Out of the Office: Analis Diaz-Elias
on Building Something of Her Own​
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In this conversation, I talk with Analis Diaz-Elias, a resume-services leader who spent five years in her former role before being laid off. Analis is candid about the anxiety that preceded her layoff, the heartbreak of being cut off from her team without a chance to say goodbye, and the rollercoaster that followed. She also shares the small routines that keep her steady, the company she’s building, and why she refuses to trade her family’s well-being for a workplace that can’t meet people with transparency and respect.
Q: To start, tell me about the job you had before you became unemployed—what did you do and how long you were there?
Analis Diaz-Elias: I was there for five years. I started as a contractor in January of 2020. By that June, I was already a full-time employee, and I was promoted to running the Resume Services department, which provided paid services and free resume reviews to users. I was pretty much running that department by myself. I had over 60 contractors that reported to me directly; I had three full-time resume writers. I was also managing six different budgets. But even though I had great performance reviews, I had a gut feeling that something bad was going to happen to my department while I was out on maternity leave.
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Q: When did you have your baby?
Analis: I had her in August. She just turned one. She was 6-months old when I was let go.
Q: How did that timing and process affect you?
Analis: I was so stressed and I was always worried about my team—how can I be truly transparent with them? They were all contractors; they were all worried about job security. I believe in being fully transparent, even if it’s delivering bad news. When I was let go—it was on a Wednesday at noon—I was let go before I could speak to my team. They were all still there, and I was just disconnected from everything–email, Slack, everything. While I was on that call everything was shut down. I couldn’t say goodbye to my team or explain what happened. I couldn’t give a proper handoff. I couldn’t send an email. Nothing. I just disappeared. They were all writing to me on LinkedIn saying, “What happened? Did you quit?” I’m like, no, I didn’t abandon you. That’s not how I work. I was forced to do things in a way that does not represent how I work and how I usually showed up for them. That was the hardest part for me.
Q: How do you think it could have been less painful for you?
Analis: Companies need to do better. You put so much time and effort—five years for me. I know restructurings happen and they’re necessary, but what happened to transparency and communication during these types of transitions?
Q: You mentioned this year has also been tough health-wise.
Analis: I had two emergency surgeries. In May I had to have my appendix removed. Then, two weeks after that surgery, I got this crazy pain. It turns out I had a stone in my gallbladder.
So, it’s been a very stressful year, mainly on my health. As a result, it’s been hard to keep up with the process of looking for a job. I live in Puerto Rico. Finding a job that is as flexible as it was for me at my former company and that pays well—it doesn’t really exist here. It’s hard for me to accept a job that doesn’t allow me to be present for my kids and that also doesn’t pay well.
Q: So instead of a traditional search, you started building something of your own?
Analis: Before my layoff, I had begun building my own company called Aligned Solutions. I always told my husband, if I get let go, I’m going to do something of my own. I said, I’m going to do everything that I love—writing strong resumes and LinkedIn profiles for people, helping people find alignment and clarity in unemployment, and help companies not lose sight of the human aspect of things when they have to lay workers off.
So I’m building something for myself. I believe in what I’m doing. I can’t say I’m thriving yet, but I got clients very quickly and I’m not drowning.
Q: You were in tears earlier when we discussed the anxiety that led up to your layoff. Emotionally, what has this period felt like?
Analis: I was upset. I was more angry than sad. I expected change—but not the way it happened. I felt betrayed. At the beginning, the same day I was let go, I changed my status on LinkedIn. I didn’t give myself time; I was just in action mode. I started, on a weekly basis, reporting my feelings and progress and what I’ve been doing on LinkedIn. I’ve sort of used it as a journal.
People from my former company have reached out saying that what I’m sharing is helping them know they’re not alone.
Q: What coping routines have helped you get through day-to-day?
Analis: Right now, I’m in survival mode because I have two little kids. Now that my daughter started daycare and I have 4–5 hours a day for myself during weekdays, I’m trying to work small things into my day. The new thing I’ve done is to start having a warm breakfast and coffee every morning by myself. I also make a point to spend some time keeping the house a bit tidy.
Plus, I’ve been busy with Aligned Solutions; it’s given me a sense of purpose and clarity. I got certified in three weeks as an HR business partner right after I was let go—that was part of my New Year’s resolution. Staying busy has helped me not lose faith in myself.
Q: What exactly does Aligned Solutions offer?
Analis: I put together my three pillars. One is career services—helping unemployed people build great resumes and LinkedIn pages. Also, with my HR business partner certification, I can help build systems—even for small startups—so everything’s fully aligned to grow without chaos.
Finally, I created Graceful Exits service. It’s for big companies considering layoffs. The idea is: before you let people go, talk to me to identify if you really need to let people go—restructure, create new roles, transfer people. If you have to let them go, partner with Aligned Solutions and send those affected my way. They get a whole package—resume, LinkedIn, job-search process, networking tips, and guidance. It’s a way for the company to take care of them one last time.
I also request direct supervisors write down the employee’s achievements. When you’re let go, you forget what you did because you’re so frustrated. You’d get that from the company and your direct manager, and I’d even ask them to leave a review on your LinkedIn profile. It’s creating that human component.
Q: Can individuals work with you directly, or is this just a service that companies provide as part of a layoff package?
Analis: Yes and yes
Q: Where are you seeing bright spots or hope right now?
Analis: What gives me hope is the response from people. As I continue showing up with consistency and not forgetting what I’m trying to do, I keep getting good responses. I gave a workshop at a college, and other colleges have reached out.
What I am really doing is trying to help remind people who lose their jobs that it isn’t personal to them and doesn’t mean that they are without value. Things happen in business because they need to happen; it’s not necessarily the employees’ fault. I love the human aspect of what I am doing now.
Q: How has your attitude toward work changed through this?
Analis: At the beginning, I was very upset about how my layoff was handled. Companies need to do better, especially in leadership. Many times leadership loses the perspective of what people go through in a layoff. Decisions get made without all the details and without care for people who have helped them build their business.
So, it’s still dark, but there’s some light at the end of the tunnel. I know I don’t want to sacrifice my kids, my family, or my home for a business or a company that’s willing to just let you go.
Q: Is there anything we didn’t cover that you want people to know about unemployment?
Analis: It’s a messy rollercoaster—but there’s light at the end. Some days you’ll feel like, “Screw it all.” Some days it’s okay. Some days are blurry and you feel like you don’t even know what you’re doing.
The best thing is to be gentle with yourself. If you complete one item out of five on your to-do list, you’re still moving the needle. Remember that some days will be easier than others.
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If you’re inspired to share your own story, I’d love to hear it. You can send me a DM on LinkedIn or reach out here to arrange a time to talk.
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