Being unemployed can make every day feel like a waiting room. You send applications, check your inbox, and try to figure out what to do next while life carries on around you. People ask whether you’ve found anything yet, and you try to answer without letting the question get to you. Some days, you manage to stay hopeful. Other days, you’re simply tired of looking.

I know that feeling because I was unemployed when the idea for our WhatsApp group came up. People responded to my posts, shared what they were going through, and vented in the comments. During a call with a friend, she suggested creating a group so those conversations could continue somewhere.

It felt like a good idea. I didn’t have a solution to unemployment or a success story to share. I was still trying to find work myself. But I knew how much it helped to talk to people who understood, especially when you didn’t need another person telling you to stay positive. Sometimes you just wanted to say, “I’m fed up with this,” without feeling like you had to take it back.

So I created the group. At first, it was a place to talk about the job hunt and all the feelings that came with it. Then people began sharing vacancies, giving each other advice and helping with interview preparation. They checked in after interviews and celebrated when someone got good news. The chat started to include more than applications and work. People were getting to know one another.

That’s how a place to vent became a community. Nobody planned it; it happened as people began to care about what was going on in each other’s lives. Someone would remember that a member had an interview coming up and ask how it went. Someone else would share a contact or encourage someone having a difficult week. Small things, but they made the group feel like a place where people were seen.

There’s a particular comfort in talking to someone who has been through something similar. You don’t have to explain why waiting for a reply can make you anxious, or why another rejection can hurt even when you’re trying not to take it personally. They know. And once you’ve been listened to, it can feel a little easier to keep going.

I’ve always wanted to make a difference in people’s lives, but I didn’t imagine it would start with a WhatsApp group. I’m happy when someone finds a job lead or feels more prepared for an interview, but I’m just as glad when someone tells us they feel better after talking. I can’t make the job search easy for anyone. I can make sure there’s a place to talk about it, and that people have others around them who understand.

The kindness in the group isn’t mine alone. I helped create the space, but the members have filled it with their own care and generosity. They share what they know, listen to one another and make time to check in, even while dealing with their own worries.

I was still looking for work when we started the group. I had no idea what it would become; I only knew people were already opening up and needed a place to find each other. I’m grateful it grew into something that has helped people through a hard time. It makes me happy to know that a simple idea gave us a way to be there for one another.