Changing Careers While in Grad School

Your position has been eliminated.

Five words that no one wants to hear. Ever. I had an inkling that this was a possibility and joked that I invite the layoff and severance pay. I was laid off in 2019, and it was the most miserable situation of my life. My company of 14 years let me go, and I felt betrayed. I felt like all that I had contributed for over a decade meant nothing to them. Yet four months later, I was hired back on only to be laid off again in 2022.

This time, however, I am in grad school. At first I worried about that out of pocket expense with no regular income, but it didn't take long to see that this was a blessing in disguise. Once the dust settles, I will be able to focus on my studies and on securing a position that is more my speed. I no longer have to settle for the constant restructuring and realignments that land me jobs that I have no interest in. I can take my time and find a career that will inspire and invigorate me to do better every day.