In November 2024, I was navigating a big decision: stay on the safe, comfortable path, or leave it behind to work for myself.
At the time, the unemployment rate was 4.3%. The dinner topic with friends who worked in tech was a mix of fear, worry, hopefulness, and ambivalence.
Some colleagues were working harder than ever, trying to keep up with leadership requests, looking “good” in front of their manager, and playing the political game to survive the next round of layoffs.
Personally, and perhaps selfishly, I was secretly hoping I would be part of a layoff. It would be the big push I needed to get my life in order, plus the severance I wanted to have a buffer while I figured out what to do.
But as I waited and waited, it never happened. Months went by, and I finally decided it was time to take matters into my own hands.
Fast forward to today, the unemployment rate is similar to November 2024, at 4.4%. While the anxiety feels fresh with each new headline, it’s been there all along. 2024 was unstable. 2026 is unstable. And if history is any guide, 2028 will find its own flavor of unstable too.
Which means the question was never "when will things settle down enough to make a move?" because the right moment isn't coming. Just like in 2024, it’s time to take matters into your own hands.
Who are you without your job title?
When I finally took the leap, the first month was both freeing and confusing. I was proud to tell people that I quit my corporate job, but I didn’t know how to structure my days and found myself feeling guilty, like I was “wasting” time.