I just got laid off for the first time in my life yesterday, and it's a strange feeling. I had a sense this was coming due to recent trends at my job in IT, where my team was getting offshored. I was let go along with another coworker as processes became more automated and we started hiring more offshore workers from South Asia. I had been at the company for about two years and had already started looking for a new job a month ago because I was getting frustrated with the direction things were heading. I wish I had begun my job search even earlier to avoid this situation. It feels surreal to be on the receiving end of a layoff, especially since I had spent the last two years deactivating accounts myself. I'm still early in my career, with only three years in IT, so this setback is tough. I know that layoffs are common in my field and given the current trends in tech, I expect this won't be the last time I face this. I'm not looking forward to diving back into the job market, especially since I've heard it's pretty rough out there. Fortunately, I have some interviews lined up, but nothing is guaranteed in this market. I just hope I can find something new soon.