393 Days — Part 1 of 6
The Call
·1 min read
I almost skipped an 8:00 am call.
In the first 10 seconds, I knew I had been laid off.
The first reaction was panic. Then calm.
It was part of a reorg. It was handled professionally. The severance was generous.
There was real runway and transition support after nearly twelve years.
By 3:00 pm that same day, someone called to say they could rehire me. Others reached out.
"This might be the best thing that ever happened to you."
"The market is hot."
At the time, it felt believable.
A few weeks later, the tone shifted. Headlines changed. Hiring slowed.
I did not know that call would begin 393 days of recalibration.