Out of the Office: Ho Lin
on the Rollercoaster of Starting Over​
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When Ho Lin was laid off from his role as a content strategist in early 2024, it marked the end of a chapter he had spent more than five years building. What followed was not just the loss of a job, but the sudden disappearance of structure, momentum, and a professional identity that had quietly anchored his daily life. In this conversation, Ho reflects on the emotional whiplash of unemployment in midlife—the fear and boredom, the recalibration of expectations, and the slow recognition that the career paths that once felt dependable no longer exist in the same way. He speaks candidly about age, ambition, AI, and the uneasy work of starting over, offering a clear-eyed look at what it means to rebuild when the old bridges are gone and the future feels piecemeal, uncertain, and still very much in progress.
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Q: What was your role before the layoff—and what happened?
Ho: I was a content strategist for a small tech company for just over five years—content strategy, editorial management, writing, lots of hats. I was moved to a project for a brand the company acquired; it was supposed to be temporary, but became permanent. We were starting two sites from scratch, and it felt like a sinking ship from the start.
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Q: Was the layoff a surprise?
Ho: A little. I’d just received a big raise and bonus, so it seemed like things were fine. But sometimes you can feel the calm before the storm. I don’t think it was about my performance—more a managerial “cut the fat” decision.
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Q: When was this?
Ho: March 2024—about two years ago.
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Q: How did it affect your sense of self?
Ho: I missed the structure. Without a job, it’s easy to drift. As an English major, I’ve always had a complicated relationship with professional self-worth—wondering if I have the right skills and whether anyone values them. The landscape keeps changing; at my age (mid-50s), you feel time marching on and that younger people can do the same work.
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Q: What emotions have dominated?
Ho: A rollercoaster: panic, acceptance, boredom—repeat. I did have some relief at first when I received a severance, but then reality sets in. I did part-time AI evaluation work; then rates dropped and I wondered if that was the new normal.
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Q: How do you cope?
Ho: Our dog helps—something to care for beyond yourself. I organize everything in my home—it’s calming. Getting outside and walking helps clear the mental clutter.
Q: Has unemployment changed your relationship to work?
Ho: I’m lucky—my wife has a steady job, so we’re not in crisis, just cutting back. Time away has given me perspective. I’m not retiring now, but I can see leaving corporate life if I can live comfortably and focus on my own writing.
Q: Were you more ambitious before?
Ho: I’ve never been hyper-ambitious. I aim for balance, which probably cost me some upward mobility. Feeling appreciated drives me. Early on, I felt supported and energized; when that fades, so does ambition.
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Q: What has the job search been like for you?
Ho: Brutal. Hundreds of applications, a handful of interviews—some human, some AI. My best freelance stint came via a former coworker but then the company was bought, AI took over, and the work vanished.
Q: Has AI changed the job search at all?
Ho: I use AI to tailor my résumé, but it hasn’t moved the needle. It’s a tool; you still have to humanize it. I don't know if it's really made that much of a difference, to be honest with you. I mean, I got an interview or two before I started using AI to help my with my resume, and I've gotten an interview or two after I started using it but I can’t say that the amount of interest I'm getting for jobs has really changed thanks to AI. LinkedIn is kind of a big cesspool, and I've gotten some decent leads here and there from Indeed, um, but I can't say it's really borne fruit.
Q: Have your role expectations shifted?
Ho: Yes. I started by targeting full-time roles and salaries that were similar to what I had; now I’m open to contracts, part-time, shorter-term gigs. Currently, I’m on a two-month, 40-hour contract doing pretty basic work alongside people 20–30 years younger. It feels like starting over.
Q: What’s different from earlier searches?
Ho: When I’ve been unemployed in the past, it used to be about networking and connections—friends and former managers gave me opportunities and pulled me along. Now, many of those folks have retired or moved on, or they’re unemployed themselves. The bridge I used to cross is gone.
Q: What gives you hope?
Ho: Maybe not hope—faith that I’ll find a “new normal,” though I suspect this new normal will not involve having a full-time or steady job that goes on for several years. It will probably be piecemeal: contract work, copy editing, freelance. I’m rebuilding from the rubble and I’m lucky to have support.
Q: Any advice for someone newly unemployed?
Ho: Build a routine that balances job search and life. Take care of yourself—take walks, enjoy small pleasures without guilt. I won’t say that you should splurge on things necessarily but I don’t you should feel guilty about occasionally saying, ‘You know what? I could use a nice dinner out or a weekend away.’ Mostly, I’d say to use the time to reassess what you want from work and life.
Q: Do you have anything else to add?
Ho: This too shall pass. Stay purposeful and motivated so you’re ready when the next thing arrives.
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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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