I was casually browsing the Googs (aka Google) this morning when I came across a pretty sad article.

It featured a TikTok video from a ‘former’ Shopify worker who was just let go from her job.

If you haven’t already seen the viral video, the basic gist is that this gal — who was a super committed employee — woke up early to plan for a whole day of meetings.

And then, during one of the meetings, they just … laid her off and logged her out remotely.

She said “They just hit the kill button on my computer.”

The worst part … she had been with the company for 3 years!

This is the worst feeling as a copywriter.

I know, because it happened to me.

I was laid off from my copywriting job (with a travel company) right at the beginning of covid.

The Friday before I was let go, my coworkers and I were watching case numbers rise — with staggering speed — at all the destinations where we operated.

Management assured us that our jobs would be safe.

Then, that Monday, they laid off half the company … myself and the other copywriter included.

I ended up being okay after a few difficult months, as I eventually went on to become the “go-to” freelance ad copywriter for the Hustle, where my ads were seen by over 2 million readers regularly.

And it opened up the pathway for the career I have today (which I love.)

But a few things I learned from the experience:

If you’re let go, everything will be okay. Seriously.

No matter how much you like or trust your employer, you’re still an employee … and they may still let you go … even if they promise not to.

Constantly level up your copywriting skills so you become more valuable to your employer or clients. I.e., be a ‘lifelong learner’ of your craft.

Diversify your income streams and opportunities for income. It’s one of the most important things you can do for job security, especially in a recession.

On that last point, I currently have a great full time job.

But I also have one client who I do a lot of hours with each month.

And I have a growing network of business owners who would absolutely throw projects my way if I wanted them.

I’m also working on my own brand and email list, which I plan to turn into an income stream, too.

Because of this, I know that if I was let go of my job tomorrow, I would probably be okay because I’ve built (and continue to build) these diverse safety nets into my career.

More on the blog:

www.stealthiscopy.com/blog

David Patrick