The Honest Truth About Being Laid Off

I was laid off on May 24, 2023 at 6:40 am from Meta by email.

When your company is in the 4th round of layoffs, somehow you get used to the uncertainty!

I always feared the worst would happen but in May, I was even more confident! I worked longer hours, I was assigned some of the most impactful projects (at least, that’s what I was told), and I had become more experienced and used to the tech rhythm. “I am safe here”, at least that’s what I thought!

When the news finally hit me, I experienced a sense of… RELIEF. But not relief from being laid off but relief from the continuous uncertainty of not knowing, leading me to a somewhat acceptance of my situation — “Well, I guess now I know I need to look for a job.”

I messaged close friends about the news and learned that the rest of my team had also been eliminated. Misery likes company and in that moment, it felt good knowing I wasn’t alone.

“So, how are you? How can I support you?”, my friends would ask me

I would look at them and say: “I don’t know, I really don’t know. ”

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Being laid off was like going through an unwanted break up

I cried everyday for a week: in the mornings and sometimes throughout the day. Sometimes, I would be talking to friends, then stop and start crying by saying I had been laid off. It was tough!

The feeling of being less worthy took over my thoughts every day

Was my work that good? Was I worthy of the job? Will I ever be able to find the same level of job and pay? Am I enough? No matter how much I worked on detaching myself as an individual from the company, these thoughts came up often.

Toxic positivity was just as harmful as negative thoughts

Some people would come around and share what a great opportunity to learn about myself, develop my skills, and spend time with my loved ones. All of this is right. But not everyone processes emotions as fast as we want.

Some of my colleagues started looking for a job on Day 1. I got drunk! It took me two months to open and sign my Separation Letter from Meta. We’re all a little different when it comes to how we process emotions!

Competing with ex-colleagues was an undesired reality

It was inevitable not to “compete” with my colleagues for similar roles at the same companies. When it first happened to me, I panicked. I questioned myself even more and doubted my abilities even further.

The work visa restrictions added an extra layer of stress

Getting laid off is never fun but getting laid off while you are on a visa is even less fun. One day I was working at this super cool job and the next day, I needed to find another job within three months to maintain a valid status.. This additional layer of stress added extra pressure to the situation along with the time with it being the peak of summer! To add, finding a company that covers visa costs makes it even more challenging. With the rigorous interview process in my industry that could take around 4–6 rounds of interviews or a month worth of interviews, it’s like running against a clock for 12 weeks!

After four months, I guess the worst is now behind me. Below are a few strategies that helped me cope throughout this process:

TIP 1: I found the expressions: “I was let go”, “I was part of the company’s social plan” as good expressions to describe my situation especially when I started interviewing. Wording matters and these expressions helped to not get emotional every time a recruiter reached out.

TIP 2: Don’t feel like you have to explain your situation to everyone. Finding comfort in your network does not mean you have to inform everyone in real time of your life updates. Select your people.

TIP 3: Not everyone has a high level of emotional intelligence, most people mean well but they don’t say it well. Find people who meet you where you are/ support you as you need without judgment.

TIP 4: Don’t agonize thinking you are less than someone else who got a job you also interviewed for. Everyone has strengths, you just need to find yours and show it to the right organization.

TIP 5: I think we don’t understand the emotional impact of a layoff until we actually experience it. If you have been there or are going through it now, I hope you found comfort in my words. In case you wonder, you are not alone. Feel free to share your story in the comments below.

The upcoming content I have is a bit more practical. See below:

1. [10/24] Laid Off? 3-Month Plan to Find a Job
2. [11/07] Want to Help Laid Off Colleagues, Do This
3. [11/21] 5 Lessons I learned From Surviving a Layoff
4. [12/05] 10 Steps To Take If You Are Afraid of Being Laid Off Next!

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Daniela