Today, I reflected on a situation with a former colleague, whom I'll call D. We worked together in the past, and I had reached out to D for a referral after my layoff. Initially, D was enthusiastic and promised to help, but after a couple of weeks of waiting and following up, I was met with silence. It felt frustrating, especially since I was in a tough spot financially. Fast forward a few months, and I noticed D had been promoted and was actively recruiting on LinkedIn. I reached out again to congratulate them and explain my dire situation, but suddenly, I couldn't access their profile anymore—they had blocked me. A year later, I finally found a new job, and out of the blue, D messaged me asking for a referral. They seemed desperate after being laid off. I was left wondering what to do. I’ve learned that during layoffs, some people you expect to help can vanish, while others you least expect might come through for you. It’s a harsh reality, and I’ve come to realize that if someone doesn’t support you when you need it, they might not deserve your help later on.