I quit my job of 12 years due to my increasing poor mental health. My plan was to take 6 months to get myself together and find a job that was less stressful. I moved 2,000 miles away and in the three years since I’ve applied for approximately 1,200 jobs. I had about ten interviews and zero offers in that time. I finally got a remote job. In my old hometown. At the place my mom works. I tried everything, reworked my resume for damn near every application, custom cover letters, went in places to shake hands and get my face out there. I had pretty much everyone I know go over my resume and help me make changes and nothing. The only thing that ever worked was nepotism and that fucking sucks. But finally after three years of struggling and just barely scraping by on my partners income I can see a path forward again. I haven’t bought myself anything besides shampoo and deodorant in forever. We stopping exchanging gifts on holidays. I couldn’t even go to dollar tree to buy Christmas cards this year we were so broke. I can’t believe it’s finally over. Being out of work for this long has been the most humbling and humiliating experience of my life and I hope never to repeat it.