Good morning. It’s Sunday, May 10, and it’s Mother’s Day. Happy Mother’s Day to all of us 🌸

Today, I wanted to talk about a few things — especially unemployment benefits, job searching tips, and some tools that have genuinely helped me during this period.

First, my experience with unemployment benefits in Washington, D.C. was honestly very difficult. The system felt incredibly complicated and exhausting to navigate, especially when you are already dealing with the emotional stress of losing a job.

What surprised me most was the feeling of constantly being monitored or “policed” while trying to receive benefits that you contributed to while working. And don’t get me wrong: if you did not contribute while working, you get nothing. This is money that was taken from your paycheck while you were employed. Plus, the amount is capped and depends on how much you contributed while working.

I had to go to their office multiple times just to understand how the system worked. And anyway, you must go there physically just to show proof of identity and proof of citizenship.

They only have two offices in the south of Washington, D.C., and one is definitely not located in an area where I felt comfortable going. I went there three times, and even in broad daylight, it felt very uncomfortable walking there. And if you live in North Washington, D.C. and have to travel all the way there just to show proof of citizenship, honestly, that’s tough.

Then every single week — and this goes on for six months — you have to certify that you applied for jobs. If you miss a deadline or make a mistake, your payments can stop immediately.

On top of that, I was audited and received unexpected calls asking detailed questions about my former employer and work situation:
“Your company said this… is that true?”

Honestly, when you are already in a vulnerable place mentally and emotionally, you want support and clarity — not the feeling that you are being “policed”. Looking back, I’m not even sure the stress was worth it for me personally. My well-being suffered a lot during that process.

At the same time, layoffs are continuing everywhere. Recently, we heard about layoffs at companies like Cloudflare, and of course the federal sector and contractors in Washington continue to be heavily impacted. The State Department finalized layoffs that started last year. The atmosphere around jobs in D.C. right now is honestly very intense.

That said, there are a few things that have genuinely helped me during this season, and I wanted to share them in case they help someone else too:

Find a support group
I recently joined Never Search Alone, and I highly recommend it. Being able to talk with people going through the same experience makes a huge difference emotionally.

Use tools to organize your applications
I’ve been using Hiring Coach AI (got 2 months free) to help manage resumes and applications, and I’ve found it extremely helpful.

Take care of your mental and physical health
Going to the gym regularly has been very important for me. Apps like Calm have also helped me manage stress and anxiety during this transition.

Continue learning
MasterClass has been great for continuing professional development and staying mentally engaged while job searching.

Save money wherever you can
One thing I’ve found surprisingly useful is the CVS app and CVS card. The discounts are actually very good. Recently, I saved around 35% on an entire purchase just by using the app correctly. Every little bit helps during periods of uncertainty.

I have also tried things like getting information on launching a franchise, and frankly, this is not for me. Unless you want to open a franchise for a brand such as McDonald’s or 7-Eleven, I personally was not convinced by the models that were presented to me.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this experience honestly because I know many people are quietly going through the same thing right now.

If you are in that situation too, you are definitely not alone.