I was laid off for the first time recently, and honestly, it hit me hard. I had been feeling like I was on my way out anyway because the pay was terrible, and I was doing the work of three people. Still, I was blindsided by the actual layoff. Just days before, my manager had mentioned a potential raise, which made the whole situation feel even more surreal. The morning of the layoff, I noticed some unusual behavior from my manager. He canceled our biweekly one-on-one meeting and sent me a new invite for the same time. I had a gut feeling something was off, especially since I saw him in the HR office multiple times over the previous two days. I started to prepare myself for the worst and informed my friends and family about the meeting scheduled for later that day. They tried to reassure me, but deep down, I knew something was coming. When the meeting finally happened, it was confirmed: my job was being outsourced to a third-world country where they could pay someone a fraction of what I was earning. I was the only one in my department, and it felt like a slap in the face. I had been there for three years, and I thought my knowledge would keep me safe, but I was wrong. I can't help but feel angry about the whole situation. Angry that I graduated into a world like this, where job security seems like a fantasy. I'm frustrated that I have to navigate the job market now, where the pay for new positions is laughable. I did receive decent severance, which will help for a few weeks, but I know it’s going to take longer to find something new. On top of that, I’m now left without health insurance, which adds to my stress. This experience has left me feeling bitter and disillusioned with the corporate world.