One year ago today, I lost my job.

​On January 8th, 2025, the rug was pulled out from under me. For the first 48 hours, I was in a daze. After 14 years in the industry as a Tech Lead, I suddenly felt clueless. ​When the dust settled, I realized two things: My resume was a relic, and my skills weren't interview-ready. I made a choice that felt risky at the time: I stopped. I didn't rush to apply. ​Instead, I did something unconventional for my seniority level: ​I enrolled in a guided, paid course usually meant for juniors. ​Despite the "plenty of free resources" out there, I knew I needed the structure and the discipline of a guided path to find my focus. ​I spent weeks brushing up on the fundamentals I hadn't touched in years. ​By late February, I entered a "bad" market (especially in Embedded). LinkedIn and job boards weren't enough. I reached out to everyone—school friends, neighbors, old colleague3s. I put my ego aside. ​The result? A month of silence followed by a flood of 5-6 interviews a week in March. I faced rejections for pay, for "fit," and for "resume mismatch." But by late April, I had the offer I wanted. ​I took a full month off to reset before starting on May 19th. Looking back, that "layoff" was the best thing that happened to me. It forced me to unlock a version of myself I didn’t know existed. ​Lesson: Don’t be afraid to go back to the basics, no matter how many years of experience you have.