Being laid off and how I’ve been working through it

For some weird reason, the first time I was laid off, I felt fresh, free, and ok… I took it pretty well, to be honest, after nine years working for the same company, which changed names four times during my stay, I was ready for, what I thought would be a good few months of doing a bit of nothing, recoup and be lazy for a bit.

This time around, I was a little bit taken by surprise. I had done quite a lot for the company, I was on excellent terms with the CEO; we got along great! I got along pretty well with all the VPs I talked with and my team was small but amazing. One day, the call came, and I admit I was sad at the moment. I cried for a bit during the call, after we hung up, and I started to back up my information, I think I just… stopped thinking. I called my dad, who is my soundboard for practically anything, good or bad, and he said something around “I know. It Sucks. It felt like crap the first time they laid me off too, but, we’ll get through it together”. Listening to this through tears made me feel a bit better.

Something I’ve heard countless times from people who have been laid off is how much it sucks, even when it is from a crappy job. I think, personally this is an ego thing, particularly when you are lucky enough to be able to survive without a job, like I am.

The problem is that I have expensive tastes, and I don’t like to be idle, so I like to work and earn money. As you will learn from reading some other posts, I’m a runner, and I was selected through the lottery for the 2023 Berlin Marathon. Thankfully, most of my trip had already been paid since I got selected in December and got laid off in May. So part of my idleness was sorted that way. I had to train for the Marathon.

I am also part of Toastmasters, so there’s another part of my life where I can keep myself occupied, but this is just once a week, for a couple of hours, so… what to do next?

While I was working, I started a second college degree, trying to get into software development, but, to be honest, I failed miserably. This was an “executive degree”, which meant that it would go faster, and I didn’t need to attend class as it would be recorded and uploaded, along with all schoolwork. This was aimed at people with jobs that didn’t have time to go to school, which seemed perfect for me. Of course, this option was open to everyone, not just the employed, so there were a lot of kids who didn’t have the same sense of urgency as I did. So I stopped.

This time around, a friend of mine from SpeakHers, mentioned a scholarship from Grow by Google to get into several different certifications, so I went and applied. I have now happily concluded my Project Management, Data Analysis, and Digital Marketing and e-Commerce Certifications. I am currently waiting for the scholarship for Business Intelligence. Afterwards I will consider the UI/UX and the Cybersecurity certifications, which are also of great interest to me.

So that’s my week, lately. Wake up at 5 am, just as before, and go for a run, then, after running, I will start looking for jobs that fit my profile, I also started creating this blog/portfolio and studying like crazy. I finished Project Management in one month, and I hope to finish Data Analysis the same way. I just can’t wait to learn something new! My running coach, Toastmasters, SpeakHers, certifications, and job search, keep me busy and, admittedly, satisfied.

Of course, there are good days and bad days. There will be days I break down completely, feeling useless, hopeless, and just plain sad. I ride these days with all their glory, and I let my emotions give in. After a few hours, or, if this happens at night, by the next day, I will feel better and get ready to work again on myself.

I’ve updated my resume, I created a portfolio website, which will be a living document and I feel I keep myself busy and decently occupied.

Once again, I admit I’m lucky, and I am in no rush to find another job, so I can be selective. I’ve had a few interviews, and I feel I need to tweak my resume a bit further, but I’m happy with how I’m doing, and how and where I’m going.

So, take this with you, if you ever get laid off. It sucks, I know, and no cute words will make you feel better. However, give yourself a bit of time to recoup and think of what you want to do. Give yourself a schedule, and try to not get too complacent or despair with how your life is going. This is your opportunity to change tracks, to move into something you’re more passionate about

I had always been interested in what project management was, and now, here I am, with the knowledge I never knew I would have because I thought I wouldn’t have time. I’m scared of numbers, as I’m terrible at math, but, there I go, with Data Analysis, wish me luck with that one!

So, if you get laid off, don’t despair. Find your own schedule for yourself to feel productive and make yourself a better person. You’ll be ok. I’ll be ok… I’m sure we will both land on our feet again, and get something better, because, you know, what? We are awesome, and keeping with continuous learning, and keeping ourselves valuable, will make us even more amazing than we already are. I have faith in us.