Got laid off, feeling lost and hopeless.

Getting laid off without warning taught me everything I need to know about workplace loyalty.

Every time I sat down to write this, I ended up deleting it.
Maybe because admitting it somehow made it feel more real.

A little while ago, I was part of a SaaS startup in the software testing space. I enjoyed the work. The team was talented, the engineering challenges were interesting, and it felt like we were building something great.
It felt like the kind of place where I could see myself staying for years.

Then came the troubles. Everyone knew the funding market had slowed down, but we engineers never paid attention to it. We kept building. We kept shipping. But the runway simply wasn't long enough I guess?
They will call it productivity, budget cuts, or whatever. We all know the truth.

And That was probably the hardest part to accept.

As engineers, we're taught that if we work hard, solve problems, and deliver consistently, things will work out. But startups don't always operate on that equation. Sometimes you can have a capable team and a good product, and still lose to factors you have no control over.

Looking back, I don't even feel angry.

Mostly, I feel disappointed.
Disappointed that months of hard work ended so abruptly. It's even more disappointing that talented people had to start over while management had already spent heavily on rebranding, but couldn't justify investing in the people who helped build the company.

The experience also truly changed how I think about job security.