Six Thousand Applications and a Food Pantry: A Tech Worker’s Long Road

The layoff in July 2024 arrived as a shock, plunging the San Jose consultant into a job market that had shifted significantly in his decade of absence. Between August 2024 and late 2025, Vũ tracked over 6,000 applications across 2,000 companies. His daily routine became a high-stakes race against automated systems, where he navigated AI-driven interviews and postings that vanished within hours. He eventually abandoned his two-page resume for a concise, one-page version optimized for tracking software, a pivot that finally began to yield interview requests.

Financial strain forced the couple to rely on SNAP benefits, coupons, and local food pantries to stay afloat. The pressure was immense; at one point, he conducted job interviews from his car while waiting in line at a pantry. The breakthrough came not from a job board, but from a professional acquaintance he had mentored years prior. After seeing a post about his struggle on social media, the contact recommended him for a senior consultant position at Visa. The offer arrived last November, ending a period of intense uncertainty that reinforced the value of his professional network and his commitment to community support, where he now volunteers.