This year thus far has been a bit of a roller coaster. Losing a job has been the big thing. And right at the time when so many others have lost theirs as well and the ecosystem is flooded with uncertainty and instability.’

It’s easy to get dizzy with disappointment. Applications are sent in but met with silence. Ghosting has shifted to the job application world. Pivoting seems like the best thing to do since the development sector has been essentially decimated but how do you summarize 20+ years working on the other side of the world and, even more so, how do you parallel your skills and experience with a whole new industry?

Many former USAID folks have pushed out articles on adjusting your resume from USAID-heavy language to the language of the private sector, the pharmaceutical sector or the tech sector. Some are supporting their former colleagues by posting jobs upon jobs on their professional network channels; once you open these up, you’re immediately struck by “100+ other people applied” and then the deflation hits. It seems all the former feds, former USAID, former State employees are all looking and applying to most of the same jobs.

I have no motivational words here. The situation is unimaginable and just plain uncomfortable.