I graduated with my bachelor's degree in May of 2020 - In the middle of a global pandemic. That sucked. A lot. There were no jobs available in my desired field, so much to my dismay, I started working at restaurants again while I sent out applications on Indeed by the handful. 

I worked my butt off to be mistreated by customers and management alike, never giving up on sending applications, but never hearing back either. Not so much as even an interview. I decided, in January 2021, to go back to graduate school. I thought, surely, that's what I needed. A master's degree in English to set me a part from the rest of the crowd. 

During my master's degree, which I completed online, I moved with my family, 900 miles away, to a new state. My partner and I bought a house in a tiny, mountain town. We enjoyed the solitude and the views, but the job market here wasn't exactly made for English majors. It took me a few months, but by January 2022, I started working as a pharmacy technician to pay the bills until it came time to graduate again and start the job search process from scratch. 

I finished my advanced degree in June of 2022. There was a pep in my step, though my work at the pharmacy was more grueling than any restaurant I ever worked in. I had never been treated so poorly by customers than in that position. It was hard for me everyday to do a job I had no interest in when it wasn't paying me a living wage. Still, I powered through. I did my best. I worked hard. And finally, I got an interview to become an editor. 

It was a dream. The interview process was long, but it was fulfilling because I landed the position. I was finally working a job that gave me purpose every day. I was finally using the degrees I worked so hard to obtain. I enjoyed my coworkers immensely. We were all so similar, and we got along like no work place I'd ever experienced before. 

I was helping people tell their stories every day I clocked in. I learned a lot, and my editing even improved over time. I became more proficient in AP Style, and I became more confident in my abilities as a writer. I worked really hard in that position too. I was constantly in competition with myself, and I consistently stayed at the top of the performance tier in terms of stories edited daily. 

I was adamant on keeping this job. It was a great f00t-in-the-door opportunity for someone like me who didn't have the time or money to do unpaid internships in college. I intended on staying for a few years until I racked up enough experience to take my talents elsewhere, as there was not room for growth within the editing department of that company. 

That dream was cut short after 7 months of employment. I got a dreaded Zoom call, one that I never saw coming. 

"Unfortunately, we've had to make some difficult decisions, and your position with the company has been terminated."

I couldn't believe it. I had worked so hard. I felt like such a failure. Like everything I did was for nothing. I lost my livelihood in the blink of an eye. Like it was nothing. Like it didn't matter. 

I cried. My coworkers, who also got laid off, cried too. We all got together and continued to talk about what we were feeling. We hung out on discord all day trying to cheer each other up. We continue to talk every day, and I'm so grateful for it. The best thing about being laid off was having each other to lean on, but it only goes so far. 

In the month since being laid off, I've applied to 148 jobs. Of those 148, I've gotten 61 rejections, one interview that didn't pan out the way I had hoped, and the remaining applications have not been answered. Discouraging would be an understatement. 

I'm going to continue trying, but it's hard to stay strong and keep a happy face. I'm writing this in case anyone else is going through something similar. You're not alone. 

Bernard

Being Laid Off Sucks. 

A rant. 

I graduated with my bachelor's degree in May of 2020 - In the middle of a global pandemic. That sucked. A lot. There were no jobs available in my desired field, so much to my dismay, I started working at restaurants again while I sent out applications on Indeed by the handful. 



Being Laid Off Sucks.

A rant.

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Ashley Lima

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Being Laid Off Sucks.

A rant.

This is an Exclusive Story for supporters of .css-13w9qce-Text{display:inline-block;color:var(--text-accent);}Ashley Lima

About the Creator

Ashley Lima

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This is an Exclusive Story for supporters of Ashley Lima