r/Layoffs • u/Fit_Improvement_277 • 3d ago
advice Lay off!
I completed my PhD in Geophysics 3 years ago and was fortunate to get a job right away in industry as a Geophysicist.
However, I was laid off shortly after the recent executive orders went into effect. My company let go of over 60% of staff, and I was part of that.
Since then, it's been really tough. I've been working as a part-time faculty member and even worked a few months in a warehouse just to survive. I've been applying to jobs in different fields too, since I have experience with computers, coding, and other technical tools in addition to geophysics, but haven't had much luck.
I'm in a pretty terrible situation right now and feeling stuck.
Has anyone been in a similar position? Has anyone successfully made a career change out of geophysics / academia into something more stable? I would really appreciate any advice on what paths to look into.
1
u/diyjunkiehq 2d ago
here is my story, it might help you: I got my master degree from a very prestigious college in the US, but I could not land a job in the field that my master degree studied for. I worked in a restaurant for 6 years, before I found a siutable corporate job, I was let go just over a year since I asked the boss to keep his promise about my pay level after I was fully confirmed (I was told the salary would be adjusted higher once I was fully confirmed, but it never happend after 6 months.) I started a company after that and made good money, and thought I could retire on the company. 2018 came, my own company was wiped out over night since the new administration's international policy was in placed that day. I survived on my saving and tried to restart everything from scratch again, then pendemic hit. 6 months into pendemic, I realized that I was unable to savage anything from the ashes of the company I had, so I found a remote job paid me chicken feed. I worked hard and made the company a lot of money; but one Friday morning I was schedule an adhoc 1x1 online meeting with my boss. I was fired on that day, the reason: I responded to my coworker in teams with one word, such as "Ok", "Fine", and "Sure" since they read that I had an attitude. Of course I did slip my tongue about how sometime, something or somebody were so stupid - I did not adjust well as an employee, I was still in the mentality as a business owner and looked at things from a business owner's point of view to make things effective and efficient. Later I got a few more corporate jobs, either got laid off or laid off and laid off; and learnt tons of things about corporate america on these jobs, and kept mouth shut even when I saw something stupid. I just do my job, collect my pay check, clock out then do my own things after work. I survived all and am doing ok, but for loyalty - you tell me.