EDIT: To clarify, I haven’t literally been unemployed for 3 years straight. I’ve managed to land a few contracts, oddball gigs, manual labor, whatever i can find. I consider them all gig-work, seeing as they’re not consistent W-2 employment.

I started a coding bootcamp when I was 21, in 2021.

It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Ten months of feeling like I was being waterboarded with information, and ways of thinking I had never done before - wondering if I'd just thrown away my savings for nothing. But it worked. I landed a software engineering job making more money than I'd ever thought possible just six months after graduating. I got a raise. I moved into my own apartment. I started buying furniture instead of whatever I could find on street corners labeled "free". I stopped feeling like I was surviving and started feeling like I was actually building a life.

Then I found this house!

It wasn't some huge mansion. It was just... mine. A garage, a finished basement, a space for my hobbies. A place I could picture proposing to my girlfriend, marrying her, and starting our life together.

I moved in!

And got laid off two weeks later.

We got married anyway, just with me unemployed.

For the last three years, I've treated finding another job like it was my full time job. I wasn't casually sending out a few generic applications a couple times a week. I've spent almost every single day applying, networking, tailoring resumes, building side projects, learning new skills, reaching out to recruiters, interviewing (whenever I could get one), trying to stay relevant. The literal only day I didn't job hunt was our wedding day.

Three years.

I failed.

Next week we're moving out of this house because we literally can't afford food. I have two cavities, and my wife and I are having "welp, I guess this is it" chest pains. I rarely sleep.

The part that's genuinely almost funny (in the cruelest possible way) is that we're moving into my wife's old complex. One door down from where she used to live.

It feels like life realized I was actually starting to get somewhere, and promptly grabbed me by the collar and just kept swinging. Layoff. Final-round rejections. Contracts that stopped paying. Savings evaporating. Watching the future we'd planned slowly get traded and sold piece by piece to pay rent. The house is what hurts the most.

I'm not mourning the square footage. I'm mourning what the house represented. It was the first place that felt like the beginning of my adult life. It was where I was supposed to build things. Where I actually had space for woodworking, leather crafting, my darkroom, It's where I imagined the next decade happening. Instead, I'm packing what will fit into boxes. The rest goes to facebook marketplace.

I keep thinking about the version of me that signed the lease. That thought he'd finally made it. He had no idea almost everything he'd spent years building was about to disappear.

I'm going on 28. I'm tired of starting over. I want kids. I want to be able to afford to go to the doctor. I want to be able to buy toothpaste without feeling guilty. I want to rest with my wife.

I feel like I've been at the end of my rope for literal years. But the rope is just one of those clown-handkerchief routines where it just... keeps going. I'm genuinely getting tired of waking up.

Hi everyone. So my (27F) husband (33M) has been jobless since November 2024. He is on employment insurance since. (Toronto)

He’s a software engineer by profession, graduated from UofT and worked on contract for like 5 years and then got laid off. He has been looking for a job since November 2024.

And in the meantime he has only got like 3 interviews which didn’t reached out to him after the 2nd round. What could it be? I don’t understand?

Is he not qualified enough? Is he not applying consistently? Is the market that bad that he can’t find a job at all?

24M.
I work at Wells Fargo and everything thats happening around here, I am convinced they are going to lay off me within 5-6 months.

I am preparing for job switch but not much hopes as I am not getting any interview calls

Dont know whats in the future.

Today, I told a laid-off-co-worker of mine to apply for the same job I applied for, I am deep into the interview and there are multiple positions open. He has experience that could be competing, but he has three small children and I could not overlook trying to help him. We both need work after layoffs. I hope both of us get hired in this ugly and terrible job market. Karma, go do your thing!

AMAZON CUTS JOBS IN AGI UNIT AMID STRATEGIC SHIFT...!! 🚨

- ​Unspecified number of roles eliminated from the AGI division.

- ​Shift in focus towards customer-facing AI and practical applications.

- ​Follows earlier companywide cuts of 16,000 roles in January.

- ​Affected U.S. staff receive 90 days of pay and support.

Well it finally happened. First time and a lot of emotions. Not surprising - tech, private equity ran scale up. Company wasn’t meeting numbers and over hired. High churn among customers and employees, and with ai the product value is no longer there. Heavy micromanagement, proving of value was a constant with hard push to ai above all else; we even trained ai to do our jobs. Signs were there. At first I was sad, but then relieved, now worried but still relieved for it to be over. I don’t want to work in tech ever again. It’s too unstable and toxic.

I recently got laid off, and I am trying to find ways to get my commuter benefits money back on my Clipper card. I asked multiple times of the Finance Institution about withdrawing from my commuter benefits account, and they said I can't unless there are receipts before the date of my layoff. And the institutions said any Clipper amount after that was deducted to my HSA account, and this is owed tothe IRS and I have to repay that amount. There is 400 dollars on the card. I just want to cash this out and repay the IRS.
Please help. DM me or ask around if someone would be able to buy the Clipper card.

It's been almost 30 days since my layoff, and somehow it's finally hitting me. When it first happened, I went straight into survival mode. I updated my resume, started applying immediately, reached out to my network, and honestly believed I'd be back to work pretty quickly.

Now, I feel like I've hit a wall.

My household has completely changed how we spend money, how we grocery shop, what we eat, and what we say no to. Opening the fridge and seeing it so empty compared to what our normal used to be has become this constant reminder that life doesn't feel like my life anymore.

The rejection emails don't even surprise me anymore. I'm getting rejected from jobs I'm overqualified for. I'm getting rejected from part-time jobs. I've done recruiter screens, multiple interviews, and even full panel presentations, only to never hear another word. Sometimes this whole process feels less like interviewing and more like a humiliation ritual.
What hurts the most is that I didn't lose my job because I wasn't good at it. I was recruited into a startup, left a stable position, and only four months later they laid off a huge portion of the company. My entire life changed because of a business decision that had absolutely nothing to do with my performance.

I've cried more over the last couple of days than I did when I was actually laid off. It's like my brain finally caught up to what happened. Every rejection chips away at my confidence a little more. Every interview that goes nowhere makes me question myself, even though I know this job market is incredibly difficult.

And my ego...I didn't realize how much of my identity was wrapped up in my career until this happened. Having to swallow your pride, apply for jobs you know you're qualified for, apply for jobs below your experience level, and still get rejected over and over again is incredibly humbling in the worst possible way.

People keep saying, "It'll get better."

I know they're trying to help, and I appreciate that. But unless you've actually gone through something like this, those words can feel so empty. Sometimes I don't need someone to tell me it'll all work out. Sometimes I just need someone to acknowledge that this really, really sucks.

I've also learned a lot about people. Some of the people I thought would check in haven't. Meanwhile, people I never expected to hear from have been the ones asking how I'm doing. It's been eye-opening in ways I never expected.

A few years ago during COVID, I had to rebuild my entire life from scratch after losing everything financially. I worked so hard to create stability again, and this layoff has reopened fears I thought I'd buried years ago.

If there's one positive thing that's come from this, it's that it's completely changed how I look at life.

I've realized that no matter how hard you work or how valuable you are, you're ultimately disposable to a company. That's a hard truth to accept when you've spent years tying your identity to your career.

It's also changed the way I look at money. Now I even more-so question everything, and every purchase. I have also been a huge saver and I honestly don't think I'll ever go back to the same spending habits I had before this experience.

I've even found it harder to relate to some friends who are in a much more financially secure position. Not because I'm bitter or don't want good things for them, but because this experience has made me hyper-aware of how quickly stability can disappear. Things that used to seem like harmless purchases or everyday luxuries now make me think, "What if everything changed tomorrow?". And watching people spend money so carelessly does sting.

I know this feeling won't last forever. I know I'll work again, I have to. I know this season will eventually become part of my story instead of my reality.

But right now? Right now I feel helpless. Angry. Embarrassed. Like a failure, even though I know a layoff isn't a reflection of who I am.

Right now I feel like a stranger in my own life.

If you've made it through this, or if you're in the middle of it too, I'd genuinely love to hear your story. I think I just need to know that this feeling is normal and that one day I'll look back on this version of myself with compassion instead of disappointment.

***Quick disclaimer before anyone suggests it: I've already filed for unemployment. I'm applying for jobs every single day, sometimes every hour. I'm tailoring my resume, networking, interviewing, and doing everything people tell you to do. I'm not really looking for job search advice right now. I think I just need to know I'm not the only one who's felt this way.

3 years ago, when the local economy was burning, leadership begged us to stay. They introduced a USD-pegged allowance as a lifeline to keep the engineering floor from jumping ship. Now that we've spent the last six months building the company's new internal "AI-driven architecture," they are stabbing us in the back.

Word just leaked from HR who discussed and flaunted her top level connections on the shuttle that Rehans team with a consulting firm planning to axe the peg entirely at the start of next quarter for the vast majority of us. it will be executed gradually 50% , 25% , 7.5% like wise

Expect a All hands townhall on Thursday - Friday and Expect Lise Monohan to sweet talk on Monday onwards.

In a normal, functioning company, a massive structural change like this would be grandfathered in meaning existing employees keep the compensation they signed on for, and only new hires get the downgraded package. But not here. They are retroactively stripping it from the veterans who actually built the platform, enforcing an immediate 30-40% pay cut across the board.

Their justification? Thushera ,who joined year back from ADL ,he did the same to ADL before, claims our new AI tools "wink wink" have increased developer velocity so much that they no longer need a large, highly compensated engineering division. Instead of doing standard layoffs and paying out proper severance, this is a calculated stealth layoff.

They know people will be forced to quit, and they are relying on the very automation we built to cover the gaps.

But here is the absolute kicker: while they are pulling the rug out from the rank-and-file, they are simultaneously introducing massive "specialized retention allowances" for a select group of so-called "top talent." Thusheras favorites and the few AI leads who championed this platform are getting their pay padded. They are literally funding their own inner-circle bonuses by taxing the rest of us.

This isn't just about a payroll update. This is a targeted slaughter of senior / mid level engineering. They are using "AI" as a smokescreen to gut the payroll, force out tenured staff without severance, and funnel the savings directly to their chosen few.

If they get away with doing this to us, your company will be next. This is the new corporate playbook to starve developers out of the industry.

Who else is dealing with this dystopian nightmare? Are we supposed to just sit here and train our algorithmic replacements while funding the bonuses of the executives who sold us out?

Rehan Anthonis, who came from a third-class BPO, misled the management and played a central role in this major failure alongside Thushera, whose actions have been detrimental to the company.

The U.S. management deserves to know the truth: the Sysco Speaks survey was swept under the carpet, and no meaningful action was taken despite the concerns that were raised. This represents a serious failure of leadership, transparency, and accountability.

We will continue to bring these issues to the attention of the appropriate stakeholders and ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their decisions and actions.

TL;DR: Thushera and HR is retroactively robbing our pegged allowance instead of grandfathering it in. They are using "AI efficiency" to force a stealth layoff, while secretly funneling our lost pay into new "top talent" bonuses for their favorites. Polish your resumes.

My company laid off a lot of employees without any prior hint within a day or two globally. My team got impacted, but I am safe (as of now, not sure of next quarter layoffs though). The workload has ever increased and people are not being nice at all to coworkers. There is a lot of bias, politics , keeping up the appearances and a general environment of mistrust among coworkers and my peers.

Just being good at your work and being ethical does not cut it anymore. Holding this job till next quarter (next round of layoffs) itself is a dread.

How do people, who remained in company after layoff, deal with such negative consequences so that each day is not a dread? How to keep sane till next quarter to be able to prepare for new job? I am stuck between keeping up my appearances, defending my work, and studying for next job and mental health deterioration.

TL;DR : Company laid off people in my team, there are more expected layoffs on the way and people are behaving paranoid and ugly with each other. How to deal? Atleast till the time I can study to prepare for another job?

Monday.com is laying off about 20% of its workforce (roughly 630 employees) as it restructures around an AI-first strategy. The company says the move is intended to create a leaner organization and accelerate investment in its AI Work Platform, "not simply to cut costs".

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/22/monday-com-lays-off-hundreds-to-focuses-on-ai/?utm_campaign=daily_pm

Well, as a silver lining, despite layoffs, Monday.com plans to continue hiring for strategic AI-focused roles. may be a sign that SW companies are looking for some additional skills ?

What package did you get?

Hi,

I was first laid off 4/28 and was very motivated to job search for a couple of months. I was the picture of "this is what you should do when you get laid off." I had interviews that went well, but I wasn't selected in the end.

In July, my motivation to job search has waned. It's so hot and no one is hiring because they're all on vacation.

In the mornings I exercise and take care of basic chores/life tasks. In the afternoons I should start job hunting, but my energy dips - I see my large stash of delicious fiction novels and it's hard to help myself.

Any tips on regaining motivation?

Just got laid offed 21M, kind of don't know what to do. Iv been working my first IT job in hardware repair for about 8 months now trying to get my foot in the door. I'm going to school for my bachelors and also do home labs at home.

The company biggest customer put us on pause for 1-2 months and there's absolutely no work without them. I got my hours reduced last week and now officially have been laid off. My supervisor told us she encouraged we look for work and file for unemployment but also said once our customer comes back we will let you guys know. I don't know if they just say that to say that or if it's actually for real.

Should I go and look for a job asap? I feel like it would be hard for me to get another IT job , should I just take anything at this point? I still want to have a career in IT and I'm just lost right now as iv never been fired or laid off before

Any advice or feedback is appreciated, as I'm currently filing for unemployment right now

During these uncertain times I was always cautious as to the certainity of my job and a steady paycheck so I always put in extra efforts and maintained a very strong irreplaceable kind of resource thing going on (atleast thats what it looked like) .

My manager regularly stated as how important and valuable resource I was openly and also gave me very good hikes . However suddenly I got a meeting invite and came to know that I am laid off with a decent severance but still have to work and pretend everything was okay for 3 months .

I was shocked as how can someone who was treated so well in the team be fired when there were far too many idiots in the team and also 3 months ago 25% of my team was laid of and it was communicated that we wont be affected for this year again . My manager said it came from the higher ups but my question is how will the higher ups get my name if u did not provide it.

Its been two weeks now since then and I have started preparing again for interviews . If any of you went through any similar situations some words of advice will be good as too how can I make the best out of this moment .

I just got a job in february that I enjoyed very much, and the entire time was under the impression that the last few months were a training period, and that afterwards, I would get a pay raise from 15 dollars an hour, to something a little better because that is what i was told when hired and by other employees. The only critique I’ve ever gotten was that I was little slow when it came to organizing / sorting the books. I never once got a critique on my main position as a cashier / customer service rep. I move into a new studio apartment that costs a bit more than what I was previously paying since I didn’t have a roommate no longer. The job knew about this and even helped me move into my new place. But that following Tuesday morning when I got to work; my manager is there waiting for me and asks to speak with me in the office. Laid off right then and there, they were dodgy with the reasons I am being laid off, and gave the impression that it wasn’t exactly because of anything I did and was more so a product of the economic situation of the store and that’s the reason they had to lay off another employee a few weeks prior. There was one day that wasn’t too great, it was also a few weeks prior to me being laid off.

I accidentally emptied the register when giving change to a customer. My manager blew up at me, and retreated to the office. It shook me up pretty bad, and I had to go to the break room to wipe my face because I started crying. But when I went back there, I heard my manager talking shit about me behind my back(the main managers office is connected to the break room, but the door was usually closed.) that shit hurt so bad, and the manager peaked into the break room and saw me. Immediately started to realize and cooled down.

When talking about the policies and aspects of my job with my friends and family, they told me that it sounded like I wasn’t exactly in the “in” with the click dynamic the store has with its managers and other employees. But I defended the managers because of times where it seemed like they genuinely cared about me as a person.

I took extra shifts every chance I got, and the manager before has even said he owes me one and that I was a good fit for the job. But now it just feels like they were using me because of how busy their store got that time of the year.

At first after I was laid off, I truly believed that it was because of just unfortunate circumstances regarding economic shit. But when I finally got the lay off letter I requested to help me find a new job, I was stunned and felt absolutely betrayed.

“Dear (my name),

This letter is to inform you that as of June 1st , 2026, we no longer require your services at (the store). We appreciate the time you spent with us but due to attendance and poor performance issues, we will be terminating our employment contract with you.”

This obviously doesn’t help me find a job at all. And it’s just not fucken true, I have screenshots of the conversations I had with my manager about him saying he owes me because of the amount of additional extra shifts I picked up. There were only a few times I was late because of the metro and they knew, because other employees(who are still hired there) deal with those problems as well.)

It hurts so much, to be used like this. And now I have no income, I’ve been able to get some commissions and was able to pay for a month’s rent. But I haven’t been able to find a new job, and I am struggling to get food, and now I need 875 dollars for upcoming august rent. Worst of all, I’m still getting fucked by my ex employment, because of the way my last paycheck was given to me, it didn’t take taxes off, and was super unprofessional and now without getting the pay stub for it to see my gross earnings, I can’t qualify for food stamps until I get that documentation from my ex boss, but it’s been several days since I emailed and texted them, and there’s nothing.

This last month and a half has been the worst time of my life, I feel alone, I feel like there is nothing worth doing, I don’t want to be like this anymore, I don’t want to live like this. I feel trapped. I don’t have family to help me because they are out of the country / state and are also dealing with financial hardships. I feel terrible because I’ve had to ask some of my friends for financial help. But now, I just don’t see an end to it. I don’t know I can make money to make rent and my other bills.

I’m just so tired. I just want to be happy. But right when my life was finally getting some stability, I get fucked over. I don’t want my life to be like this and I’m trying. But it seems like nothing I do is working.

I could also use emotional support. I’m in a rough spot mentally. I don't know what to do, every job i apply to, I haven't heard back from, or worse they acknowledge that they are hiring and then just ghost me. things are not looking up, and i dont want to lose my apartment.

Laid off in may. Was in marketing at a corporation and saw it coming, and was trying to leave before it happened.

I feel like I am someone who doesn’t really have technical skills - I’ve been a writer and editor but the competition in those fields is insane these days and I don’t love how the future is looking with AI and all that. Plus, I really don’t like the work I have been doing, I don’t enjoy marketing, I hate working in an office.

During this time of unemployment I’ve gone through something of an identity crisis. I have no idea what I want to do. I’ve been dabbling in pet care, but that has earned pocket change so far. I enjoy it and like getting to interact with both people and animals but I don’t know how viable it is as a living.

In the midst of the crisis I’m just becoming extremely depressed. I’m supposed to help on a writing project for a friend and I’m so tired that I can’t bring myself to do it. All I want to do is sleep. I can make myself food, walk dogs, do the motions but I feel allergic to anything job-hunt related. Thinking of returning to an office makes me feel despair but I just don’t know what to do.

If anyone has advice or insight I would appreciate it, thanks