I got laid off recently, and I’m using this moment to capture my journey while it’s fresh; and also use it as a personal catharsis as I continue to find a new rhythm.

Layoffs are always possible

Unless you’re in an extremely secure industry/role, being laid off is always a possibility. In the tech/startup realm, it’s maybe more common than other. This is a reality I’ve put myself in and I accept the constant awareness required to navigate through an arena like this.

Regardless, being laid off sucks; especially when it happens suddenly. The shock is intense and the will power to move forward without anxiety and depression compromising progress is extreme.

Some see it as an opportunity, others experience intense loss and the only thing left to do is find another gig–fast.

The barbaric search

The moment you step back into the world of job searching, you instantly remember how exhausting it is. If you’re privileged to have the right connections, then the experience is a bit more relieving.

But it’s a wild experience nonetheless.

Roles seem to be available everywhere but underneath them is a complex game of smoke and mirrors with a dash of comparison bias. The end all catch is that you have to play this game close to 100 times with a varied level of success and failure.

The game of the job search is not for the faint of heart, but what choice do we have?

Each application requires a sense of “authenticity” but how authentic can you be after sending you 50th application? Is “I love this team, I love this work, and I’m willing to do the best I can; please hire me” authentic enough?

I might be a little sour about it, but I’m putting my feet in the game everyday trying to figure out how I can play it best.

I only wish there were better alternatives than this gladiator sport.

The support of a network

There is somewhat of a remedy to the job search, and that is leaning into your network (if you have one). It doesn’t completely erase the game, but it allows you to play your moves differently which can be a relief.

Doors you didn’t notice can be shown to you, and insights can be discovered that aren’t possible to realize behind the submit application button.

Facing the application process is unavoidable, but if some kind of relationship can be formed through a member on a team or someone who knows someone else then that gives someone playing an advantage.

The game we all play

I deeply love this creative industry that I can to play in; there is a large amount of gratefulness that I am even at the game table.

The support I’ve received from folks has been uplifting and encouraging (any kind of encouragement goes a long way), and I hope others in this position of the job search can feel encouraged/support.

The levels of stress when you’re unemployed are never-ending, and I hope we all can find what we need in record time.

This game can be better when it comes to how roles are portrayed and how applicants are screened, but that’s an incredible challenge that I guess can be hard to focus on when we’re all moving really fast in building business and looking for more work.