Don’t waste a crisis — What I learned from losing my job

There’s treasure in every wreckage and let me help you find it.

Losing a job is one of the hardest things, and you have to reframe your thoughts in order to move through

When it happened the first time, I was working in a start-up, biotech company.

I was young, full of ambition and ready to go. I knew that 90% of every start-up fails in the next 10 years. I knew that, but I was a young, optimistic graduate with a masters degree; I have full of belief in myself that with me on board, the company will not fail.

But after four years and four months, something along that line, I can already see the writings on the wall.

The guy from the receiving team was let go.

Then a head scientist left for another job.

Then a principal scientist was let go.

I knew I was next. Before I knew it, my boss said, venture capitalist’s money was running out (burn rate of a start-up pharma is huge, in millions of dollars per year).

The boss said he is considering leaving soon, and encouraged me to look for new jobs already. So, I did.

Did I tell you, at this stage of my life, I was losing my job, the prospect of losing our health insurance is looming, and then I have a 5-year-old in tow?

It was brutal.