Have I been freelancing so long that I’m now officially unemployable? Or am I just too stubborn, convinced that a full-time remote job is out there, hiding like a shy cat? Should I just give in and consider onsite or hybrid jobs, or would that feel like going back to the Stone Age?
It was June 2024 when I dusted off my resume, reactivated my LinkedIn profile, and made peace with the fact that I was officially on the hunt for a full-time job again. I had spent the last four years freelancing—kicking off projects from the comfort of my home, tackling deadlines in coffee shops, and pretending my cat was a tough client to keep myself sane during the slow days. Life as a freelancer had its perks, but by early 2024, those perks started to feel a bit more like warning signs. Projects slowed, and so did the payments.
Rewind to 2020. I had been working at an incredible non-profit job. The work was meaningful, the people were wonderful, and then, like many of us, the pandemic hit. Cue the resignation letter, the panic, and the inevitable plunge into freelance work because, at the time, “flexibility” seemed like a dream. Fast forward four years, and flexibility had turned into unpredictability, and unpredictability had turned into “Okay, maybe it’s time to go back to a stable, full-time job.”
Phase 1: Facebook - The Unexpected Savior?
So, here’s something I never thought I’d say: Facebook, that infamous black hole of memes and unsolicited opinions, became my unexpected ally in the job hunt. I joined every “remote job” group imaginable. One minute I was scrolling past a family photo album from an aunt I haven’t spoken to in years, and the next, I was diving into a job post for a remote copywriter position.
Did I send my resume to 20 different strangers I’ll never meet? Yes. Did half of them reply? Absolutely not. But hey, that’s Facebook. It’s like throwing your resume into a well, then leaning in to listen for an echo… that never comes.
Oh, and I should mention that I did land a short gig as a Social Media Manager recently. Initially, I was supposed to help a book author for just two weeks, but she was so impressed with the content I was posting that she extended it to two months. Not bad, right? But that’s as far as it went. The work was solely focused on promoting her book, and since that was the only reason she needed a Social Media Manager, there wasn’t much more for me to do. She did say she’d hire me again if and when she publishes another book… but who knows when that’ll be? And there is not a chance that was going to be a full-time job offer.
Phase 2: LinkedIn - The Serious Suitor
Next up was LinkedIn, where job hunting suddenly felt like a professional sport. You don’t just apply; you network. You comment on posts. You try to sound intelligent, insightful, and nonchalant, all while your self-doubt is screaming, “You haven’t done this in years! You’re rusty!”
And LinkedIn wasn’t always a smooth ride. I had three close calls. One with MySalonSuite, and two with Megaphone Marketing. Each time, it felt like I was one awkward Zoom call away from landing the gig. Each time, I could see myself getting cozy with the idea of having health insurance again (oh, how I miss you), and each time… nope. Rejection. Sometimes I didn’t even get an email explaining why. Other times, I got the good old “We’ve decided to move in a different direction” line, which honestly, feels like breaking up with someone who doesn’t know you exist.
Phase 3: JobStreet - The Old Reliable
Then there was JobStreet, the job board that had been around since I first learned how to type. This was my “Hail Mary” strategy. When the LinkedIn networking marathons grew exhausting and Facebook felt like a joke, JobStreet was my safe harbor. It was like the job-seeking version of comfort food—familiar and maybe a bit outdated, but it got the job done.
I threw myself at writing gigs left and right. I even managed to land a few writing tests. I’ve been writing for years, so surely this would be a breeze, right? Wrong. I completed tests that felt like marathons (because let’s be honest, some writing tests are longer than they need to be). I submitted work I was proud of, only to hear… nothing. Or worse, to hear a polite, “Thanks, but we’ve decided to go in a different direction.” Again with the directions!
By month three, I was questioning everything. Was it me? Was I too old to be on TikTok, but too young to be on Facebook groups? Had my four years as a freelancer somehow made me unemployable in the “real” world?
Phase 4: The Internship – A Glimmer of Hope?
In the midst of all the job rejections, something interesting happened. I landed an internship with a Germany-based placement agency. Now, I know what you’re thinking: "Internship? Isn’t that for college kids?" But honestly, this internship is different. It aligns with my values, the remote work setup is ideal, and—thank goodness—I don’t have to pull graveyard shifts! Germany is just seven hours behind, so my workday starts at 3 PM and wraps up at 11 PM. No midnight deadlines, no weird sleeping patterns. It’s challenging but fun, and working with the other interns is a blast (most of the time).
Oh, and get this—want to know what my internship task is? Job sourcing and applying for positions on behalf of highly-skilled non-European software developers, helping them land their dream jobs in Germany! The irony isn’t lost on me. Here I am, scrambling to find my own full-time remote gig, while my internship has me doing exactly what I should be doing for myself! Haha. But, to be fair, it’s a bit of a different game. I’m mostly searching for onsite and hybrid roles for them, while I’m stubbornly convinced that there’s a fantastic remote job out there just waiting for me. Can I really pull it off? Guess we’ll see!
Our team leader is approachable, which is a relief, although, I’ll admit, the two meetings we have every day sometimes feel like they’re trying to kill me. But here’s the kicker: I’ve been made Intern Team Leader! Pretty cool, right? But after more than a month in this role, I’m still waiting for the next step—an actual contract. The waiting game is never-ending.
How The Remote Job Hunting is Working Out Now
I am holding my breath for two job applications I submitted—one from Facebook and one from LinkedIn, both for content writing positions. I’m crossing my fingers, hoping that one of these will finally help me reach that dream of landing a full-time gig.
I am also using a lot of insights from AI tools to make my remote job hunting less of a task. Artificial Intelligence is doing me a lot of favor since there are many AI tools that job applicants like me can choose from.
Job hunting in a remote setup is a strange mix of freedom and heartbreak. One minute you’re basking in the comfort of your own home, wearing sweatpants, clicking “apply” with ease. The next minute, you’re refreshing your inbox obsessively, wondering if the algorithm ate your resume or if they just didn’t like your font choice. Or was it the font color?
But through all the rejections, the ghosted applications, and the almost-but-not-quite-there interviews, I’ve learned a thing or two. Patience? Yes. Resilience? For sure. And maybe a little dark humor because honestly, that’s how you survive the rollercoaster of modern job hunting.
So here I am, still in the game, still applying, and still hopeful that somewhere out there, the right job is just one more awkward Zoom interview away. Or was that last interview in Google Meet?
