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A layoff fundamentally changed how I perceive work

(mertbulan.com)
1041 points mertbio | 3 comments | 27 Jan 25 08:22 UTC | HN request time: 0.653s | source
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DDickson ◴[27 Jan 25 12:19 UTC] No.42840356[source]▶
This article doesn't mention it, but being laid off will change you at a psychological level. It can be a deeply traumatic event.

I was laid off over 5 years ago, and, as these things usually go, it was a complete shock to me. The company had been acquired, and my services were no longer needed. It ended up being a very positive change for my career, but to this day, if I ever get a moment of déjà vu, my immediate thought is to check my phone and see if I've been fired.

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1. seb1204 ◴[27 Jan 25 12:31 UTC] No.42840449[source]▶
Wow, I would not expect this kind of news to come via txt or email. This should be manager/supervisor face to face.
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2. DDickson ◴[27 Jan 25 12:37 UTC] No.42840500[source]▶
I was laid off in a face to face meeting with the VP. Checking my phone might be irrational, but irrational thoughts can be a symptom of trauma. Then again, I do work fully remote, so I'm checking for tell tale signs. Mysterious meetings on my calendar, DMs from the CTO, etc.
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3. shaftway ◴[27 Jan 25 22:16 UTC] No.42846346[source]▶
I was laid off twice, about a year apart. Both affected me deeply, and clearly in a traumatic way. The last one was about a year ago.

My spidey-sense has been tingling for the last couple weeks, and there's a vesting cliff coming up, so I've been looking at my manager's calendar for suspicious upcoming meetings. I figure there are 8 potential firing days left (Mondays, Fridays, and regular 1:1 meetings) until that cliff, and then I can relax.

One of the things that has helped me cope is to constantly be interviewing at smaller companies. It's a lot less stressful to be laid off when you already have another offer on the table.