The author said applying for a job for the first time in more than 20 years had some unexpected challenges. She persevered and landed a job as a test proctor.
Courtesy of Trisha Daab.
Recently, I paid off my student loans ahead of schedule. Along with the joy of saying goodbye to 10 more years of payments, I unexpectedly felt open to doing something completely different.I stepped away from my marketing career in 2023 to focus on something I was more passionate about, writing. I will continue to write, but I've realized that I crave more regular interaction with people in my day-to-day life.I spotted a listing at a local high school for advanced placement (AP) test proctors — a job I hadn't known existed. That's how I found myself applying for a job for the first time in 20 years.I had forgotten a lotThe last job I completed a traditional application for was in corporate America in 2004. Since then, my jobs have come through networking and recruiters, some of which didn't even require a formal application.Applying for a job in 2026 was a new experience. It started similarly with an online application requesting work experience, education, and references. The difference this time around was me, my priorities, and 20 years of work experience.My résumé needed a major updateI was surprised to realize that I hadn't updated my résumé since 2014. One of the biggest challenges was finding the dates I needed to include. When did I start grad school? Did I start that job in April? How old are those references? It was hard to know these things for sure.Thank goodness for LinkedIn. I had kept that updated with my writing work, the marketing role I left in 2023, and many of the dates I hadn't thought about in years.
