Five years ago today, I filed for unemployment compensation.

17 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 31,2023 at 4:04PM UTC

   Aww, congratulations!! Although not easy, a wonderful path opened up for you and you are now where you always wanted to be and a promotion to boot!

   I personally love this and can't wait to read more positive outcomes on this platform.

2. AnonymousMay 31,2023 at 4:43PM UTC

   Thank you so much for sharing this. It gives me hope. I'm in a "survival job" now that is not a good fit at all. I'm trying to maintain some energy for myself at the end of the day so I can continue my job search but it's not easy. I want to be selective and find a supportive, sane culture with a non-neurotic boss. Every time I settle for what I don't really want, I regret it. I'm trying to end the pattern once and for all. Thanks again for providing this ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.

3. AnonymousMay 31,2023 at 7:27PM UTC

   Hang in there. I sold cars for two years. I had four managers there, and one was a pure tyrant. Something better will come along. When the dream finally materialized, I felt like I had lost my soul.

4. Kat KarpinskiJune 3,2023 at 12:50PM UTC

   Loved your post.
   Makes me wonder, though...why does it seem so universally hard for employees to "find a supportive, sane culture with a non-neurotic boss"? I have friends in northern Europe and they kind of laugh because they say the crazy bosses / invented culture are such a USA thing. (This crazy but common work culture reminds me of the Apple TV mini series "Severance".) Don't settle, you are so much more than your job, and you deserve that sane place to work!

5. AnonymousMay 31,2023 at 7:03PM UTC

   I definitely get stuck in that work identity mindset. thanks for reminding me that I am worthy no matter where I work. I think it's tough when all society sees you for is what you do for work, which can be true because you are at work more than anywhere else. But not loving where you work is tough. Thanks for sharing your story.

6. AnonymousMay 31,2023 at 7:23PM UTC

   The exact thing happened to me. I was laid off (they even fought the unemployment), but since they hadn't shown just cause (writeups that matched the reason for dismissal), I was still entitled to unemployment. I was 11 months, and my "survival job happened the day my unemployment ran out (I didn't report during the appeal process because I didn't want to have to pay anything back, which unfortunately wasn't a smart move for me). I lasted there for two years, and then the place I had wanted to work for several years had two part-time positions that they were willing to combine into a full-time job (which I needed). I retired from there eight years and two promotions later.

7. AnonymousJune 1,2023 at 12:27PM UTC

   Thank you for sharing this. I feel like I’m about to be in the same boat. I live in fear every day. God help me. I am facing a supervisor now who just can’t be pleased. I do every single thing she asks of me and more. My call times went up two weeks out of the month. Sometimes that happens. Customers are like that. Especially with claims that are new to them or an elderly person. But no, they do not ever take that into account. All my mentors tell me to focus on quality not quantity but I don’t get it. My boss is the opposite. I can literally do everything she asks and she will just continually take and take more into what more I need to do better. I’m very open to constructive criticism as I’ve learned it makes for the better picture but I’ve literally done what she’s asked. It seems to be knit picking now. I love my job but I’m not a confrontational person.

8. AnonymousJune 1,2023 at 12:44PM UTC

   I second this post. I was laid off with no warning after 14 years with a company and a stellar work record. It ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me. I was burnt out in my current field so I looked into other options and while I was on unemployment was able to get a certification in my new field. I also decided to relocate to a different part of the country and landed a hybrid role. I love my new career field and my current job. I’m not sure I would have made these moves, at least not this quickly without being laid off. So sometimes great things can come from bad situations.

9. AnonymousJune 1,2023 at 1:04PM UTC

   I can relate.
   Like many who were furlough during the pandemic. I was in the entertainment industry as an analyst so we were among the first to be sent home, I was told many reasons I was INELIGIBLE after they liked the resume: pandemic was a lie (???!), told I was NOT intelligent (while furloughed, passed SEVEN Microsoft exams for expert-level credentials). The day after the recruiter stated I wasn't "as intelligent as they preferred" despite exams relevant to my career, I also earned a NATIONAL AWARD the NEXT DAY!!!. I actually emailed her the news knowing I would never work at her organization). I didn't want the job after she was so rude but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to show what she had missed

   I was also told because I wasn't married, I was disqualified (??? Very illegal but their loss; job wasn't worth fighting for). They wanted Carol Brady and I had escaped my abuser- their dad - years ago and raised my children on my own while returning to school and working FT. "Not good enough"

   Hang in there....it does get better. Not an easy road, but you will persevere.

10. AnonymousJune 2,2023 at 8:29AM UTC

    Thank you so much for posting this!! I have been working for six months in a terrible position. I didn't see it clearly at first but now it is clear the company hired me solely to provide coverage for a oerson going on maternity leave. She is my manager and is how you describe. She could not be pleased. Angry, impatient and hostile, showing a different face to others. It has been a grueling six months and I do not expect them to keep me, especially given the last straw which I cannot post but shows the company's true intent. I have been diligently searching for a replacement job for months and I hope that my efforts will finally come to fruition this week with a third and final interview. Your post gives me a lot of encouragement. Thank you for sharing!

11. AnonymousJune 2,2023 at 2:37PM UTC

    Needed this as I'm unemployed and had to file for unemployment the past week. Thank you for the encouragement!

12. MelanieJune 2,2023 at 5:34PM UTC

    Thank you for posting! I was working a long term temp job where I had been for off and on 2.5 years. The first year I was the only assistant and loved working with my manager but was let go when COVID hit and because they brought on a paralegal. After a year I was asked back as my manager was leaving and they wanted someone who was familiar with the position to help the paralegal until they could backfill the manager's role. After the manager left the paralegal quit a couple weeks later, this left me in charge of everything until they could replace both positions. I assumed all responsibilities for a couple months until they hired a new paralegal. Once the paralegal started I trained her on all the processes, I even gave her extensive recommendations as to what improvements should be made to limit the amount of mistakes and improve efficiency, which were implemented and rolled out to other departments. There was more than enough work and they brought on additional Temps to help. However it was at this time her attitude started to change towards me. We were all working remote and at one point I didn't get an important email with a critical deadline, I assumed it was because of my internet reception. I told her and asked if she would call me or text me going forward if I didn't respond and acknowledge receipt. Her response was she can't do that and that's not "their" practice. With that I had a feeling it was the beginning of the end, so I started sending myself emails every half hour to ensure I wasn't missing anything, and there were no problems for a long time..... until it happened again! Same situation, everyone else got the email on time except for me! This time I wrote an email to the VP I had a good relationship with and who would often times text me if he sent me something... His response to me was my contract would be ending at the end of the week. Definitely not a team oriented atmosphere, and definitely a lesson learned. I got another remote assignment shortly after, and it was the manager's standard practice to call/text after sending all emails. Strange thing is I always received his emails as soon as he sent them. However, this experience affected me for a long time, and sometimes still does as you can't help think you weren't on point, or you could have done better...?

13. AnonymousJune 3,2023 at 12:56PM UTC

    You did nothing wrong.
    In fact, it sounds like you did everything right… all that the job required and so much more. From what you are telling us, you were blindsided and mistreated. Sometimes bad things that happen have nothing to do with us, we just run up against toxic, selfishly ambitious people who do others dirty. Don’t worry about it, you sound like a stellar team player who will shine elsewhere. Understand those feelings are a trauma response and will fade over time, especially as you regain confidence in your current position or even your own gig someday.

14. AnonymousJune 3,2023 at 1:00AM UTC

    Almost there - and thanks - it is demoralizing when you are blindsided.

15. IntentionGirl475726June 3,2023 at 1:16PM UTC

    This is such hopeful advice

16. AnonymousJune 5,2023 at 10:08PM UTC

    I absolutely love this story and thank you so much for sharing because this is giving me hope! I'm not sure if you get any notifications but did you do anything additional while you were at your "survival job" to make sure you were competitive enough for the agency you were hired for? I hope that made sense but I haven't had luck in my job search and it's been months since I've been let go and wondering if there is anything I can do in the meantime to distinguish myself compared to others?

17. E CJune 6,2023 at 11:02PM UTC

    Sure! I got some relevant volunteer experience (government social service position) that bolstered my resume. I also took a position within the state government as my survival job, which meant that I would be viewed as an internal applicant the next time the position opened (different agencies within the same government = internal candidate, for us). I believe that gave me an edge in getting the interview. It probably also helped that I could use a supervisor from within the same government agency as a reference. If you're able to do something like that, it might help. Wishing you the best.