Delay, Denial, and Disruption: Inside the 2025 Job Market
Over the last eight years, I’ve built a career at the intersection of policy, advocacy, and strategic communications. My work has always been anchored in a commitment to racial and economic justice, whether I’m leading campaigns, managing cross-functional teams, or crafting narratives that move people and policy. Outside of writing journey I’m a strategist who believes that policy should be accessible, that communications should serve the people most impacted, and that our advocacy must always reflect community needs—not just institutional priorities. I’ve helped secure multi-figure grant funding, translated complex legislation into community-informed resources, and supported organizations through major transitions. At every step, I’ve centered collaboration, clarity, and care. Here is a reflecting on my journey in existing job market.
As of April 2025, approximately 7.2 million Americans remain unemployed, maintaining the national unemployment rate at 4.2%—unchanged since March 2025. While this figure appears relatively stable on the surface, it masks substantial volatility across different sectors and demographics.
Since the Trump administration took office in January 2025, labor markets have experienced notable fluctuations. Contrary to traditional metrics that suggest economic stability, workers across both public and private sectors have witnessed significant realignments, with some industries seeing dramatic workforce reductions while others are struggling to fill specialized positions.
Delay, denial, and disruptions have become the defining characteristics of the contemporary job market, shaping not only the practical realities of seeking employment but also the emotional landscape traversed by countless individuals over the preceding two years. The widely discussed "Great Resignation," initially portrayed as a period of empowerment and opportunity for workers to seek more fulfilling futures, has transitioned into what can be more accurately described now as the "Great Stagnation." This era marks a significant shift, where the hopeful narratives of professional reinvention and upward mobility have increasingly clashed with the sobering realities of a volatile job market—one defined by unstable opportunities, exploitative work environments, and the likelihood that if you’re searching, you may be searching for quite some time
Today, the initial optimism surrounding widespread job openings and increased employee bargaining power has gradually given way to a more complex and challenging landscape, leaving many job seekers feeling stuck, undervalued, and uncertain about their professional futures. The promises of a dynamic and employee-centric market have, for many, failed to materialize, replaced by the anxieties of prolonged job searches, the acceptance of less-than-ideal employment conditions, and the constant struggle against economic instability.
It's a story I know far too well. At the height of the pandemic, I worked in government. While it was stable, it wasn't sustainable for my joy, vision, or life purpose. Like so many others, I chose to pivot. I wanted more than survival. I wanted alignment, growth, and meaningful work. That leap of faith began one of my professional life's most emotionally exhausting chapters. Like many moments in my career, I stayed in a non-profit policy role for about a three-year journey, then came upon a big transition within the organization, until it was time to pivot. This journey ended in December 2023.
Before entering 2024, job hunting for other roles felt linear: apply, interview, submit a work sample, and get hired. But since then, the job market has been relentless. The system has felt more opaque, impersonal, and punishing.
In 2024, I thought I'd finally found my breakthrough: landing a mid-size consulting role and a director role in a mission-aligned organization. The director's role lasted three and a half months. I became one of seven people to leave, including three Black women directors. That experience gutted me.
Now, in 2025, I'm back on the job search. It has been a job search that has felt more like watching a thick wall of paint drying. After submitting hundreds of applications in Quarter 1 this year, I landed two interview opportunities for two promising organizations. One was a dream opportunity with a Black-centered organization that I've respected since my high school years; the other was a social justice non-profit centering the arts.
The dream opportunity I applied for took me through three interviews across 80+ days. In the end, I wasn't selected as the final candidate. While deeply disappointed, I walked away still feeling motivated and grateful. The process affirmed my alignment with the organization's mission, values, and team culture. While this particular role may not have been the right fit, it didn't diminish my belief that this is a place where I hope to contribute in the future.
In contrast, another opportunity progressed through two rounds of interviews, accompanied by detailed communication and transparency about its hiring process. They provided two comprehensive lists of prep questions—something I genuinely appreciated. Unfortunately, after investing time and energy into the process, I was ghosted without explanation. That experience was jarring, especially from an organization I expected more from, given how intentionally they had framed their values and hiring structure.
My job search journey from 2024 to 2025 has had a few leads, interview experiences that have shocked me to my core, and countless moments of wondering. This has led me to ask two questions: “Is it just me?” and “What the hell is happening?” I know I️ am not alone. I hear from others in the market who are facing the same confusion, heartbreak, and fatigue. Posts on Reddit, Twitter, and Threads all tell the same story—candidates with much experience and qualified navigating months of delays.
This job market feels especially predatory. In many ways, 2025 mirrors the stagnancy and challenges of 2024. Today's job seekers confront a recruitment landscape that has devolved into a predictable yet demoralizing gauntlet.
The process has morphed into an endurance test rather than a skills assessment. Candidates routinely endure five to seven rounds of interviews, technical assessments, culture-fit evaluations, and panel interrogations only to be ghosted or dismissed with template rejections that offer no constructive insight.
The existing journey represents a systemic failure that extracts psychological tolls from qualified professionals. One of my former colleagues, with whom I have been in the community since we transitioned from our former job role, took 8 months to find his next income-earning opportunity. Now, in month 8 of my journey, here’s what I’ve come to learn.
Build a support system—intentionally. Weekly accountability check-ins, text threads, and trusted friends help sustain morale and motivation.
Set boundaries on how you share your journey. Avoid discussing your job search with people who minimize your experience or offer surface-level advice.
Increase your emergency fund. In both of my job search journey’s in 2024 and 2025 I’ve needed more than the standard 3-6 months of expenses to survive the brutal market. I’d advise job seekers when landing their next opportunity to save 7-12 months of a safety plan, being that or some, the search is taking just this long..
Be selective about who you tell when you apply or interview. It protects your emotional energy and keeps you focused. You don't owe anyone a play-by-play. Protect your peace.
Know when to pause and recenter. Take breaks to avoid burnout. Rest is a strategic part of the search. If the search is exhausting, give yourself permission to step back and realign with your values.
Treat interview prep like a craft. Practice your responses out loud, even if it feels awkward.Don't wait for a final round to refine your talking points—sharpen them from the beginning.
Be honest with yourself about fit. Sometimes, not getting the job is the alignment. Trust that the right fit respects your humanity, not just your résumé.
Celebrate small wins and milestones. A thoughtful rejection, a kind interviewer, or simply submitting an application after a slow week—all are worth naming and honoring. You must remember that a wrong fit will only lead you in the wrong direction.
Own your story. There is no shame in navigating a long job search. Life doesn’t always follow a straight line, and neither do careers. Abrupt transitions are part of the journey. Layoffs, resignations, health challenges, and unexpected disruptions can happen to anyone.
Though it's been a hell of a journey, I remain hopeful. Through it all, I've learned to regularly reevaluate what security means and have learned more about what I desire in my long-term career journey. While it's important not to settle in an organization, it's equally vital to build a safety net—something to fall back on while striving for the career and life I deserve.
This essay was written by Charlisa Goodlet, a passionate creative dedicated to dismantling the status quo and promoting equity for Black individuals. Her work focuses on improving community lives, advocating for reparations, and developing impactful anti-poverty initiatives. By day, she's a policy enthusiast researching and analyzing policies; by night, she cultivates conversations on BROKE BLACK BOUGIE (BBB) a space dedicated to Black women existing in a world that doesn’t make room for us, yet, we still find ways to reclaim our space. She is the founder of BBB.
