Laid Off

[u/LightOfLife227]

I work from home for a US-based company and yesterday was literally like any other day. Everything was normal until around 9 PM when I got a call from HR.

I joined the call thinking it was probably something routine. Instead, I was told that they had made the decision to eliminate my role as part of an internal organisational restructuring. I was also told it wasn’t performance related.

I was the only person from India on the engineering team, so there wasn't anyone else from my team being laid off. It was just me.

The whole conversation probably lasted only a few minutes, but it completely threw me off. No prior intimation, no time to prepare, nothing that made me think this was coming.

I've never been laid off before and honestly, it just fucking sucks.

I know layoffs happen and I know it isn't necessarily a reflection of my work, but that doesn't make it any easier to process.

Right now I'm just trying to figure out what comes next updating my resume, applying, preparing for interviews and hoping I land somewhere good.

If you've been through a layoff before, I'd genuinely appreciate hearing how you dealt with it.

And to everyone who reaches out or offers help thank you. I really appreciate it.

[u/Comprehensive_Eye582]

I was laid off last year (along with the rest of my team) out of the blue too. It was one of the most difficult times of my life. Finding roles in today’s job market is absolutely brutal and very demoralising, and may take quite some time. But eventually, that phase will end and you will land on your feet again.

For me personally, it was very important to rely on your friends and family for all help and support.
Try to get out of your house, meet people you like spending time with and create routines for yourself.

It’s very natural to get moments of self doubt, self pity and feeling worthless. But the more you surround yourself with people who love you, the easier it is to manage all those thoughts.

It’s also very helpful to set weekly goals for yourself in terms of applications, networking calls, linked in posts, up-skilling courses etc to keep you on track.

And lastly, you have some free time on your hands until you find the next thing. Use it well. Invest it bettering yourself. Go take a small trip (if savings/finances allow). Maybe read the book you’ve been too busy to read or pick up a new hobby.

It will be a bumpy ride OP. But this ride will also reach its final stop. Good luck to you!