I recently went through a tough experience at my job. My company was acquired by a private equity firm that focuses heavily on AI automation and technology. Since then, I've felt increasingly sidelined in my role in operations. Initially, I was excited to be part of the team, but as the new leadership brought in executives from competitor companies, my responsibilities diminished. I’ve noticed my colleagues having daily meetings about training and automating processes, while I’ve been left out despite my efforts to engage and ask for opportunities. It feels like a one-way street where information flows to everyone but me. I've been cut out of client-facing meetings for the past several months, and the leadership has hinted that I may not fit in with the team, especially since I’m not a long-tenured employee. It’s disheartening because I contributed significantly to the projects that trained our automation systems, yet my role has not evolved beyond execution. I feel like I’ve gone from being valued to being invisible, which has taken a toll on my mental health. I’ve been feeling what I can only describe as quiet firing for a while now, and the pace of this change has accelerated with the shift towards AI. I haven’t taken any PTO in over a year, choosing instead to work long hours to prove my dedication, but it seems to have backfired. I realize now that my constant availability may have only made it easier for them to overlook my contributions. I’m really scared about my future. I’ve been applying for jobs for months, including roles with lower salaries, but I haven’t received any interviews. The thought of losing my health insurance is particularly frightening since I rely on expensive medications for a chronic condition. I feel trapped in this cycle of job instability and health issues, and it’s affecting my personal life as well. I’ve never had the chance to live independently or experience the milestones of adulthood due to these challenges. I feel broken and uncertain about what comes next, especially after investing so much time and effort into finding this job. It took me over 4,000 applications and years after college to land this role, and now I fear I won’t find something similar again.