know as much about the industry than you do. Trust in yourself to write the resume and use available tools to tailor your resume to ATS software. - Being unemployed does that mean that you have to become stagnant. Find something to do and be passionate about. In the 6 months that I have been unemployed, I have created and published two websites (one which attracts 600+ visitors every 14 days. I also started a YouTube Channel that has gained 2.6k subscribers in a month and attracted my first sponsor. And, finally, the most IMPORTANT TAKEAWAY - Being unemployed is incredibly hard. You can apply to over a hundred jobs and not hear back a single time and it's no fault of your own. There is no feedback on how you can improve and you just have to keep throwing your hat in the ring. Slowly, your self-worth begins to erode because you can't help but think that the problem must be you. It's not. If you know someone who is unemployed, keep them in mind. They want to work. They want health insurance and a reason to use their skills and a team around them. Don't for a second think that they are in their situation because of some reflection of themselves. They are trying. They want to succeed. Keep them in mind. #mentalhealth #unemployment #tech #layoffs #layoffsupport #bekind #besupportive #mentalhealthmatters #keepgoingforward