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.
Molly Levitt
At the time I was laid off, I was actually getting really good at what I did. I was sourcing great pieces, building relationships, making the right connections. I had already started to treat it like a career, not just a job. When the layoff happened, I had this moment of pause. I could either start the job search cycle again, which I knew could take months or even years if I was aiming for bigger companies, or I could take what I had already been building for someone else and make it my own. Read More>>
Lena Ve
After earning my Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management in 2021, I was eager to begin my career from the ground up. I accepted a role at Robinhood as a Customer Service Representative while studying for my SIE, Series 63, and Series 7 licenses. My goal was to build a foundational understanding of the company and work my way into the HR department. Read More>>
Michelle Arias
Getting let go was the push I didn’t even know I needed. Don’t get me wrong, it was a gut punch in the moment. But once the dust settled, I realized it was actually a blessing in disguise. I had been pouring so much energy into building someone else’s business that I ignored the little voice in my head saying, You could do this on your own. Read More>>
Jasmin Whitson
Layoff Is Just a Layover
I’ve had the amazing opportunity to be laid off three times in my life. In the Bible, the number three symbolizes divine completeness, wholeness, and perfection (wink wink—God always has a plan). If I hadn’t been laid off on those three occasions, I wouldn’t have developed into the person I am today. Read More>>
Corin Sweeny Deinhart
We are living in a moment where there doesn’t appear to be a secure career route. The current Presidential administration is responsible for the termination of thousands of federal employees, billions of dollars in funding, countless avenues in critical STEM and humanities research, educational opportunities, and the chance for most working people to pursue the American Dream. What I perceive as the end of my short-lived career as an academic historian, was a slow, almost unnoticeable burnout that was definitively punctuated by the moment the Trump administration took power. Read More>>
Christopher Lee
I’ve personally be laid off twice in my career – once due to COVID, and again due to the wave of tech layoffs in the spring of 2023.
What’s vital in these times is context. These layoffs were not endings – there became opportunities for learning and for taking on risks around my career and skills that I previously did not have time to develop. With the COVID layoffs, and with the government stipends being provided to the many people that became unemployed at the time, I took it upon myself to travel the country for 2 months to experience parts of the country I had not yet been to and to follow the art of the BLM movement. Read More>>
Pete Cohen
If you’re reading this, it’s likely you have faced unemployment at some point in your life. I know how it feels to think you’re the only one going through it, because I’ve been there too, several times actually. I know how isolating it can feel, but you need to know that you’re not alone. I get it, and so many others do too. Heres my layoff story: Read More>>
Kyle Roe
When I first moved to Texas, I got a job at a car dealership. I thought it would be a great way to get involved in the community and a solid opportunity to make good money. Just one week into the job, I got into my first-ever car accident in my personal vehicle. Thankfully, both parties walked away safely. Since I was at fault, I assumed it would disqualify me from working at a dealership—but surprisingly, it didn’t. At the time, I was relieved, thinking I had dodged a bullet. Read More>>
Jessica Berger
Turning Setbacks into Success with Bayou Barkery
When I faced unexpected job loss from my corporate career, I had two choices: dwell on uncertainty or take a leap of faith. I chose the latter. Instead of letting fear define my future, I embraced my passion for animals and turned it into something meaningful—Bayou Barkery. Read More>>
