"I've been unemployed for a year and a half. Before being laid off, I lived in LA and worked in marketing and communications at a startup. I was making around $125,000 and still felt poor. After five years at my last job, I was handed a layoff like it was nothing. I moved back to where I grew up in Tampa, Florida, because I didn't have the savings to sustain myself in LA."
"I've relentlessly networked to find a full-time job, taken on freelance projects, and worked in retail. I feel like I'm working harder than I ever have and yet making significantly less money than I did before. My friends who aren't dealing with long-term unemployment don't see my crisis as a crisis. That can be really hard, but I've worked on removing the emotional intensity from the situation."
A 38-year-old marketing and communications professional was laid off after five years at a Los Angeles startup and returned to Tampa when savings ran out. Prior salary was roughly $125,000, but the role felt unfulfilling and disconnected from real impact. The person experienced some relief at the layoff and now faces over a year and a half of unemployment, persistent job searching, freelance gigs, and retail work. Financial strain intensified despite initial unemployment benefits and severance. Friends often minimize the situation, prompting deliberate emotional distancing. The individual reports working harder for less pay but feels happier living in Tampa while still seeking a full-time role.
Read at Business Insider
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