New ask Hacker News story: Ask HN: How do I move forward after being laid off?
Ask HN: How do I move forward after being laid off?
75 by ryanmercer | 71 comments on Hacker News.
On my birthday, the 23rd, while on vacation with my wife, we were about to head out for a special lunch when I received a message asking me to join an all-hands meeting that had been rescheduled. I thought it might be good news from our CEO as they were headed to a convention the next week and thought maybe thy wanted to get it out before they were busy with that. However, two hours later, I found myself jobless as my YC company laid off about 2/3 of its employees via an unexpected Zoom call. I was in the car with my wife, probably 15 minutes passed before I felt like I could drive us home. I'm still in shock, feeling like everything is normal one moment and then suddenly remembering that I'm unemployed. This is the first time I've been laid off in my 26-year work history. Living in rural Indiana, job opportunities are scarce with even the closest gas station being 15 minutes away by car. I'm 20 years into a 4-year degree with only 62 credits to show for it, which doesn't make me an outstanding candidate when there are gobs and gobs with degrees (and usually more varied experience). I'm seeking advice on how to cope with this situation. How can I stay positive and avoid falling into a funk? How can I justify the high cost of COBRA health insurance with limited funds, so my high school teacher wife isn't burdened by my potential medical debt while being our sole provider? How do I fall asleep at night? If you're experiencing this too, I'd love to know how you're handling it. Anyone know of a slack or discord acting as a support group for those recently laid off? Seeing others succeed would bring me welcomed hope I think. I estimate I have about eight weeks before I'll need to take a job at the Taco Bell or McDonald's 16 miles away to make ends meet, ironically Taco Bell erroneously popped up in my LinkedIn job search results for about a month straight earlier this year, it's like they knew I'd need to be a "crew member" in the near future . I'm willing to do it, but I'm afraid I'll be stuck there for years. I've already lost three pounds since the layoff, as stress has killed my appetite and left me feeling sick when I do eat. Anyone else? Any advice or shared experiences are appreciated. I believe camaraderie can provide comfort during tough times like these.
75 by ryanmercer | 71 comments on Hacker News.
On my birthday, the 23rd, while on vacation with my wife, we were about to head out for a special lunch when I received a message asking me to join an all-hands meeting that had been rescheduled. I thought it might be good news from our CEO as they were headed to a convention the next week and thought maybe thy wanted to get it out before they were busy with that. However, two hours later, I found myself jobless as my YC company laid off about 2/3 of its employees via an unexpected Zoom call. I was in the car with my wife, probably 15 minutes passed before I felt like I could drive us home. I'm still in shock, feeling like everything is normal one moment and then suddenly remembering that I'm unemployed. This is the first time I've been laid off in my 26-year work history. Living in rural Indiana, job opportunities are scarce with even the closest gas station being 15 minutes away by car. I'm 20 years into a 4-year degree with only 62 credits to show for it, which doesn't make me an outstanding candidate when there are gobs and gobs with degrees (and usually more varied experience). I'm seeking advice on how to cope with this situation. How can I stay positive and avoid falling into a funk? How can I justify the high cost of COBRA health insurance with limited funds, so my high school teacher wife isn't burdened by my potential medical debt while being our sole provider? How do I fall asleep at night? If you're experiencing this too, I'd love to know how you're handling it. Anyone know of a slack or discord acting as a support group for those recently laid off? Seeing others succeed would bring me welcomed hope I think. I estimate I have about eight weeks before I'll need to take a job at the Taco Bell or McDonald's 16 miles away to make ends meet, ironically Taco Bell erroneously popped up in my LinkedIn job search results for about a month straight earlier this year, it's like they knew I'd need to be a "crew member" in the near future . I'm willing to do it, but I'm afraid I'll be stuck there for years. I've already lost three pounds since the layoff, as stress has killed my appetite and left me feeling sick when I do eat. Anyone else? Any advice or shared experiences are appreciated. I believe camaraderie can provide comfort during tough times like these.
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