In last 18 months survived at least 3 layoffs, now mentally I am broke, can't focus on doing anything, constant fear of getting laid off, visa makes it even harder to think about.
What do I do? how to cope with it?
Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
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Re: Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
#2just get laid off! then it'll be impossible to worry about.
worry about what's in front of you, do your best.
maybe taking a proactive step about layoffs will prevent your worry. hatch a scheme. make a move. secure your job.
Re: Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
#3just get laid off! then it'll be impossible to worry about. worry about what's in front of you, do your best. maybe taking a proactive step about layoffs will prevent your worry. hatch a scheme. make a move. secure your job.
If I get laid off, need to immediately go back to my corrupt country. Do I want my kids get absolute bad education, bad environment to grow up? No.
It's not easy to get visa to USA again
Re: Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
#4just get laid off! then it'll be impossible to worry about. worry about what's in front of you, do your best. maybe taking a proactive step about layoffs will prevent your worry. hatch a scheme. make a move. secure your job.
If I get laid off, need to immediately go back to my corrupt country. Do I want my kids get absolute bad education, bad environment to grow up? No. It's not easy to get visa to USA again
Ok the problem is the loss of visa then. Not normal layoff.
Re: Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
#5Earlier quoted context omitted.
If I get laid off, need to immediately go back to my corrupt country. Do I want my kids get absolute bad education, bad environment to grow up? No. It's not easy to get visa to USA again
Ok the problem is the loss of visa then. Not normal layoff.
you are not wrong. Problem is, consequences layoff might bring to our lives. For some people finding a job is taking 3-4 months, financially I can afford myself not having any job for a year, but visa makes it very difficult for us to stay.
Re: Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
#6Use the time to write applications. I did that while working in a temp contractor company, they play the same game making people afraid of losing such a shitty job.
My behaviour was completly different then, i went there knowing i shit on their desk on the last day, what i literally did.
I clocked out earlier and went home, i ignored all call from the stupid fucks.
Went to the interview and won a great job.
Re: Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
#7just get laid off! then it'll be impossible to worry about. worry about what's in front of you, do your best. maybe taking a proactive step about layoffs will prevent your worry. hatch a scheme. make a move. secure your job.
If I get laid off, need to immediately go back to my corrupt country. Do I want my kids get absolute bad education, bad environment to grow up? No. It's not easy to get visa to USA again
Try to get a job that’s less risky w.r.t. impending layoffs, even if it pays less or has fewer career opportunities.
That could even be in a country that has better rules for work visa holders that get unemployed. For example (https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/blue-card/essential-...) “If you become unemployed, you have three months to find a new job. If you are still unemployed after three months, your EU Blue Card may be withdrawn”. That’s far from ideal, but better than “immediately”.
Also, save as much money as you can. Having to return home while having savings may be a bit easier.
Re: Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
#8just get laid off! then it'll be impossible to worry about. worry about what's in front of you, do your best. maybe taking a proactive step about layoffs will prevent your worry. hatch a scheme. make a move. secure your job.
If I get laid off, need to immediately go back to my corrupt country. Do I want my kids get absolute bad education, bad environment to grow up? No. It's not easy to get visa to USA again
As if our US 0f A is not corrupt, but you can believe what ever makes you happy
Re: Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
If I get laid off, need to immediately go back to my corrupt country. Do I want my kids get absolute bad education, bad environment to grow up? No. It's not easy to get visa to USA again
As if our US 0f A is not corrupt, but you can believe what ever makes you happy
it is, but I haven't noticed it in smaller scale, daily things. You don't bribe school to take your kid, you don't bribe kindergarten and many other places. Every country has different issues, but USA has 1st world issues, compare it to other countries where people are starving. Totally different topic to debate
Re: Ask HN: How to cope with constant fear of getting laid off?
#10As other commenters point out, you actually fear deportation if you lose your US visa. Getting laid off might cause that to happen.
Talk to a competent immigration attorney so you understand your options. The US offers a lot of visas.
A company circling the drain and going through rounds of layoffs will get to you eventually. If the company doesn't have huge problems that make you think it will lay everyone off and go out of business or get sold for IP, do what you can to keep the job. Make yourself indispensable. Do something no one else wants to do. I kept a job through three rounds of layoffs that took people senior to me by making myself the only person who understood the product database. Another guy at the same company knew the build process better than anyone else and survived as long as I did. We both had some time and runway to find other jobs instead biting our nails waiting for the surprise Friday afternoon meeting with HR.
I can't give specific advice, but you need to figure out how to keep your job, and that may mean stepping out of your comfort zone. One thing for sure: worrying and living in fear of something you may not have a lot of control over won't help, you need to take control of your life.