When Tim Millard lost his job as a multimedia content producer in July 2025, he expected a quick rebound. Instead, the 45-year-old found himself in a months-long slog of applications and rejections—a process he describes as “demoralizing, dehumanizing and depressing.”
So he did something unconventional: He turned his job search into a one-man show.
From inbox to stage
Millard, who spent six years at an Atlanta-based consumer research and review platform before being laid off, initially felt confident. “I thought, ‘I’m talented. I have great marketable skills. I’m going to find a job, no problem,'” he told CNBC Make It. After a couple of months, that optimism faded. “Uh-oh, this might be a longer journey than I expected,” he recalled thinking.
His experience echoes broader trends. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by CNBC Make It, 27% of unemployed Americans—nearly 2 million people—have been job hunting for more than six months. The labor market has been described as a “low-fire, low-hire” environment, leaving many workers stranded.
Since his layoff, Millard estimates he has submitted at least 300 applications, all while patching together freelance work to cover rent, bills, and cat food. The rejection emails became a particular source of pain—and eventually, material. He now jokes about the “three-step formula” of a generic rejection: thank the applicant, deliver the kill line about “careful consideration,” then blow them off with a suggestion to check the careers page. “Go outside and scream into the void,” he quips, “because that’s probably just as good.”
Writing through the pain
In November 2025, a longtime friend suggested Millard channel his frustrations into a stand-up act for the Atlanta Fringe Festival, an annual arts event featuring theater, comedy, and storytelling. Millard hesitated. The U.S. unemployment rate had hit 4.6%—its highest in four years—and he wondered if anyone would care. He also feared that going public could make him “unhireable.”
But another voice won out: “Tim, this is your chance to say what you want to say. So why not do it?”
He submitted an outline in January 2026 and was accepted. His first reaction was triumph; his second was panic. “Crap! Now I have to write the show,” he remembers.
Balancing his job hunt with writing, Millard crafted a series of vignettes about the absurdities and indignities of unemployment—from visiting the Georgia Department of Labor office to watching bills pile up with no paycheck in sight.
Finding connection in comedy
On May 28, Millard debuted “After Careful Consideration” to an audience of about 25 at the festival. Opening night went “better than I ever could have imagined,” he said. His hesitation evaporated. “I no longer felt any sense of hesitation or reservation about talking about my struggles,” he said. “I didn’t ask to be put in this situation, but I’m in this situation, and it’s time for me to make the best of it and have a little fun while doing it.”
He performed the show five times, and the most rewarding part, he says, was the response. People approached him after nearly every performance to share their own stories—or those of spouses and partners. Many told him they felt too ashamed to talk openly about their job loss. “In a way, I feel that I’m helping them tell their story,” Millard said.
He plans to keep talking about it even after he lands a job. “I don’t think enough people are talking about the human toll of unemployment,” he said. “If my own story helps someone else deal with unemployment, then to me, it’s worth it.”
New tactics for the hunt
Millard’s approach to job hunting has also shifted. Instead of firing off applications “into the void,” he is focusing on building “human connections.” About a month ago, he set up a folding table near a popular Atlanta walking path and handed out free water bottles with copies of his resume. A sign on the table read: “You need water. I need a job. Let’s help each other out.”
“I think it might open up more doors than applying online could ever do,” he said.
Whether or not the water-table gambit pays off, Millard has already found something valuable: a way to turn rejection into art, and isolation into solidarity.
Source: www.cnbc.com — https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/07/45-year-old-turns-job-search-into-a-one-man-show.html
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. Do your own research and consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.
