Man shares brutal reality of job loss and career burnout: 'At this point, I’m numb'
The Reddit user said that his latest termination was unsurprising as a private equity firm had acquired their company earlier this year.
A man has taken to Reddit to share his experience of being laid off, describing the emotional and practical challenges of navigating job loss in today’s volatile market. In his post titled “Got laid off today!” the man shared that this marks his fourth layoff in a 20-year career. He said that his latest termination was not surprising, as a private equity firm had acquired their company in January this year.
“I got laid off today. Not a shock, a private equity bought us out earlier this year, and I knew the axe was coming. They made massive cuts in January this year and I figured I’d be gone next year. Turns out they didn’t wait that long,” the Reddior wrote.
“This is my 4th layoff in a 20-year career. At this point, I’m numb to it and have learnt to prepare for this kinda shit. I’ve got savings to keep me afloat, but the job hunt has been brutal,” he added.
The man further highlighted the challenges of navigating an increasingly harsh job market. “I’ve spent the last six months applying non-stop, knowing this was coming and nothing but rejection after rejection,” he wrote.
However, the man remains optimistic, noting that the experience has only sharpened his skills. “Maybe the market picks up next year, maybe it doesn’t. The only upside: all those interviews were practice, so at least I’m sharper for the next round,” he said.
He also reflected on burnout from years of overwork. “Right now, I need to breathe and take a vacation. Years of endless overtime, stolen weekends, and ‘working vacations’ burned me out to the core,” he said.
Concluding his post, the man offered advice for others facing similar situations. “To anyone else in this mess or in a similar situation: brace yourself, save every damn penny, and stop believing in job security, it doesn’t exist,” he wrote.
How did social media react?
The man’s candid account resonated with many online.
“I hear you about the stolen weekends thing. I was laid off back in July and was actually sort of relieved, I got a large severance and that job stole so many of my weekends it felt like it was ruining my life. The job market is abhorrent right now. I literally can't get a single interview even after 2 months of applying to things daily. There are so many people who haven't had to look for a job any time in the last 10 years that think everything is fine and the problem is that I'm just not trying hard enough,” one user shared.
“Been there. On my 3rd layoff in 12 years. The job market is trash right now. Take that vacation, you earned it after all those stolen weekends. Severance + unemployment should buy you some breathing room. Keep your resume updated but don't burn yourself out on applications right away. This shit is cyclical, we'll ride it out,” commented another.
“Sorry to hear. I know how you feel, as I was unemployed for 11 months, but finally started a new gig last month. I 100% agree that everyone should save because there's no way to predict how long you'll be unemployed. I, for sure, never thought I'd be without a job for 11 months,” wrote a third user.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
