Career cooked, trying this next

[Aman]

I got laid off in August last year and finally landed a job in Feb this year. The new role boosted my total compensation, but the work doesn't match my background and I had to move cities. I want to build depth for the long run and either go back to my old company or join one of their rivals, pointing out that my layoff was due to cost‑cutting, not performance, and that I've got good feedback on my work. The problem is my current firm has almost no openings, and I keep getting rejected for the few roles that do appear on Workday. I've reached out to my manager, but nothing's changed. I don't want to look desperate, but my last resort is cold‑DMing hiring managers or directors on LinkedIn. I know the market's tough, and I'm even ready to beg to get back into a role similar to my previous one. I get that nepotism and e‑begging exist. If you had a family member who could hook you up with opportunities, or contacts you could nag regularly, why wouldn't you use them? Unless you have a beef with them. I'm not talking about entitlement here; I'm literally ready to beg to go back. Please take this as a rant.

[Ehsan]

Her career's over now