After a few incredibly tough months, I was finally able to find something, something even better.
More than anything, I feel a sense of relief. Relief in being somewhere where I’m not constantly wondering when the next round of layoffs might happen.
I genuinely feel for everyone still there, and I would encourage you to start exploring your options sooner rather than later. If an opportunity comes up that gives you a chance to leave on your own terms, take it.
I loved the Swoosh. I was proud of the work I did and considered myself a high performer, but the last round of cuts made it clear that, at the end of the day, a lot of it came down to names on a list.
Being laid off affected me more than I expected. It diminished my sense of self-worth and brought on imposter syndrome in areas of my life where I had never experienced it before. Looking back, I wish I had started applying sooner and given myself the opportunity to leave on my own terms.
I still have a lot of respect and appreciation for the people I worked with and the experiences I had at Nike. But looking at where the company is financially, I don’t believe another round of layoffs is going to fix the underlying problems.
If you’re still there and you’ve been thinking about making a move, don’t be afraid to take that step.
The grass really can be greener.