Weekly Work Wire: Volume 3

Happy Thanksgiving from Vietnam! 🇻🇳

First time in a while to be away from home for Thanksgiving but nice to get some sun and rest with my wife (our one year anni too!)

I’m realizing that as each year passes, I am finding myself to be “busier” and tbh I don’t think that’s a great thing.

Because I realize the busier I am, the less present and grateful I tend to be.

So I’m calling it out now to challenge myself to chill tf out more and count more blessings. 😇

Here are 7 of them I am thankful for in no particular order!

1. My team who make work fun and genuinely good people to be around

2. Being remote (still the biggest thing most ppl want today in a job!)

3. Working on stuff that younger me would have been like whoa we get to do that! 🤯

4. Friends and family that root for us and want us to win

5. My wife and all the goodness she brings to everyday life

6. Vietnamese food — yeah pho is great but bun cha, banh mi, banh xeo, the list goes on!

7. Being able to move my body and enjoy lots of fun activities outdoor

And of course YOU for being here, reading these posts, and cheering us on. Know that we are very lucky to do what we do, and lucky to have a community like ours.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, my friend!

It’s okay if you don’t feel grateful this year. I bet your feed is being bombarded by corporate emails and LinkedIn posts about being #thankful for our teams and #grateful for the opportunities we have. But this year, for many, that feels… off.

We’re seeing friends and colleagues get laid off just weeks before the holidays. Big F500 tech companies are cutting thousands of jobs, creating a ripple of anxiety that’s hard to ignore. It feels like we should bring a dish to the potluck while still updating our resumes under the table.

Forcing a smile in a Zoom meeting and saying you’re “grateful for the grind” when you’re actually worried about job security isn’t just exhausting, it’s dishonest.

So here’s the real hot take: It’s okay to be grateful for your health, your family, your skills, and the roof over your head without feeling grateful for a job that might not be there tomorrow.

True gratitude isn’t about ignoring reality. It’s about finding stability within yourself when the world outside feels shaky.

So if you don’t want to feel grateful for your shitty boss or up & down job… I don’t blame you, friend. And on the flip side, if this year’s turbulence in the job market made you even more grateful for your current job, then more power to you!

All I am saying is — just do you. 🙂

Instead of performative gratitude, channel that energy into three small, private actions that build your confidence and career security.

• List 5 “Wins” From the Past Year
  Go beyond your job description.
  Did you learn a new software? De-escalate a tense client situation? Mentor a junior teammate? Write down five concrete accomplishments. This isn’t for your boss, it’s your personal proof of value.
  

• Reconnect with One Former Colleague
  Send a genuine message to someone you liked working with in the past.
  A simple, “Hey, I was just thinking about that crazy project we handled back at [Old Company]. Hope you’re doing well!” This keeps your network warm without feeling transactional.
  

• “Time-Box” Your Worries
  Acknowledge the anxiety instead of letting it run your day.
  Set a timer for 15 minutes to browse LinkedIn, read industry news, or update a section of your resume. When the timer goes off, close the tab. It’s a way to feel proactive without letting the job hunt consume your entire holiday season.

• The Big Tech Trim Down:
  The trend continues with major players making cuts. Amazon is set to reduce its corporate workforce by about 14,000, while Verizon has also announced layoffs impacting over 13,000 employees this November.
  The takeaway? No company is “too big to fail,” and having your personal career documents (resume, portfolio) updated is no longer paranoid, it’s just practical.
  

• “Rolling Layoffs” Are the New Normal:
  It’s not just about the huge, headline-grabbing cuts anymore. A recent trend of smaller, continuous “rolling layoffs” is becoming more common, creating a sense of constant uncertainty for employees. It’s a strategy that avoids major negative press but can be draining for team morale.
  

• It’s Not Just Tech:
  While the tech industry has seen over 141,000 job cuts this year, other sectors like warehousing and retail are also experiencing significant layoffs. This signals a broader economic shift, reminding us that industry-specific skills might need to be broadened to stay competitive.

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Man Wicked For Good delivered! If you saw the movie, you probably were like me and left the theater singing (probably not more so than KPop Demon Hunter though but still up there!).

I thought the movie in general was great with a lot of these underlying themes that can also help us in our lives and at work. Here’s what I took away, and let me know if you feel the same:

Relationships Are The Secret Sauce
Glinda knew how to work a room, no wand required. She had the gift of connection.
While Elphaba has grit, Glinda has charm, and it opened doors for her. If you’re only relying on applications and hoping to stand out in a pile of resumes, you’re missing half the game.

Relationships matter. Start building them before you need them. Show up with genuine curiosity, add value, and get comfortable putting yourself out there. It’s not just about networking. It’s about being remembered.

Resilience Shows When You Need It Most
Resilience is your secret weapon in any career, not because it shields you from failure but because it helps you move through it. Elphaba’s journey wasn’t smooth but she didn’t quit. That’s resilience. Setbacks aren’t signs you’re failing, they’re lessons in disguise. Push through and keep showing up. The growth might be slow, but it’s always worth it. Believe in your ability to bounce back... again and again.

Love how this book tells readers: “you can show up as yourself and still become unforgettable”. And it’s super realistic in saying that hard work alone doesn’t guarantee you’ll be seen, and then shares practical and modern strategies on how to make sure your value actually gets noticed at work. You gotta read this if you’re building your career brand, especially in hybrid and virtual work set-ups.

• You’re delivering solid results but still feel invisible at work.

• You believe you have more to give and need to make sure others recognize it.

• You’re ready to step into opportunities but need a blueprint to get there.

• You’re tired of vague advice and want specific tactics you can use to push your career forward.

• You want to build strategic and genuine relationships that boost your credibility and help you to be seen as a leader

BUY THE BOOK HERE »

Argh, so sorry to hear that, my friend. No matter how much $$$ is in our bank, getting cut always stings so I hope you have been doing okay, first and foremost.

This is the hardest part of having a corporate career because one day you could be getting recognized for your tenure and contributions, and the next you don’t know if you still have your seat at the table.

I know it’s easy to go into action mode but I would encourage you to do what you’re doing, and prioritize your mental health and mindset first. And this doesn’t mean you have to be motivated and confident overnight. It’s a journey, and it starts with a few key steps:

1. Feel the Emotions: The very first step is to let the emotions come. Talk it out with a trusted friend, a coach, or a therapist. Get it out of your system instead of bottling it up.

2. Realize You’re Not Alone: It can feel incredibly isolating, but so many people have been in your shoes. Did you know 40% of Americans have been fired at some point in their careers? Even people like Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey were fired. This isn’t the end of your story.

3. Shift Your Focus to ‘What’s Next?’: Once you’ve allowed yourself to process the shock, the key is to shift your perspective forward. This is a clean slate. Instead of asking “what went wrong?” start asking, “What’s next for me?” What skills can I sharpen? What new opportunities are open to me now that I’m not stuck in my last role?

I cover this and other steps on how to move forward in this full vodcast episode. In this episode, you’ll learn more about:

• The #1 mistake that derails your career after getting fired.

• How to audit your skills to figure out your next move.

• Exact scripts for how to explain a layoff or firing in an interview.

👉 Got a career Q that you want to me to answer?

• I’m starting a quick Q&A series where I answer real questions every other week.
  Ask me about job stuff, interviews, resumes, awkward convos w/ your manager… I’ll help you figure all of that out!

• Just drop a (3–5 sentences) comment or DM me your situation and how I can help. If you want it anon, just say so. Let’s get into the good stuff.

Got Questions? Send it here

• If you need career-related advice or got some stories to share, send them here or email them to: podcast@workhap.com.

• For Career Tips and Work Happiness related contents, follow me on social media:
  Sho Dewan in LinkedIn and @workhap in Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube

• In your job hunt era? Here to help you land your dream job, friend! Check out free resources here to help you on your next interviews.

• It’s Black Friday Sale!!! Go get your 75% off on our Zero to Hired job search kit. Visit workhap.com/blackfriday for more details.