After I graduated school, woman boss hustle tradition was in full swing, so naturally, I did what any aspiring woman boss would do when getting into the workforce: I joined a startup. However after lower than one 12 months on the job, the corporate was acquired, and I used to be again on the hunt for work. Quickly after, when I discovered one other job (clearly at one other tech startup), in addition they shortly received acquired. This cycle continued, and over the course of eight years, I labored for 5 firms, performed a task in 5 acquisitions, and skilled a number of rounds of my coworkers and myself getting laid off.
To say working in tech was a curler coaster is an understatement. I used to be pushing myself, working lengthy hours and weekends, affected by an intense case of imposter syndrome, and TBH, crying quite a bit. So, in 2023, when the final software program firm I labored for was acquired, I first felt panicked, however then, I surprisingly felt relieved. What was I going to do subsequent? How can I get off this endless layoff cycle? What got here subsequent was my probability to begin over, personally and professionally, and I’ve to say, it’s been top-of-the-line issues that’s ever occurred to me.
Forward, I’m sharing how I dealt with my subsequent steps, from grieving the profession path I assumed was proper for me to discovering a assist system and ultimately touchdown in a model new business that lights me up. If you happen to, too, are in a layoff season, I hope my story helps you discover a bit of little bit of aid and hope in your future.
I allowed myself to really feel all the emotions
I don’t need to sugarcoat it—getting laid off is tough, even when you realize it’s coming. I used to be warned about my layoff earlier than the day got here (fortunately), however that didn’t cease me from struggling to course of my feelings. Day by day after being laid off regarded completely different, and I needed to study that it was regular to expertise it that method and, furthermore, that it was OK, too.
Some days, once I was prepared to beat the day, I’d get up, go to the health club, have a wholesome breakfast, drink my greens, sit down at my desk, and apply to each job I got here throughout. However then there have been days once I simply wished to cry and binge-watch actuality TV and never take into consideration my lack of employment. At first, I felt unhealthy about having these unhappy days, however I spotted that I wanted the unhappy days to provide myself the mind house for productive, constructive ones.
My further time was spent really enjoyable, prioritizing my wants, and connecting with who I used to be outdoors of my skilled id.
I prioritized self-care in a brand new method
Early in my profession, it was really easy to fake that I liked “hustling.” If somebody requested me to return in early or keep late, I at all times mentioned sure as a result of I assumed that was what I needed to do. Everybody else was doing it with a smile on their face—shouldn’t I be doing the identical? As time went on, it turned clear that “hustle tradition” was very a lot not for me. I dreaded waking up and going to work daily, I used to be scared to talk up in conferences, and I used to be changing into overly important of my work. On the time, the one “me time” I constructed into my routine was once I would spend hours taking exercise lessons, which I did principally so I didn’t need to be close to my telephone to take care of work emails or calls.
With no work hours taking on my day after I received laid off, I began by making some easy swaps for myself to make my life extra constructive. I swapped my high-intensity exercise routine for a extra low-impact pilates and sizzling woman stroll routine, the place I’d additionally hearken to a podcast or audiobook. I unfollowed accounts and left communities on social media that weren’t positively impacting my sense of self, together with advertising and marketing/hustle/girlboss model newsletters. And I turned regular nights right into a luxurious spa expertise for myself as a result of I should have “me time” at dwelling with out having to flee my units and with out 30 different sweaty folks in a room.
Whereas I’ve at all times valued my psychological well being, I noticed a shift within the ways in which I prioritized it after my layoff, and I’m unsure I’d have ever slowed down if I hadn’t misplaced my job. I actually wanted a change of tempo with a purpose to get my psychological well being and self-confidence again on observe. My further time was spent really enjoyable, prioritizing my wants, and connecting with who I used to be outdoors of my skilled id.
I leaned into my assist system
Though all of my colleagues received laid off concurrently me, I nonetheless felt fairly alone. My advertising and marketing profession was my id for therefore lengthy that dropping my job felt like I used to be dropping an enormous a part of who I used to be. Fortunately, my family and friends gave me the time and house for me to lean on them a bit of heavier than I usually would want to throughout this time. They talked extra on the telephone with me simply because, listened once I wished to run an concept by them, and helped me keep centered on my future. My boyfriend (now my fiancé) was there to hear and provide recommendation, and he even prioritized date nights to assist me escape a few of the stress I used to be experiencing.
Outdoors of my family members, I by no means missed a weekly remedy appointment as a result of I knew I wanted it further throughout this overwhelming time. After my layoff, it was my complete assist system that helped me notice that I used to be not “Emily the Content material Marketer.” I used to be simply Emily, and Emily might do no matter job she wished, be whoever she wished, and be supported it doesn’t matter what.
I networked with extra folks in new industries
As a lot as I used to be dreading discovering a brand new job, I knew I needed to get again on the market. I made a decision to use past what I had been doing for nearly 10 years and check out issues that I had the potential to do. As a startup marketer, you put on too many hats, which makes for demanding work days but in addition offers you a lot marketable expertise like product advertising and marketing, gross sales enablement, technique, web optimization, and extra. And amongst my many expertise was my potential to attach with a audience, so I leveraged this in a brand new solution to join with hiring managers and catch the eyes of recruiters—my very own private audience.
With my checklist of expertise in thoughts, I utilized to varied jobs throughout completely different industries—not simply advertising and marketing. I broke down my expertise and created completely different variations of my resume to match. For instance, I had one resume that was centered on my content material advertising and marketing expertise, one other on my product advertising and marketing expertise, and one on my editorial expertise. The job I used to be making use of for decided what model of myself I’d current.
This not solely helped me develop my search, however it related me with extra folks, sparked new conversations, and helped me find out about completely different industries. And if somebody reached out and wished to talk a few potential position, I took the decision for not solely the follow but in addition the potential potentialities or contacts that would come from it.
I discovered my dream job
I had spent a couple of months specializing in what was necessary to me, switching up my every day routines, and reimagining what kind of life I wished for myself. The reality is that working in tech advertising and marketing was by no means what I wished to do. I at all times wished to work in editorial, however I had thought I used to be doing the accountable factor by working in tech.
Whereas job looking out, I handed a job on LinkedIn a few instances and thought it was out of my league. Regardless that I had some editorial expertise, content material expertise, and even had an editorial resume able to go, I nonetheless by no means hit apply. However in the future, the recruiter from that firm really reached out to me, asking if I’d like to use. Regardless that it was a part-time position and I desperately wanted a full-time paycheck once more, I wished it so badly that I discovered myself taking an opportunity on the chance. Fortunately for me, all the pieces labored out the best way I solely might have dreamed.
After I was lastly provided the job, it was provided to me at 40 hours per week as an alternative of 20! So now, I spend my days at a dream firm, engaged on an editorial crew, centered on matters I care about, surrounded by colleagues who encourage me daily, and utilizing my writing and advertising and marketing expertise in a brand new method. Taking the leap into a brand new business was scary, however I’ve my layoff to thank for pushing me in a brand new route.
Taking the leap into a brand new business was scary, however I’ve my layoff to thank for pushing me in a brand new route.
Last ideas
Getting laid off is rarely simple, however it’s attainable to show a horrible state of affairs into a chance for development. If you happen to had requested me originally of 2023 the place I noticed myself in 2024, I’d have advised you I’d be a advertising and marketing chief at a software program startup. I’d have additionally advised you I liked that plan for me once I actually hated it. Now, I can say that getting laid off in 2023 sucked, however it taught me a lot, and 2024 is shaping as much as be top-of-the-line years of my life.
In case you are in the same season of life—whether or not you’ve been just lately laid off or are simply scuffling with not loving what you do for work—enable your self to really feel all the emotions, prioritize self-care since you deserve it, lean in your assist system, and in case you see a list for a job you assume is out of your league, apply anyway. I promise you’ll be glad you probably did!
Supply: The Every Girl
