This as-told-to-essay is based on a conversation with Shaun Chavis, 58, who is based in Baltimore. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Since being laid off last June, I’ve applied for over 100 jobs, and I’m completely boggled by the responses I’ve received — or rather, the lack of them.
With nearly 20 years of experience across journalism, communications, and marketing, I really did not expect to be out of work this long. But the reality is that I’ve only had one interview — I’m not even getting screening calls.
Because I’m not the kind of person to just “spray and pray” dozens of applications out into the world, I only apply when I genuinely feel I can do the job and would enjoy it.
It’s been mentally difficult to get rejected so many times
I thought I’d be a valuable asset. I was very proud of what I did in my previous company. But it hasn’t been easy to just hop over to another company and pick up a new opportunity.
I’ve actually been ghosted by companies I thought I was having promising conversations with. It’s been so mentally difficult to keep putting applications out there and getting rejected with no feedback. It’s hard to know the real reason, but I have some theories.
It could be ageism. I have heard from peers that my experience could actually be intimidating to younger hiring managers. Or it could be companies feeling like they can’t afford me, given my experience.
I’ve since moved from Atlanta to Baltimore to be closer to family. I’ve had to rely on them and dip into my life savings to make ends meet.
I’ve had to cut out Netflix and luxuries like going to the hairdresser. Not having a disposable income to spend on clothes has also been challenging, as I’ve lost so much weight, I’ve been gradually rebuilding my wardrobe. And with Baltimore having a colder winter than Atlanta, I’ve needed new clothing for the climate.
I want to put my energy into things I can have control over
Participating in the job market right now just feels like I’m hurting my mental health by continuing, as it’s just so terrible. There have been so many roles I’ve been rejected from that I felt like I was a really strong fit, and I just can’t keep doing that to myself.
So at this point, I really want to lean into consulting. It’s better to put my energy into something that I can have more control over.
I love Substack, so I’ve been building a business called BraveEvelyn that helps companies with their content strategy on Substack. So far, my clients are a concierge medicine company, a femtech client, and a healthtech client. I have some other prospects in the healthtech space, so I’m feeling positive.
Long term, I plan to move to Mexico. I’m hoping to get a digital nomad visa. This is partly driven by the current sociopolitical climate here in the US and by the cost of healthcare. But I also feel I can get a comparable apartment for almost half of what I’m paying now and cut my cost of living while continuing to do my Substack work remotely.
I’ll be moving on my own, so I’ve been intentionally looking for like-minded people already there. For example, I’ve met a couple of people who travel back and forth between Baltimore and Mexico City, and through WhatsApp groups, I’ve connected with other Black Americans living in Mexico City.
I think it’s going to be really huge for me, as it’s just been so hard feeling uncertain about your finances. Being able to turn the tables so that you feel like you’re giving yourself space to succeed is so important.
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