After dealing with multiple restructures and layoffs, I recently got two job offers (the best ones I've ever secured) in a tough job market. Here's what helped me overcome a challenging situation and use it to my advantage:
1) Getting a coach - my job search would have been very challenging if I didn't have Yuji Higashi in my corner. Yuji helped me prep for interviews, design outreach for hiring managers, and get responses for the majority of my applications. I was able to get 17 interviews (8 of which moved to late stages) and 2 offers within two months of beginning with him. I CANNOT recommend finding a mentor enough - this search would have likely taken months longer without his guidance. Career coaches who specialize in your field of work are key. Yuji specializes in placing SEs, and his role-specific guidance was invaluable.
2) Not getting psyched out. I'd be lying if I said that getting laid off twice, seeing friends struggle, and reading negative news about the job market didn't give me some emotional challenges. Working with various mentors helped me realize that while the situation was difficult on multiple levels, it wasn't insurmountable. Dealing with multiple layoffs is absolutely not a career breaker, and while this job market is tougher than it's ever been, it's still very possible to find a high quality role. I leaned on therapy, life coaching, and meditation to get my mind right, and made sure to keep physically active and healthy.
3) Cultivating a positive mindset. While interviewing can be a grind, I learned to view it more as the process of finding my ideal fit than just finding any job. Rather than seeing failed interviews as a waste of time, I learned to see each one as an improvement exercise that brought me a step closer to actually getting an offer. I could feel myself developing more equanimity through the process and replacing my anxiety with feelings of confidence. I also practiced gratitude for being able to meet awesome people at a variety of different companies, build my network, and get exposure to a ton of new technologies.
As tough as these situations have been, they were a huge growth experience for me. If you have any other thoughts on navigating the job market, please share! I'm grateful for the experience, the learning, the people I met throughout the process