Dear Claudia,

I lost my job six months ago. I worked for the company for seven years, and never even once thought of working somewhere else because I loved it so much there. My network is sick of hearing from me; I’ve applied to every job I can find, have interviewed dozens of times, but I’m always the runner-up. I’m beginning to think of myself as a second tier candidate, but I don’t know what I should do differently. The worst part is that I feel so ashamed for not being able to fix this situation. What can I do?

Jobless

Dear Jobless,

Sometimes I get a question that causes me to have two very different reactions; this is one of those times. The Mom in me wants to wrap my arms around you and tell you it’s going to be ok, that you’re doing everything you can, that you have to believe in yourself and this too shall pass. All of this is true; the sun rises each morning, and a new day brings fresh perspective – which is more useful to you now than any amount of self-pity or shame.

Read the rest of my response and add comments of your own here...

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In my day job, I’m the Head of Products for Improved Experience, where we help employers use feedback to measure and manage competitive advantage in hiring and retention. Learn more about us here.

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