This book was never planned. It arrived at the doorstep of a life that felt certain, steady, and secure. Then, without warning, that life shifted. A job was lost. And what followed was not just a search for the next role, but a deeper journey through uncertainty, reflection, and gradual understanding.
And Then I Lost My Job is both a memoir and a practical playbook. It tells the story of one professional’s experience of redundancy and renewal. But woven through that personal narrative is something far more grounded: six real and lived stages of job loss, from the initial shock to the slow, stubborn climb toward meaning.
The book unfolds across three chapters. The first establishes the context and circumstances that led to this phase of life. The second is built around the five stages of grief, as described in the Kübler-Ross model: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. Each stage is explored not through theory alone, but through lived experiences, internal conversations, and professional decisions. The third chapter moves beyond the original five stages, drawing on the sixth stage later introduced by David Kessler: Meaning. This final section represents distance, emotion, and perspective.
Throughout the pages, the author shares practical tools and strategies that shaped his return to work. The CV, the cover letter, the competency document, and the broader online and offline preparations required to re-enter the workforce with clarity and intent are all examined with honest reflection. A dedicated chapter on the growing intersection of Artificial Intelligence and job applications addresses the reality of the world we are now searching for work in.
At its heart, this book is for anyone who has ever given a part of themselves to their work and their dreams. It speaks to those who have known what it feels like to be without work, whether searching for a first opportunity, navigating change, losing a role unexpectedly, or striving for one final chapter in a career they have always wanted to experience. It is a companion for the hardest professional transition of a lifetime.
The author writes with the kind of honesty that only comes from lived experience. He does not pretend to have all the answers, nor does he offer quick fixes or guaranteed formulas. Instead, he invites the reader into his journey with warmth, vulnerability, and a quiet determination to find meaning in the midst of uncertainty. His voice is reflective, grounded, and deeply human, making even the most difficult moments feel shared rather than faced alone.
This is not a book about getting any job. It is about finding the right one, and about discovering who you are when the title falls away. It is a reminder that the storm does not break you. It reveals you.
