If in the US your insurance should not be deactivated, you should have the ability to take over the payments under COBRA.
Update your LinkedIn!
Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
21–30 of 78 posts
Re: Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
#22I would start job hunting right away. Though after accept the new job offer, be sure to leave yourself some off time to take a vacation or relax yourself.
Don't recommend to do vacation before new job landed though.
Re: Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
#23As a sidenote, this post highlights why your first priority when you have a decent paying job should be saving ~6 months or so of expenses so that if something like that happens, you have an immediate safety net to fall back on. There are too many people in the Bay Area making 6 figures salary and living paycheck to paycheck (exorbitant rent + car lease + student debt payments + weekends in Tahoe + nice brunches + bu…
All that's required for living paycheck to paycheck in the Bay Area is a willingness to pay exorbitant rent. The other stuff is a distraction from the real cash drain.
Re: Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
#24Sorry to hear about your bad luck! it will be ok. some ideas:
1) COBRA for health insurance.
2) if you dont have ongoing health issues, don't worry too much about medical expenses. theyre negotiable and not as impactful in the past.
3) relax and treat it like a vacation
4) negotiate with landlord about reducing rent or subletting or breaking lease
5) interview, be happy and positive, see what you can land!
Re: Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
#25As a sidenote, this post highlights why your first priority when you have a decent paying job should be saving ~6 months or so of expenses so that if something like that happens, you have an immediate safety net to fall back on. There are too many people in the Bay Area making 6 figures salary and living paycheck to paycheck (exorbitant rent + car lease + student debt payments + weekends in Tahoe + nice brunches + bu…
All that's required for living paycheck to paycheck in the Bay Area is a willingness to pay exorbitant rent. The other stuff is a distraction from the real cash drain.
I don't know. I could easily spend $200 bucks a week on lunch and dinner alone.
Re: Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
#26- First outcome => Working for a startup is riskier than working for an established company. - Second outcome => Do I want to work for a startup again in the future? No. - Third outcome => If a startup is successful, the outcome is disproportionate between the founders and the employees. But, it if fails, we're all equally unemployed. Do I really want to be an employee at a startup? nope.
I agree that working at a startup as employee number whatever is high risk/low reward (even when given equity). I would either start my own start up (high risk/high reward) or work for a larger established company (low risk/low reward).
Re: Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
All that's required for living paycheck to paycheck in the Bay Area is a willingness to pay exorbitant rent. The other stuff is a distraction from the real cash drain.
I don't know. I could easily spend $200 bucks a week on lunch and dinner alone.
Right. And, at least for a family, rent is 3k-4k+. Where's the real cash drain?
Re: Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
#28It happens, especially when working for a real [ie., risky] startup. Even though it feels personal, it's not.
First, work on your stress level. Health coverage needs to be addressed soon. Look up COBRA and the grace period, that should give you some peace of mind. Look at your bank account. Hopefully you have some savings.
Next, keep in mind that it's easier to find a job when you already have one, than if you are unemployed. So activate your network. Did your startup have competitors or partners? They may be interested in your experience. Ping you college friends. Where are they now?
Re: Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
#29Where are you located? What skills do you have to offer? What are you interested in doing?
Re: Ask HN: Laid off. Now what?
#30In addition to the excellent advice here:
Take a moment and feel really good about the work you did, even if the company didn't succeed. Celebrate that you probably contributed a lot to making a small startup survive for as long as it did. Acknowledge that was in some part due to you, and then write down the things you felt most proud of.
Keep that paper with you every time you interview, so you are reminded that you did good work, and have a positive story about why you will bring a lot of value to your next role