Overview of Applied To 100+ Jobs And Still Haven't Found One
In this Ramsey Network call, a 29-year-old single mother explains that her remote job is shutting down, she has only about three weeks of income left, and she has been urgently applying to remote roles without success. The advice she receives is blunt but practical: she cannot afford to keep narrowing her job search to remote-only work, and her top priority right now must be earning enough to keep her and her son housed and fed.
The Caller’s Situation
- Single mom of a 4-year-old son
- Left an abusive relationship several years ago
- Homeschools her son and has strongly preferred to stay home
- Has worked remotely for the past three years
- Company is shutting down, leaving her with about three weeks of pay
- No debt, but only about $2,000 in savings
- Has applied to 100+ jobs in a week, mostly remote
- Current income was about $2,400/month and she says she was making around $17/hour
Ramsey’s Main Advice
Stop limiting the search to remote jobs
The biggest issue identified was that the caller has made her job pool extremely small by insisting on remote work only. Ramsey emphasizes that most jobs are not remote, so this restriction is dramatically hurting her odds.
Prioritize survival over preference
The conversation draws a hard line between:
- Preferences: homeschooling, remote work, ideal schedule
- Responsibilities: bringing in enough money to support her child
The core message: survival comes first. Her desire to homeschool is understandable, but it cannot outrank the immediate need for income.
Consider in-person work with better pay
Because she has a degree in hospitality and tourism management, she may be qualified for better-paying in-person roles, such as:
- Hotel management
- Restaurant management
- Other hospitality leadership roles
Ramsey argues she could likely earn significantly more by broadening her search.
Daycare is not automatically off the table
Ramsey pushes back on the idea that daycare is impossible, noting that if she earns more, she may be able to afford a better facility. The point is not to ignore her concerns, but to avoid letting a bad daycare experience dictate all future options.
This is a season, not forever
A key emotional takeaway is that her current situation is temporary. Ramsey encourages her to think in terms of seasons:
- Right now: earn income and stabilize
- Later: reconsider homeschooling and remote work once life is secure
Key Takeaways
- Remote-only job hunting is too restrictive in an emergency.
- Income and stability must come before ideal lifestyle goals.
- Her background in hospitality could open doors to higher-paying management jobs.
- Daycare may be a workable short-term solution if it allows her to support her family.
- The caller is being encouraged to move from a scarcity mindset toward a stability-first plan.
Action Items
- Apply for in-person jobs in addition to remote roles
- Target roles in hotel, restaurant, and hospitality management
- Ask her network for specific job leads, not just general support
- Reevaluate childcare options as part of the income solution
- Focus on getting through the next few weeks with a survival-first financial plan
Overall Message
This episode is less about budgeting mechanics and more about making a hard but necessary tradeoff: when money is running out, preferences like remote work and homeschooling may need to be temporarily set aside so a parent can protect housing, food, and basic stability for their child.