Working a job can be stressful, time consuming, etc, but having no job can be even more stressful and time consuming.
I know this feeling all too well. Back in 2018 I got laid off from my job. It took me almost 6 months to find another job while I collected unemployment. I was offered less than market pay and I knew it, but I didn’t have a choice. I was made false promises that I’d be up for a raise when I had my performance review. Despite good review, no raise.
Fast forward to early 2020, the pandemic hits and everyone at the company gets laid off because suddenly their revenue stream is cut off. I think “not this again” but didn’t waste any time and in the matter of a week I found a temp to perm position as a contractor.
2 months after being laid off (a second time), I get a call back saying that they are making revenue again and they wanted to offer me my job back. I asked for a 20% raise and they wouldn’t budge. I didn’t end up going back to that company which was a risky move because at that point in time I was working a “temp to perm role” with no guarantee I’d go permanent.
Long story short I did end up going permanent and got the 20% raise I wanted. Felt good.
What I find comical in all this is that one of the vp’s at the company reported my LinkedIn page for false information. I hadn’t updated my new job yet. I think they were salty that I didn’t go back and maybe thought I was bluffing (this was when you could get like $1000/month in unemployment benefits in my state).