Millennial Man Found Job After Four Years, Cutting Costs

Editor’s note: In May 2024, Business Insider wrote about Dan Colflesh and his difficulty finding a job after earning his bachelor’s degree. Read more here.

During the four years Dan Colflesh struggled to find work, he often thought about his upbringing in rural Appalachia.

Colflesh was used to “pinching pennies” as a young person, he told Business Insider. And as his job search dragged on in adulthood, he began actively looking for ways to cut costs.

“It’s the advice you get when you grow up poor,” he said. “If you don’t have a lot of money, you can’t spend a lot of money.”

Colflesh is one of many Americans who have struggled to find work in recent years. While he landed a job last year, hundreds of others have shared their stories with BI about their long searches and how they’ve settled for lower-paying roles. Although the unemployment rate remains low by historical standards, businesses are hiring at nearly the slowest pace since 2013, excluding a temporary dip in 2020. In response, some job seekers have found creative ways to pay the bills, adjust their application strategies, and stay motivated.

“It’s easier not to be stressed about finding a job if you don’t have to stress about finances at the same time,” said Colflesh, 43, who’s based in Massachusetts.

Cutting costs eased some pressure

Colflesh said he was fortunate that both his wife and mother-in-law — who they live with — have jobs, which helped ease the financial pressure on the household. Still, his family made a number of adjustments to cut costs during his job search.

For one, they bought a deep freezer, which allowed them to buy in bulk and freeze meals that Colflesh cooked in large batches — a purchase he believes will save them money in the long run. ​​They also grew some of their own produce in a vegetable garden and smoke-cured store-bought bacon at home to cut grocery costs. Additionally, the family decided to stop using one of their two vehicles and dropped the insurance on it — a choice that was feasible because Colflesh wasn’t commuting to work.

Colflesh added that YouTube videos helped him handle basic car maintenance himself, so he could save money on mechanic bills. And because he was home more, he was able to help care for his children, which reduced his family’s childcare expenses. Colflesh said taking these steps helped him feel less pressure during his job search.

A positive mindset helped him persevere

In 2015, when he was 34, Colflesh quit his job in the customer service industry to pursue a college degree, hoping it would help him with career growth. Six years later, he held an associate degree in physics from Holyoke Community College in Massachusetts and a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

However, Colflesh said the additional education didn’t seem to help him much in the job market and saddled him with student loans. Despite applying to more than 100 jobs, he said he struggled to find work, which led him to pause his search for a few months at a time.

Colflesh said he tried common job search strategies, like tailoring his résumé and cover letter to each role, but nothing seemed to work. Then, last year, a friend referred him for a job at a tech company, that would involve answering phones, scheduling, and triaging customer support tickets. He said the referral helped him land an interview, and by May 2024, he’d accepted a job offer.

“This isn’t really what I was looking for, but it’s far from the worst job I’ve had,” he said.

During his job search, Colflesh managed stress by hanging out with friends, engaging with his hobbies, and spending time with his family. While he felt discouraged at times, he did his best to retain a positive mindset, which he said was key to staying motivated.

“Staying positive has to be a choice the person makes,” he said. “Waiting for the situation to create positivity will likely cause you to feel unmotivated and upset. You keep moving forward because what other option is there?”