I resigned and stayed at home for a year, then took a three-month break. Unable to handle the anxiety, I started looking for jobs near my community.

Small towns are like this—jobs are scarce, wages are low, and most only offer single days off; those with double days off are mostly within the system. I went to several places for interviews, but none were suitable. I thought: just find a job nearby, making 2,000 yuan a month enough to cover meals, and take it slow with the rest.
So I swept the area within 500 meters of my home, about a ten-minute walk, excluding food service and sales positions. The remaining options were few—lottery shops, hotel front desks, clerks, market research.
Applying for jobs was hard without a website or phone number. Unlike looking for work elsewhere, most local positions are filled through acquaintances. I decided to go directly to ask in person. I visited three hotels; two were hiring front desk and cashiers. When I asked about wages, I gave up.
On the way home, I passed by an organization, and the security guard looked at me. I casually asked, “Sir, are you still hiring?”
I didn’t expect much—it's a legal institution. The guard flipped through his notebook and said, “Come in, we’re hiring a general helper.”
So I started doing paperwork sorting less than a hundred meters from home, working from 9 to 6, with weekends off, meals provided, and it was quite decent.
Later, I used this approach again—just knocked on doors—and worked as a part-time teacher in the 90s, a home goods promoter, and a planning assistant at a renovation company. I didn’t earn much, but now whenever someone asks me about jobs, I tell them: stop stressing online, just go ask in person, bring your resume, be straightforward, and they’ll take you right away.