2025-03-19T09:05:01Z Read in app Emily Schlorf. Courtesy of Emily Schlorf This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Emily Schlorf faced two job losses by 25 despite her efforts to secure corporate stability.Her initial corporate job at Marriott Vacations Worldwide ended due to company struggles.Schlorf now embraces flexibility with part-time roles and focuses on personal projects.I spent the summer after my socially distanced graduation ceremony in 2021 applying for corporate jobs.Growing up, I watched my dad's corporate career flourish at the company he joined at age 21. While I hadn't the slightest idea of what he did all day, I did know that when the school bell rang at 2 p.m., he was always waiting for my sisters and me at the bike rack.I sought out a corporate job because I wanted the same stability. Instead, I've lost two jobs in a row.I was hired as a proofreader at Marriott Vacations Worldwide in 2021A few months into my first job out of college, the facade of corporate stability began to crack when the seasoned editors who hired and trained me were laid off.I took it hard but convinced myself that it had been an unfortunate anomaly, and if I could just become indispensable, I would never hear the words "We have to let you go."So I did. I worked extra hours and took on responsibilities above my pay grade, determined to prove I was an asset.My efforts didn't go unnoticedI was soon promoted to associate editor. My new role changed my life and came with a $12,000 raise.I moved out of my parents' house and into a sunny one-bedroom in Miami with my partner. I couldn't believe I was getting paid to make travel magazines.I'll never forget sipping caf Cubanos in the office with my colleagues, laughing about the need to trim my word count on the spread we were racing to finish. The laughs came to an end only eight months later.I was laid off in November 2023 Schlorf removing her stuff from her office. Courtesy of Emily Schlorf The foundation of the life I had built for myself collapsed when the head of the department laid me off.I was told the company had a rough few quarters and my role would be eliminated during a meeting that was added to my calendar the day before. My last day would be three weeks later.All I did the rest of the day was cry. I cried for the little girl who was told that her hard work would pay off, for the anxious college student convinced she'd never get a job, and for the woman who was coming into her own.A year later, I still wonder why my position was eliminated. I was the youngest on my team but had been with the company for much longer than others. Plus, my role had been created only months before. How could it suddenly be unnecessary?My questions will never get answeredWhat I do know is you can be the best employee and still lose your job. It's not personal; it's profitable.I spent the following two months panicking about my next steps. I applied to every job that sounded halfway decent and direct messaged more hiring managers than I'd like to admit. After weeks went by without hearing from any of them, I booked a two-week solo trip to Europe. Schlorf one month after her layoff. Courtesy of Emily Schlorf My time away gave me more pinch-me moments than I can count green northern lights dancing across the Arctic sky, a cloudless Cliffs of Moher hike, the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the winter rain. There, the realities of lost jobs and unemployment paperwork felt so tiny.As my mind began to quiet, I received a text from a colleague about a temporary role opening on her team. After a quick call with the hiring manager, it was mine.I moved up the corporate ladder and nearly doubled my salaryMy next role was as a communications manager at Marriott International on a five-month contract. I started in February 2024.Although I had no formal communications training, I learned quickly and was praised for my storytelling abilities. My contract was extended twice, a reassuring sign that a permanent role was well within my reach.The CEO then sent an email announcing the beginning of a new era. The email was difficult to understand, but my coworkers and I knew things didn't look good.The unknowing was torture. My heart sank every time I received an invite for a "quick connect," and I spent my evenings scanning Reddit threads for news. While blow-drying my hair one morning, I noticed I had sprouted my first two gray strands.This past November, my manager gently confirmed my fearsDespite my performance and movement toward a permanent role, I was told my latest contract would not be renewed. I would join more than 830 of my colleagues in unemployment at the start of 2025.It's been a little over two months since my last day, and while I can't say I have it all figured out, I've made peace with my disappointing corporate experience.You can't prevent a layoff from happening to you, but you can prevent it from ruining your lifeAfter my surprise first layoff, I learned the importance of staying in touch with colleagues and updating my rsum. You never know when you'll need it.However, I'd be lying if I said these methods helped me land a job at my dream company because I no longer have a dream company.Instead, I'm making my dreams come true for myself. I've taken on two part-time communications jobs one at Indiana University and the other at Marriott which have given me the flexibility to take strides toward projects I've dreamed of for years, such as writing this article and leading cross-stitch workshops.No corporate job is entirely secureI used to blame my age for my layoffs. Since I entered the workforce at a volatile time, I was stuck in a perpetual loop of "last in, first out," and would be until things stabilized. An early December phone call from my dad proved that layoffs can happen to anyone.My dad, who answered conference calls on the weekends, never took a vacation, and dedicated 32 years of his life to his company, also lost his job.As I look ahead to the future, my career goals are to keep doing what I'm doing. I aspire to be fulfilled and empowered by my work not dictated by it.I'm thankful for my job losses. If I hadn't been cut loose, I would've stayed forever and been stuck daydreaming in my cubicle of the life I'm unfurling for myself today.