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

I lost my tech job at 37 and had to move back in with my parents. I was embarrassed, but more than anything, I'm grateful.

Tech Insider : Business, Politics
Trevor Gebhardt and his dog Hank in his LA Apartment in April 2024
Trevor Gebhardt and his dog Hank in his LA Apartment in April 2024.

Courtesy of Trevor Gebhardt

I was laid off from my corporate job 5 years ago. Turns out, it was the best thing that could've happened to my career.

Tech Insider : Business
Author Alesandra Dubin sitting on the steps to a plane
Getting laid off from my corporate journalism job pushed me to build a new career for myself rooted in freelance writing.

Alesandra Dubin

I'm still looking for a job 8 months after my layoff. I have 20 years of experience and can't get hired — I'm scared.

Tech Insider : Business, Economy
woman applying to jobs
Jennifer Gittelman says one regret may be holding her back from getting hired.

Maria Korneeva/Getty Images

Government workers on the prospect of DOGE-fueled layoffs: 'It kind of feels like we're being villainized'

Tech Insider : Economy, Politics, Business
A photo illustration of a person in a shirt and blazer holding a box of office binders and snippets of hundred-dollar bills and résumés in the background.

Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BI

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