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I’d probably say that the fact that you’ve been out of work for 3 years is your largest barrier… the Ai trade could be playing a part here, but that’s today, that wasn’t the story a year ago…
You haven’t shared enough info for us to tell you what you’re doing wrong. Try to do HR advising/consulting for smaller companies/nonprofits. Find an emerging HR topic to present on and pitch it to companies to get yourself in front of people and make some extra cash while having it count as work experience.
AI is replacing a lot of admin heavy HR roles.
Pro
At this point you take any job and work your way back to where you thing you should be. You say you are qualified, but you haven't applied those skills anywhere in quite awhile.
I have applied to HR Coordinator jobs. I have no expectation that I should hop right back into the role I was in. I haven't applied my skills in a practical manner because I have not been able to get a job to do that.
I wonder if there is AI overlap in HR ??
I recently read that in 2026 AI related layoffs equaled 50k-80k thus far. But I also read companies are claiming AI but they’re really just downsizing…so I don’t know.
Is there another line of work you might be interested in? You’ll get good feedback here just wanted to say.., you’re not alone and I’m sorry you’re going through this. I know many teachers are looking for some other way to use their skills. Good luck
Thank you. I'm definitely frustrated and feeling down on myself frequently. I have considered other lines of work that may be adjacent to HR, and have even applied to a few postings that seem applicable. I've "spoken" with Chat as well and have gotten some ideas, but again, nothing has panned out. It's not like I'm holding out for some big salary or thinking I should be an obvious choice for a high-level role. I enjoy HR and enjoying what I do is really paramount to me.
You should be applying for hundreds of positions to land a full time job.
Chief
Did you build and nurture a network while you were working?
Have you joined your local SHRM chapter(s) and are you actively involved and volunteering for them?
Does your resume highlight your accomplishments and not just your duties at your previous jobs?
Chief
You can still leverage your network when you're out of work. You could even get a temp/contractor role to get you back into the gam through your network.
I don't know where you live, but many major cities have firms that provide outsourced HR support, such as interim HR Director. That's how I got the job I have -- I was with such a firm, worked for a President at a company, and many months after that assignment, he went to a different company and had me join him there.
One thought that came to mind is whether you’re viewing the last three years solely as a gap, rather than as an opportunity to build something.
With your HR background, have you considered consulting, project work, or developing expertise in an area that organisations are increasingly struggling with such as employee wellbeing, culture, engagement, retention, or burnout prevention?
Many companies are good at hiring people, but not necessarily at creating environments where people thrive and stay.
Rather than framing the last three years as “unemployed,” is there a way to position that time as professional development, research, capability building, or solving a workplace problem that employers are facing today?
Sometimes the question shifts from “Who will hire me?” to “What problem can I solve?” and that can open up new possibilities. Don’t let this get you down, it’s a transition season and will pass. Good luck
It seems to me that the more qualified you are the more likely you will get passed over - companies don't want to have to pay for your skills and knowledge. I have been looking and revamping my resume for 2 years now. AI has a lot to do with it. I think if AI learning/skills are not on your resume -they should be. Keep resume to 1 page, past 5-10 yrs only, "bullet" quantifiable achievements (ie: improved onboarding workflow and retention 10%) Make sure to keep resume in simple format -ATS readable no fancy colors, no picture, ATS fonts like Times New Roman and Arial. Stick to 2-3 font sizes. Just some of the tips I have run across. Good Luck.