My husband was laid off almost a year ago, so I'm now both the breadwinner and default parent. I sometimes resent him.

Tech Insider : Economy, Business, Travel
a distraught couple looking at their finances at the kitchen table
The author (not pictured) is now the breadwinner after her husband was laid off.

Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images

I was the breadwinner until I lost my tech exec job. Now I resent my wife's pursuit of a low-paying career.

Tech Insider : Business

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

After 2 layoffs and a breakup in New York, I booked a one-way flight to Asia. Travel changed how I define success.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
A woman standing on the DMZ between South and North Korea.
Spending two years traveling across Asia, Australia, and Europe helped Macie Strum define success.

Provided by Macie Strum

I felt ashamed to be laid off. After a nearly 2-year job search, I quit looking and embraced a new path.

Tech Insider : Business, Environment, Style
Laura Zimmermaker
Laura Zimmermaker is no longer actively job searching.

Courtesy of Laura Zimmermaker

I felt pure happiness when I was laid off from Microsoft after 14 years. It was the green light I needed to start my own business.

Tech Insider : Business
headshot of a woman in a black shirt and blue blazer
Tatiana Teppoeva.

Courtesy of Tatiana Teppoeva

I never thought my family would need SNAP benefits. Then, my husband was laid off just after I had our third kid.

Tech Insider : Business
A woman with a baby and an empty shopping basket in a grocery store.
The author (not pictured) was grateful for SNAP benefits after her husband was laid off in 2023.

Oscar Wong/Getty Images

I'm a recruiting manager in tech. Here's what I'd do right now if I were worried about being laid off.

Tech Insider : Business
a woman poses in front of a blue house in a denim jacket
Bonnie Dilber.

Courtesy of Bonnie Dilber

I was unemployed for year after being laid off twice. Here are 4 things that gave me the confidence I needed to keep chugging on.

Tech Insider : Business
Jasmine Lee
Jasmine Lee says facing two layoffs in two years felt like a quarter-life crisis.

Jasmine Lee

Juggling 3 freelance jobs works for me. It's stressful at times, but I'm my own boss, and my businesses are thriving.

Tech Insider : Business
The author wearing a blue tank top and sunglasses on her head.
The author has been working three freelance jobs for the last decade.

Courtesy of Kate Oczypok

I'm still unemployed after applying to 100 jobs since my layoff. Many of us job seekers don't need a dream job — just stability.

Tech Insider : Business
headshot of a woman on a gray background
Sarah Cate Patten.

Courtesy of Sarah Cate Patten

Subscribe to laid-off