After six months of searching post-stereotypical tech layoff, I finally landed my new role and completed my first week! Really grateful to be back at it.

These last six months have been incredibly interesting, liberating, weird, and challenging. It was a much needed chance to pause and reset in a lot of ways. It also was a very humbling experience. Not at all in a negative way, but in the best way. I think sometimes challenges like these bring us back down to earth and more in touch with ourselves and reality. They’re a chance to recenter what is truly important in life to us and to really count our blessings and show gratitude. Nothing is owed to us.

They were also exceptionally difficult, especially towards the end. I prayed so much. And cried a lot.

“God, please reveal to me Your purpose for my life during this time but also always.”
“God, please show me what it is You’re trying to teach me through this.”
“God, I know You have a plan for me and there is a light at the end of this tunnel that I don’t yet understand. Please give me the wisdom to accept that in due time that I will and the patience to see it through.”

It was a test in spiritual strength and emotional regulation.

It’s not easy to try your best, do everything “right,” and open yourself up to constant rejection over and over and over… it’s a vulnerable experience. I made it to several final round interviews that ended with “you’re not the right fit” or “we went with someone else.” It can make you question your own self worth and wonder why you’re not good enough.

And then, it can make you question what your yardstick even is for measuring self worth. It certainly shouldn’t be your career. Or how much money you make. Or your last test score. Or whatever [insert superficial thing that won’t matter once you die here].

For me, it’s my identity as a follower of Christ, first and foremost and always. It’s also the way I choose to love people. And I still had all of that. Despite not having a job.

Months ago, I thought I would never land a job in my field ever again. The New York Times had reported that 2026 has been the worst job market since COVID. Everyday I logged into LinkedIn just to see more layoffs were being announced in the tech industry.

But now? I started my new role, and not only that, but it checks all the boxes that I thought would be too selfish of me to hope for.

Glory to Him.