Life after my tech layoff
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- čas přidán 29. 07. 2024
- Quitting your job or taking time off from work is a big decision. With the tech layoffs showing no signs of stopping, I thought I'd share my experience with my own layoff and decision to take time off from work. While my layoff was unexpected, I've spent most of my career setting myself up for financial freedom through savings and investments. I come from a modest family and built my savings from a decade of working full time. I'm 5 months in to taking a break from the corporate world and sharing the upsides and downsides to what I've experienced so far!
Please note I'm incredibly fortunate to be in this situation. Not everyone experiencing unemployment has a positive experience and if you've found yourself in this situation my heart goes out to you.
I'd love to hear about your own experience, good or bad, in the comments below. Please be mindful of the sensitive nature of this topic and the different experiences people have with unemployment.
Videos mentioned:
I was laid off, now what? • I was laid off, now wh...
Cabin in the woods: • Escaping the City: My ...
Snowshoe hike: • I Hiked the Snowiest M...
Spending time with my parents: • Washington's Best Begi...
Apartment tour: • Seattle Apartment Tour
Instagram: / anaelisagentle
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:33 Career as a data scientist
2:32 The good 01
3:39 The good 02
5:05 The good 03
6:39 The good 04
7:49 The bad 01
9:15 The bad 02
10:33 The bad 03
Gear I use:
Main Camera: amzn.to/3NY3wut
Main Lens: amzn.to/44SD8rS
Audio: amzn.to/3I1xmu4
Laptop: amzn.to/42uC3VI
Tripod: amzn.to/3MmzT4V
Travel Tripod: amzn.to/3Bk4A49
External Hard Drive: amzn.to/3pyQ4TG
Editing Software: Final Cut Pro
Most people who are unemployed don't have the financial resources to survive beyond a few months so the anxiety of not having a regular salary is very stressful.
Especially if you have a family and you are only income
I can relate as I spent a year after my layoff to myself - lost some weight, read a few books, spent time with my mom. I enjoyed walking/cycling in my city and just exploring and watching the nature or people and going to various events. Also had time to work on my little pet projects (programming related, mostly mobile apps or home automation). Life without work is great. Unfortunately my savings are almost depleted now and I have to find a job. The pressure is getting bigger and bigger, people around me think it's weird. And the biggest downside is explaining this gap to recruiters and HRs. I hate to do it because it feels like I committed some kind of a crime by not working, lol. Received a lot of rejections because of it.
I strongly dislike when I meet someone and ask me what I do.
I can so relate to the anxiety. I quit a job last year after I got so anxious that I couldn’t sleep anymore. After I quit I felt this huge wave of relief! 😅
That's such a big step! You're definitely brave for seeing that pattern and making a change!
I feel like the corporate world is just getting unmanageable. I’ve been in for almost 20 years and the first 10 weren’t really that stressful…work kinda stayed at work, but as of late I can relate to constant stress and anxiety about having a corporate job.
I've heard this from a lot of people. Hang in there
Not just unmanageable, it has taken over your life to the point that you don't even recognize it any more.
true but also feel like it's up to us to put some barriers up, the company may not like it, but too bad.@@illegalsmirf
I’m much further along in my career, most of it spent in 4 corporations. My observation over a couple of decades is that at this point, all jobs in the corporate world are temporary jobs. If you aren’t building yourself a back door with whatever you are being paid, and corporate jobs are generally overpaid, you’re setting yourself up for a post-career life that will involve a big lifestyle drop. And by post-career, I mean life in your 40’s. The days of having careers that end just as social security kicks in are over. The good news about this is that instead of being stuck in alienating, meaningless corporate jobs for the bulk of our adult lives, we can spend a big portion of it doing work that is meaningful to us, if we choose that. All of this is possible if you use the well paid corporate job to set yourself up for freedom.
I was laid off my job in Q1 of 2024 and have been applying so far actively for 1-2 months after taking a month off to recharge. I do not have a family to support but the job market is still brutal. My ending title was a software test analyst / systems analyst at a mid size company that I was at for about 2 1/2 years. The interest rates simply rose too quickly and the company as a result went through a restructure (I was at a financial institution).
Right now I'm not in a rush to get back into the job market although I am applying every single week and keeping my skills fresh. I know it's a bad job market and will take some time to recover anyways. I use the "I was caught in a restructure, and I'm using my downtime to reset and prepare myself for the next job," line. Most employers are sympathetic particularly if you were not FIRED - which is different than a LAYOFF.
As long as you are on good terms with your previous employer, I don't think most companies care how you left or even check for references at this point... They mostly care about if you did something illegal at your last place.
Throughout my 27+ years working in Tech, I've been laid off at least 4 times. Layoff is just a temporary break, you will get a better job later.
Similar situation here! I was laid off from Dell after being in their sales dept for 13+ years. It’s wild because now, it seems like there are not many sales jobs open here in Nashville. So how does one start over and begin another career? Trying to meet with as many people in person as possible to discuss new paths… thanks for the video!!!
I've worked in HR for several years, and the general mindset around resume gaps has relaxed significantly. Having FAANG on your resume is a boost, and taking a "career break" for whatever reason (.i.e. layoff, to care for a child or parent, etc), isn't perceived negatively the way it used to be. Some companies may not even ask about the gap, although I recommend being honest if prompted. Good luck with whatever path you take!
For companies to have taken a position or turning their nose down on folks living life by way of break, is just ludicrous, self-centered & evil
Sorry to hear this happened to you. Also sorry to hear you felt anxiety every day. Happy to hear that you are feeling better.
In all honesty, I have less anxiety after giving my life over to Christ, I'm in the software dev field myself :)))
The advice I received from career consultants is to state “career break” for the gap and focus on discussing what you’ve been doing that helps make you a better person/ worker. I don’t see anything wrong with taking a break due to burnout/ exhaustion.
You're gorgeous Ana, hope you the best.
Thank you.
my advice to young people is to try and get in to a County/State/Federal job, that is a job with a pension system and strong union. I know its not sexy, and they dont throw tons of money at you or perks but I think its going to get very bad for tech people in relation to Ai. I totally think Ai is going to gobble up all the tech jobs, and Ai doesnt need lunch or days off and it doesnt sleep. milestones come very fast working for say the County. 5,10,15 and one day you wake up and you have 25-35 years and you retire with a forever pension.
the loneliness aspect is so real, thank you for sharing this! even 8 months later, it's still relatable
Just got laid off yesterday and have also been in the corporate world for 9 years. Thank you so much for sharing, this is making me feel less alone 🥹
it's been 1 year since this video...are you still unemployed as of April 2024? If yes, did you give up looking for full time employment and doing youtube now?
This is the exact sentiment expressed by most people within the FIRE movement that retire early. I'm planning on retiring at 35 and this seems like a common feeling after retirement.
Retiring early is the dream! Good luck on retiring before 35, I'm rooting for you :)
Can definitely relate to this Anna, I am in between jobs as well as a writer (creatively) that is, and I need a break. I have constant anxiety as well.
I’ve worked in tech for many years. I kind of expected this about 5 years ago so I switched to contract only, the money I made was incredible, invested into real estate and I now travel full time. My advice is STAY AWAY from tech jobs...they are unrewarding, unfulfilling and now allow zero creativity or imagination. The tech world is morphing into its next phase, it won’t need humans it will merely work for humans and become more integral. Ali isn’t quite there yet but it will nail the coffin shut in 2/5 years.
Get in, make as much as you can, get out.
And remember the golden rule with the money you have... “make your money make you money”
very genuine 💟
Ana, you are beautiful! Thank you for sharing your funemployment experience
Thanks 🥰
Great video...
The video is old! Where is the update video? :)
For how long do you plan to live off of savings?
Great video Ana! I´ve been in a very similar situation- quitting my job, deciding to take on less hours at work to be able to concentrate on my passions and starting a YT channel 😊 The money anxiety, loneliness, disconnect from people...I felt that so much!
Thanks, Eva! I'm so glad you can relate ☺️
Are you working now? I was just laid off
I happened on this video after 8 months and just wanted to know how things are now. Our company just went through a small layoff of about 2% of the workforce and I was graciously spared. This situation is just so common in the tech field.
You can always change the direction of your carier.
Mayby go to university and try somsing alse that CS or go to become bookkeeper.
Just don't stop and go,go,go!!!=)
Good luck!
Hi! I gaduated last summer and I was not able to find a job right away in the tech field as a UI or UX designer. After getting dozens of negatives responses and seeing crazy numbers of applicants, I decided to restart working on a business of my own I founded back in 2016 and a CZcams channel related to it. I feel really good about my choice for now so I think you're on a good path. Your life is yours and keep doing what's best for you.
Excellent analysis about loneliness and diverging from friends and former coworkers.
Ana the time off is great and your status as a DS is not lost or gone it's just going from full time to freelance. Many people with your skill set are doing contract and freelance work. I am doing (work from home) contract work as a web designer and shifted from full time to PT contract status. I got caught in Job restructuring as well. The severance was generous and after the unemployment phase. I was offered PT contract work. It's great because I also get to do my art and get the occasional commission or two. Being a 1099er pays the bills and if attractive full time comes in the future that would be great too.... right now I'm having fun. When you have no debt... times like these are not super hard.
This is a really great perspective, thanks for sharing. I haven't quite figured out the contracting world for DS, but I've had my eye out for any interesting contracting roles. I love that you found the flexibility to do art!
how much total savings do you have to live off though? im wondering just to see how much I should also have in the bank for backup.
At least 12 months of spending. 50K at least.
Good for, I'm very happy for you.
You just said that you put a lot of effort into this CZcams channel. Use this experience to leverage the knowledge and experience into your next adventure. Keep positive and up beat.
If you want to know what I did send me a reply to this comment.
Know your limitations. Don’t take on a project to try and boil the water in the Puget Sound.
I’m 70 years old and I’ve had both good and bad experiences in my work life as a Professional Engineer.
Keep publishing if not on CZcams, maybe somewhere else. It is your choice.
Good luck.
you know what the worst part is they laid people off for greed, so they can get their corporate bonus.
I was just laid off this week from Comcast and I am going to take a little bit of time for me before I get back into the job market. I am going to become a full-time content creator, because that was my side hustle when I was working my full-time corporate job, I plan on creating additional videos on my CZcams channel as well as continuing to live stream, but on a more consistent basis. Thank you for this video.
Looked for your channel again just to remind you to keep going ! We’re still here 🫶🏼
i just found out i got laid of today and watching your video now =D
Do you have to pay rent tho? I’ve a $2500 mortgage payment, can’t afford to take time off. I’m a data analyst trying to become a data scientist, bc it pays more
Where do you live 😊
Yep, I pay rent. I worked my way up to data scientist, it's a useful skill set to have in the industry and does give you a pay bump. Good luck!
@@thisguymartin Phoenix area in AZ
@@anaelisagentle thanks :)
@@ni12907 same in Phoenix but not a data scientist
I haven't had any fun lately, 😭❤🙂I love the kind and generous heartwarming atmosphere that you create, your kind, easygoing, warm vibe. ❤I like the essence how you live on. I need to be true to myself and find a job I am passionate about. I want to find a way to live as who I really am.
Fill the resume gap with entrepreneurship or something that has to do with content creation.
Take a vacation in Asia, say, Vietnam (it's cheap) and will open up your mind.
Keep up the good work :)
'Top of mind' Using corporate-speak and acting like a corporate worker even when you no longer work for a corporate ...
Tons of people at us tech companies are complete dufuses
Clap / multiple streams of income
Now is not the time to spend
👍 'promo sm'
Just tell people that you are a content creator...
Such bet you and your crew wished they voted for mean tweets right about now. You're now going to face decades of uncertain jobs opportunities. Do better in 2024.
The US GOVERNMENT is hiring!
I think you should take advantage of the situation and learn how to make money online like make CZcams videos. A beautiful lady like you should have a man take care of you Financially. You don’t have to get a job.
This woman has never known hunger. She has never known the loss or fear of lack of shelter. She has no clue what day-to-day workers face when laid off. I wish her well but she is so out of touch with what the average Americans face that it is embarrassing. I have no doubt she is a dedicated liberal and votes for everyone with a (D) after their name. I hope she never finds out what true unemployment means to her less fortunate neighbors.
She’s just sharing her story and her experience with unemployment and it is relatable and/or interesting to those who choose to watch. No need to be upset that she’s not struggling with unemployment in the way you suppose the average American would be
Interesting and very telling comment George. Although some of what you said might be true, it does not negate the fact that she has a good heart and is very optimistic about her future. Furthermore, I do not know Ana enough to tell if she is a scum sucking liberal and if she were to be one, I can only hope and pray that she wakes up from that deceptive mindset. You know what you know and she will continue to take in the sights and sounds. A few things Ana has going for her is her intelligence and the fact that she has no children or high debt. For if the she did, she'd be going broke really fast living in crappy California. Although northern California is way better than Southern California where I reside. So let her be George, no reason to put her down.
how dare you attack such a beautiful angel ! your just a internet bully .
Great comment George! You’re spot on with your assessment of this spoiled, entitled brat! Most people who lose a job are out there grinding day in and day out to find another job. My bet, is that mommy and daddy have money and are subsidizing her lifestyle. Yep, she’s probably a damn liberal who’s found a way not to be a productive member of society. Oh, and to the person who said NorCal is better than SoCal, 😂😂😂. Lived in both areas. SoCal is far and beyond better than what NorCal could ever hope to be.
Ana is sharing her first person experience, and remember, everyone's obstacles are relevant to their own life circumstances.
If you can't relate to her experience, don't trouble yourself about it, as you are clearly doing.
3:30 - Ok, "project every day"?
Um, if you've "been in corporate" for about 10 years - so you are in your early 30's. Plan on having children? Just sayn'. ;)
Did you return to the tech field?