This post was written on February 17, 2024.
As of 2 days ago, 34,000 people in tech, media, and advertising have been laid off.
I am now one of those people.
As the primary income provider for my family, this has been my biggest fear. That makes sense, right – without a steady income, how do we live? How would we manage without that paycheck every two weeks? How would we save for college? Save for retirement? Forget things like family vacations right now. And, worst of all, what if I can’t get back in, given my legally protected demographic? Or find something new?
It’s 7:48 am on the Saturday after I was let go. (I was let go. I was let go!) No sleep came that night. Sleep came last night. I feel… an expected yet odd mixture of hyperactivity and anxiety, with a dose of fear all bubbling under a forced calm demeanor. vAt times. Other times, I do feel fine: not great, not the Queen of the world. But I’ll take it fine and build from there.
I believe that I am fine. One is because I realize that the only part of my job I liked was the people I did it with. Supporting them and trying to make it better for them. The other elements were so… well, let’s leave that alone.
So, if I am fine. And I have some runway… hey kids, save for a rainy day because the rain will come… what do I do now? What happens next?
I have no fucking clue. But here is what I did…
-I told my family and besties. Love, support, and wine truly will be needed on this journey.
-I repeated as often as possible I will be fine, we will be fine. It’s my new mantra.
-I asked for a recruiter and legal referrals. Always have an employment lawyer ready to consult on your situation.
-I made a list. Actually, I made a lot of lists. I now walk around with a notebook 2″ deep to write everything I think of. 2024 tax advice? Who in my network do I contact? Who do I need to connect with?
Then I packed a bag and the car. It’s Feb break week, and we are off on our annual road trip to FL. In fact, I’m writing this from somewhere in VA.
It may not surprise you, dear reader, that this writing canvas of mine will shift from a sour-to-mid relationship and now focus on this journey. All of it: Tips, tricks. Tough days. Good days.
And if you are in the same position – let’s support each other! How are you doing? How are you approaching this journey?
The Real EBC 