Like Mother, Like Son. Well, This Is Unexpected.

Well, here's something I never saw coming. My 22-year-old son and I are both looking for jobs. At the same time. Living under the same roof.

He's just starting his career, and I'm looking for my next opportunity. He needs someone to give him a chance to gain experience, while I'm trying to convince employers that my experience makes me a great candidate. Somehow, neither of us seems to have quite the right amount.

Who would have thought we'd be doing this together?

A Little Background

My son graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University earlier this year with a degree in industrial design. He's incredibly creative, has an entrepreneurial mindset and loves learning new things. He's also an artist who sees possibilities in things most of us wouldn't give a second thought.

He did everything you're supposed to do. He worked while attending college, completed an internship, graduated at the top of his class and started applying for jobs. He's getting interviews with companies all over the country and even one in Italy! He's adventurous and open to moving just about anywhere for the right opportunity. In the meantime, he's working at a restaurant while searching for his first professional role.

His biggest frustration? So many supposedly entry-level positions require several years of experience. At some point, someone has to give these young people a chance to actually gain that experience!

And then there's me.

I was laid off this fall following a company restructuring. For the second time in my career, I might add. Ugh.

I've had a successful career in marketing and communications, and I know what I'm good at. What drives me crazy is finding a job posting that seems absolutely perfect. You know the kind where you read the description and think, "I could KILL IT in this role!"

So I apply, feeling pretty good about my chances, only to hear absolutely nothing. Or worse, I get one of those automated rejection emails almost immediately. It's hard not to wonder whether an actual human being ever looked at my resume.

I've gotten to the point where I'm ONLY applying to companies where I have a connection. It seems like the only way to get past the applicant tracking systems and actually get my resume in front of a human being. Who knew networking would become a full-time job in itself?

So here we are. My son is trying to get his foot in the door, and I'm trying to get someone to open a door I've walked through plenty of times before.

Welcome to Our Home Office Complex

One of the funnier parts of this situation is what our house looks like during the workday.

My husband works from home in his office. I'm in my home office, and my son is upstairs in his bedroom, which doubles as his office. We basically have three adults reporting to work every morning, except two of us aren't getting paid.

We've joked about buying a water cooler to make our little home office complex feel more official. Maybe we should start scheduling staff meetings, too.

The funny thing is that my son and I really are doing the same things every day. Searching LinkedIn, reviewing job descriptions, customizing resumes, submitting applications and checking our email for responses that may or may not come.

We've become pretty good at helping each other through the process. Some days, my son is giving me a pep talk. "Let's go, we got this, Mom!" Other days, I'm encouraging him to keep going. We commiserate over the "no thanks" emails and celebrate when one of us gets an interview.

We've also discovered that we balance each other out pretty well. He reminds me not to take every rejection so personally, and I remind him to keep plugging away. We're both learning that sometimes a "no" just means an opportunity wasn't meant to be. Easier said than done, of course, especially when you thought the job was perfect.

Apparently, Mom Knows a Thing or Two About AI

Another funny twist is that I've been showing my son how to use AI to customize his resume for different positions. When he was in college, using AI for assignments was generally off-limits. Now his mother is showing him how to use it as a professional tool.

Of course, it took him all of about one minute to figure it out. So much for my moment as the family technology expert.

Speaking of technology, I recently had my first interview with a robot. Well, technically, it was a recorded video interview where questions appear on the screen and you record your answers.

I was told I could re-record my responses if I wasn't happy with them. Great! Except I managed to mess up the very first question. I sat there staring at the screen, clicking around trying to figure out how to start over, and somehow submitted the recording instead.

So somewhere out there is a video of me looking completely confused, which is probably not the impression a marketing and communications professional wants to make.

But here's the good news. I got a second interview! Apparently, my technical difficulties weren't a dealbreaker.

A Strange Little Chapter

As much as we laugh about our situation, watching my son navigate this job market has been eye-opening. He's smart, talented, hardworking and genuinely excited about starting his career. Any company would be lucky to have him, but getting that first opportunity is proving harder than either of us expected.

One unexpected benefit of all this is the extra time we've had together. We take breaks from our computers, go for walks and talk about whatever's on our minds. I'm really enjoying having him around, and I know I'll miss him when he leaves.

But he's ready for his next adventure. He left Ohio to attend college in Arizona, and now he's interviewing with companies across the country and even overseas. He's never been afraid to explore new places, and I'm excited to see where he lands.

As much as I love having him here, I know he's ready to spread his wings again. And frankly, there's only so much excitement to be found in a Cincinnati townhouse with your parents!

In the meantime, we'll keep applying, encouraging each other and reminding ourselves that this is temporary. We've both worked hard, we're capable people and we've always found ways to accomplish what we put our minds to.

Someday, we'll look back on this strange little chapter and laugh about it. Hopefully, my son will be off somewhere doing amazing things, and I'll be enjoying my next career adventure.

For now, I'm appreciating the extra time together. It's not often you get this kind of unexpected bonus time with your adult kids.

And who knows? Maybe we'll finally buy that water cooler.