Unemployed, undervalued, or just plain fed up? Start here.

Lately, I’ve been talking to some brilliant, high-achieving professionals who’ve been out of work for 6–9 months, and it’s wearing them down.

Not just financially. Emotionally.

And that’s the part they feel less inclined to discuss. Because let’s face it, it can feel embarrassing.

They’ve done all the right things and built great reputations. They delivered results. By all measures, they’ve been tremendously successful. But a reorg, a merger, or a surprise layoff triggered a series of unfortunate events.

And now they’re stuck in this slow, draining limbo that chips away at their confidence, day by day.

Yes, these days the job market is brutal: flaky recruiters, dishonest job postings, opaque hiring processes, and a boatload of competitors.

And it’s not just the unemployed. I’ve also heard from people who are still in a high-paying job but feel stuck, undervalued, overqualified, or boxed in. The longer they stay, the more they question every decision that got them here.

But the prospect of finding something better is overwhelming, especially in times of great uncertainty.

If you relate to this feeling, you’re not alone. And you’re not broken.

Today, I’m sharing three past essays that may help you make sense of what you’re feeling and offer some simple strategies to help you take a more grounded next step forward.

Let me know which one you found most helpful.

Enjoy!

1) Five unconventional approaches to shortcut your mid-career funk.

2) The power of rekindling old connections: a quick cure for the job-search rut.

3) This simple exercise can help you step into the future with confidence and courage.