Former Data Scientist Finds Role Via Job Search Council

Amy Ma, a former data scientist from New Jersey, returned to the workforce in May 2024 after a year-long period of unemployment. Ma had been laid off in May 2023 and faced additional challenges including postpartum blues following the birth of her child in October 2023.

To manage her career transition, Ma joined a job search council based on the methodologies in Phyl Terry's book, "Never Search Alone: The Job Seeker's Playbook." Operating through an online Slack group, she collaborated with other job seekers to complete structured tasks and share interview experiences. The group focused on optimizing résumés to better align with AI-powered tracking systems used by employers.

After five months of active searching, Ma accepted a senior software engineer role at a Fortune 100 company. She attributed her success to the objective feedback and emotional support provided by the council, which helped her process the trauma of her initial layoff while strategically pursuing a new position.