One of the most beautiful characteristics about America is the ability we have to fall, dust ourselves off and try again. Layoffs or firings may seem unsurmountable at first, but we’ve seen over and over again how getting laid off can often be the first step towards a significantly more fulfilling future. We’ve shared some incredible stories below.
Paul Gunn
Overcoming setbacks, rejections, failures… anytime when something doesn’t go according to plan can be very difficult. As humans, we tend to crave habit, comfort, stability and predictability. However, as an artist, my entire life has been filled with complete uncertainty. Sometimes I don’t find out till last minute whether or not a booking is confirmed. Read more>>
Jazzmene Ford
Very early on in my marketing career I was fired from my first brand job out of grad school. It was a very aggressive culture that didn’t quite align with my personality. Although I knew I was more than capable for the work, I just needed time to find my footing. This particular leadership didn’t have the patience for my development. It was a very defeating experience and one that could have completely derailed my career if I had let it define me. Read more>>
Chad Smith
Before starting my own company, I worked for a local architectural firm. I enjoyed the work as most of it was community related. The public has a perception large firms employee an army of architects on projects, but the reality is most projects are completed by small teams of people. We were setup in studios of two, as master and apprentice. Read more>>
Elle Baron
In November 2021, my world took a sudden twist: I got the boot from my job. Let me tell you, at that moment, it felt like the absolute pits. I was grappling with a whirlwind of emotions—embarrassment, a nagging sense of failure, and the belief that my career had flatlined. Living as an expat in Sweden, I was very aware that I needed a job to keep my residency status intact. The thought of heading back home with my tail between my legs? Unthinkable. Read more>>
Kevin Eugee Wilson
What most don’t know is in the business of freelance entertainment which is how most of us work in this industry, you’re laid off basically after every project and or show. Only those that are what we call “must hires,” in the business goes on to the next project the company has that you’re working for. Or if you’re apart of the clique, that’s another way to garner job security in the entertainment business. Read more>>
Lyndsey Morgan
Before the pandemic, I never had a clear career path to follow. I kept an open mind, tried lots of things but none of them ever felt right. Each new place was fine for a few years and then boredom would set in. Job after job left me feeling uninspired, unfulfilled and a bit lost. Where do I go from here? is a question I would ask myself daily during another monotonous commute to the office. Read more>>
Sebastian Rivera
I am fortunate to say that I have never been fired or pushed out of any position I have held. Unfortunately, In 2020 I was laid off from my full-time job as an administrator at a university in Southern California. It was a miserable, scary time filled with many questions. Read more>>
Traci McKindra Harper
I was living in Des Moines, IA when I was laid off a week before my sixth anniversary at my first job. To say it was an unexpected change of circumstances would be the understatement of the century. I had just bought a house the previous year and was preparing to make my case for a promotion. Read more>>
Ricardo Mora
About 10 years ago I took the initiative to change careers and signed up for culinary school to go through their baking and pastry program. It was a scary change to make at the time, and I didn’t know if I could cut it as a pastry chef, but I wanted to do something I was passionate about. I worked really hard and did well throughout the program and also spent years working in restaurant and hotel kitchens. Read more>>
Dionne D. Hunter
I worked for a telecommunications company for 13 years, starting as a temporary employee and eventually reaching a senior management position. Therefore, it came as a complete shock when I was let go after experiencing a health crisis, this all occurred during the economic disaster of 2007/2008. Read more>>
Dr Brandy Brown, DNP
1. My resilience comes from my parents. They both made many decisions in life that were not great but continued to overcome them. I refuse to fail which is how my mind is set and so I keep going even when I feel defeated or something just is not going my way. I want to walk away know I have made every possible effort to succeed or gain another pathway. Read more>>
