Ask HN: Laid off today for the first time, anything to be wary of? Advice?

Post by alistairSH » Fri, Jan 13, 2017, 9:46 PM UTC

jkchu wrote: post #87

alistairSH wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

* Work on a pet project with a technology you always wanted to work with, get into flow and put it online. This will be the most fun and will give you tons of self-confidence in a very short time.* In addition to the personal mental benefits, as a hiring manager, I would look favorably on this. It shows initiative. It shows that you aren't wasting your time between jobs. Should your unemployment extend to a few month…

This is great advice. I'd like to add emphasis to the importance of creating something that is tangible and complete. The extra effort it takes to actually host and launch a web application or to release an app to the app store will go a long way to greatly improve the weight and impact of your project to your next potential employer.

Post by youdontknowtho » Sat, Jan 14, 2017, 11:18 AM UTC

layoffthrowaway wrote: post #78

youdontknowtho wrote: post #29

Your friends will want to take you drinking. Be careful. Be sure to get lots of exercise and sunlight. I'm serious you have be very careful about slipping into depression.

Thank you, I am aware. I personally do not touch alcohol, and have gone through periods of quite severe depression. Luckily this lay off was quite ideal personally (despite being slightly unexpected), so I don't believe I'll sink back into depression (in fact, some things at the place were starting to make me depressed), but I'll be mindful.

Post by DrScump » Mon, Jan 16, 2017, 3:15 AM UTC

snarfy wrote: post #31

Since you were laid off and didn't quit or were fired, you should head down to the unemployment office so you can start collecting. You don't know how long it will be before you find a new job, and the bills will keep coming in. You may have savings, but there is no need to blow through it when you've been paying into the safety net.