I got laid off at 57 and couldn't find work for 20 months. I had to sell my apartment and work odd jobs to make ends meet.

"I had spent the majority of my career in HR when I got laid off from my six-figure management job. Over the next year and a half, I went from living in an apartment with all the bells and whistles, not even thinking about money, to going on food stamps, selling my belongings, and moving into a friend's basement - all because I couldn't find a job. At 57, I couldn't help but feel like my age was working against me in the market."

"I applied to any HR position I could find, even entry-level coordinator roles on job boards like LinkedIn and Indeed. The response was rejection after rejection. I even hired a professional résumé writer for help. It was $450 that I didn't have, but I was striking out so much on my own that I thought I'd give it a try."

"In September 2023, I received a call from my boss saying he bank where I worked was restructuring, and my role would be eliminated the following month. I felt extremely disappointed, but I had been restructured from a previous role at the start of the pandemic, and it took me a few months to find a new job. I figured this time around it would take me at most 60 days."

Amy Smith lost a six-figure HR management job at 57 and searched for work for 20 months. Her job loss triggered severe financial decline: she went on food stamps, sold belongings, and moved into a friend's basement. Persistent rejection led to depression and feelings of suffocation. She applied widely, including entry-level HR roles, and paid $450 for a résumé writer despite limited funds. Multiple restructurings had previously affected her career. After 20 months she secured an HR generalist role she loves. She learned resilience, appreciation for job stability, and the importance of simply getting up each day.

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