Welcome back to Lunch Break, a weekly newsletter + modern guide to a meaningful career from career coach Janel Abrahami. Brought to you by Pivot With Purpose career coaching program.
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Quick note before we jump in: let’s acknowledge that you probably know someone who was laid off from a Big Tech company this week.
Maybe it was you.
If so– I’m really sorry. I know the feeling, and I’m holding a lot of care and compassion for you.
The tech industry is built on the pursuit of innovation and taking risks, so it is, at its core, a volatile industry that changes all the time. That’s why some folks love it, and that’s also why there are bigger highs when tech bets pay off, and bigger lows when they don’t. Many tech giants have never even been profitable companies yet. We’ll always see splashy reorganizations at tech companies as our apps and tools constantly change. That’s tech.
I want to take this moment to remind you that other industries besides Big Tech are doing just fine. Profitable businesses have prepared their hiring plans for these ebbs and flows, and they’re in a much more stable place to continue hiring– especially in Q1.
Whether you’ve been laid off or have been thinking about making a change for a while, just know– there is still a lot of opportunity for you.
—
On that note, I saw a LinkedIn post on Monday that really irked me.
It read along the lines of: “If you’ve been impacted by layoffs, I feel for you. Everyone else, cool it on the self-promotion.”
It’s unclear to me whether the poster meant to discourage “everyone else” from sharing good news so as to not take digital attention away from the newly-unemployed, or to try not to make anyone feel bad by seeing wins amid their own tough week.
Either way, I disagree.
Because communicating one’s value is not a zero-sum game.
You sharing your experience, skills, and accomplishments does not take away the experience, skills, or accomplishments of anyone else. In fact, it may inspire them to share their own wins or ask for support, too. There is a way to share your own good news while also holding space and compassion for others.
For example: I’ve posts like: “I’m so happy to share that I landed a job I worked really hard for! Here's what I learned from the interview process for this specific industry that could help someone else navigating it right now.”
Or: “I hosted a meaningful event this week with an amazing turnout – here are the top takeaways from our panelists and info on people you can connect with who are also passionate about this topic!”
Basically, I don’t agree with the idea that you need to stay quiet about yourself in order for someone else to seize their own opportunities.
And if you’re into the concept of “abundance” (aka the belief that there are enough resources in the world for everyone) consider this: There is enough opportunity for all of us, and I choose to speak up so I can find the right opportunity for me.
What do you think?
My nudge to you today: respond to this email telling me something you’re proud of! Go ahead and toot your own horn (it’s just me, you know I’m already rooting for you).
Janel Abrahami, Career Coach
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We all deserve to give our families the strongest start. And we can do a lot better than today’s “standard.” So, we built Millie.
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