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I was just laid off after 5+ years at an amazing startup and I'm feeling lost...

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Anonymous

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I was just laid off after 5+ years at an amazing startup and I'm feeling lost...

Before this company, I had only ever held IC positions and had nothing worthwhile on my resume. I got lucky being hired there, a friend's sister happened to be a manager and was looking for cheap labor at a startup. After about 8 months my remote team was eliminated and only 2 of us were invited to start commuting to the office. A few months after that, they hired me as a salaried employee with benefits and supervisory responsibilities. I've been bouncing through the company doing whatever roles they needed me in since, and killing it. I've been an operations manager, a customer service team manager (training & scheduling, no hiring/firing), a tech support analyst, and eventually I joined a company that they had acquired, as hybrid client support and developer support (I learned how to navigate and manipulate our databases as needed to resolve several issues without team involvement, to take work off their overloaded plates). I loved it there, I worked with amazing teams and learned so much that I never would have had the opportunities for.

Then the company folded and the section I worked in was acquired. The new company said I was redundant and dropped me without any chance to prove I could be worth keeping.

I don't know what to do with myself now. I was with that company since it was tiny and watched it grow so much and I feel like I've lost a significant part of my identity. I feel like I've lost family.

I know that I like working with data and what I need to make to keep up with the bills. I don't have a degree, which is something every data analyst job seems to demand. I can't exactly afford the time and money needed to get a bachelor's degree right now, I need to find work before unemployment dries up. And I've never gotten a job with a resume, it was always just knowing the right people at the right times. Pretty sure I'm screwed.

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  1. Anonymous

    I'm sorry you are going through this.
    It really stinks, but it most likely had nothing to do with you and your skills, it's just business. I've been laid off twice in my career and both times it ended up being a blessing in disguise because I ended up finding something so much better. Take a little time to grieve but not too much time and then try to think of this as an opportunity to find something fresh and new. Good luck!

  2. Anonymous

    I am sorry you are in this predicament. It sounds like you have all the makings of an awesome resume, and can probably pick your positions. You may want to look for a consulting agency that requires your skills. This can lead to a permanent position and allow you to continue to hone your skills.

    As for your degree, that could be a problem, particularly in a job performing analytics. Check out some online programs that will allow you to do your classes on your own time. There are also some flexible schedule programs out there that can allow you to work at your own pace. In the meantime, check out certification classes in data analytics through places like Udemy and Coursera. Without a degree, a certification will increase your chances.

  3. Anonymous

    So sorry you're going through this! Hopefully there's people you still stay in contact with that will vouch for all the many hats you wore over the years at your former employer. Although you don't have a degree you could get a certificate; it looks better to employers and might get you past initial resume scans.

  4. Anonymous

    Sounds to me your skills increased significantly and for that alone, you will move forward with your next position.

    Imagine walking in the first day (previous job) and being told you’d be responsible for everything you listed!!

    Can you them as a reference?

  5. Anonymous

    Hi everybody, original poster here. I just wanted to let you know that I managed to land a new job with another startup in the same industry as my old one. The pay is slightly lower, but the benefits are much better, so I'm calling that a win. I appreciate the advice and empathy that I received here.

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