Losing Jobs In A Pandemic
We’re back to where we were over a year ago, & I’m repeating something I shared back then. Save this post for the bad days 💚
The pandemic has been tough for many of us & I am super grateful that I have been able to work, network & learn during the bad times. Last year, things were tough, but I continued working even during the slow months, without any lay offs, because I was confident I could get work- and I did. Things started picking up on the work front in August 2020, and I was quite happy and grateful when I realized that September was totally booked. Because I love what I do I could easily plan out my month and be prepared for work to speed up. There’s a different kind of high I enjoy when I realize that things fall into place because somewhere, in some small way, I could make a difference. Surprisingly my team grew from 3 to 7 of us by the start of 2021. I had got through the worst year, I was most definitely going to be successful.
Unfortunately, things are slowing down once again and I don’t seem to have the same enthusiasm as I had last year. Or maybe it’s a phase (I pray it is one because I miss being hopeful and driven!) and a flashback of all the anxious times we went through. In hindsight, I also feel I might have taken time to process the change, which is why slowing down of business is affecting me more now, to a point where it’s making me hopeless.
But this post is not about how much I love my job or how I am looking out for work now. The pandemic has been tough for many of us and I am super grateful that I have been able to work, network, and learn during the bad times. Today I’m here to have a conversation that I’ve had personally with a lot of people in my close circle, even when times have been tough for me. Because I realized there are so many of us who need to hear this, and it’s the least I could do to help.
Many jobs were lost due to the lockdown. NONE OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT. Losing a job during a global pandemic by no chance means that you are not good enough, and is no reason for you to discredit your skills that you have worked so hard to learn. Many companies have shut down, many companies have had to make decisions that were difficult for them.
I personally know a lot of founders who reached out to their employees letting them know that none of this was their fault, that shutting down or laying them off was a hard decision for everyone and did not have anything to do with the personal capacity of the employee. I want to say a thank you to all those founders because just a small gesture of sending an email or a text or even getting on call to let your employees know goes a long way in maintaining their morale.
The pandemic has caused a lot of unrest and anxiety, and the loss of a job can feel like the absolute end of the world. It’s okay to feel low, It’s okay to feel like you were not good enough, but it’s important that you accept this, acknowledge it, and then seek a solution to overcome it. None of this is your fault.
If in case you are getting frustrated with your job hunts right now please understand that none of this is a personal blow to you — certain industries are hiring but if you lack qualifications for those industries NONE OF IT IS YOUR FAULT. This situation is not permanent and once things clear up you will definitely find something ❤️
Those of you who lost jobs — I really wish there was something I could do to help you. Things are moving really slow right now, and I can only imagine the patience and resilience you’ve shown during these times. I know this sounds super cliched but in hindsight, I can tell you that the Universe always rewards hard work, and sometimes hard work involves staying afloat. Good things await you because you deserve them.
Those who have reached out to me, I am doing my best to see what I can do because I know that things are tough. I cannot guarantee you a job but I can definitely help you with leads whenever I come across them. And if you are looking for someone to join your company, please reach out because I do have a lot of references to give. I hope something works out for some of us, it’s the least I could do.
Also, while we’re on this topic — please understand that we’ve got to help each other out. While I am passing on references, I’d love to take up work too. So if there’s something you want to work on together, PLEASE reach out.
If there are things that you can learn in order to brush up your skills you can always try your hand at that too. Having said that I do not mean that you are not good enough just because you don’t fit into a particular industry. None of us were prepared for this pandemic and I think we are still figuring out how to cope with this.
Seeking out job opportunities or freelance gigs on social media is not desperate or stupid — and if you’ve read this till here & would like to hire me for work, let’s talk 😁🤓 (protima.freelance@gmail.com)
Lastly, remember that you are more than just your job. Easier said than done, I understand. But I also want you to remember that you have skills and characteristics that go beyond your job; it’s not your job that makes you who you are, you have a list of qualities that have been your strength, and that’s something permanent to celebrate.
If you want to talk about this I am here to chat, but I strongly recommend a professional opinion if you have been struggling with feelings of self-worth (and this does not mean you are weak- It means that you want to seek effective solutions to your problems from someone who has the authority to give you the answers)
Let’s help each other out, in whatever way we can?❤️
