4.8
(3 ratings)
10 Days
·Cohort-based Course
Break free from the interview grind & Reframe your layoff into an opportunity.
4.8
(3 ratings)
10 Days
·Cohort-based Course
Break free from the interview grind & Reframe your layoff into an opportunity.
Previously at Pinterest, MongoDB, Indeed
Course overview
Getting laid off sucks. The shock and shame that follow can undermine your confidence and leave you reeling.
In the rush to reclaim some sense of normalcy, it's tempting to dive into the endless cycle of job applications. But this path can steer you down the wrong lane. Do you want more of the same? Or are you seeking something different — a journey that aligns with your true aspirations?
What if you invested three months to realign your career path with what fulfills you?
Imagine the Life ROI if you dedicated that time to rediscover old interests, develop new skills, or simply give yourself the space to heal, plan, and move forward with intentionality. What could you achieve?
Different roads, same questions
Michelle and Tobi took different paths to sabbatical-land. But for both of us, the journey evolved over a series of quiet, unsettling revelations.
After moving to a new city and starting at a new company at the end of 2019, Michelle's sales team struggled after shutdowns in 2020 and at the end of the year, she left her job. The last few months were stressful, fighting to balance clients who were going bankrupt with finding others to sell to. When she finally left, she was surprised but what she felt. There was an unexpected feeling of peace which prompted her to reassess if she was on the right path. She decided to take a year off to de-stress, spend time with family, and start her podcast. She shifted from a corporate mindset focused on output and KPIs to a sabbatical mindset that prioritized her time and value. One year blossomed into two, and she's transformed her life into fulfilling freelance work with online communities and publishing creative work online.
Tobi stood at a crossroads for different reasons. He was already questioning why he spent all day coding when he no longer enjoyed it, then a friend's sudden death jolted him into existential reckoning. He felt torn — he craved something more meaningful than his role could offer, but felt silly leaving such a lucrative job in an uncertain pandemic. After months of contemplation, solace came in the form of lyrics to a song, "What's the point of flying first class on a crashing plane?" That question sparked the courage he needed to leave.
For both of us, the stress around leaving our corporate jobs was met immediately with relief. Making the decision to leave (or having it made for you) is at least a decision. However, a whole new set of questions and fears nestled their way into our heads.
Could we really afford to take months off work?
Would this affect our future career prospects?
Where would we find others like us?
What would we do all day?
If you're asking similar questions, then this course is for you. Layoff to Sabbatical is live, interactive and community-based course to help misplaced, burnt out, and unfulfilled tech workers who lost their jobs find their footing in our new world.
Layoff into Liftoff
This course is broken down into four sessions:
Ground Yourself
Our goal is to make your ready for your sabbatical. We'll give you the tools to look at your financial runway, identify your values, and discover your unfair advantages.
Run Experiments
We'll discuss tactics for exploring new territories, hobbies, skills, and career paths. We'll share stories of travel, adventure, and creative endeavors.
Navigate the "Messy Middle"
We'll share our approaches to dealing with the turbulence of the "messy middle" where you've made some progress but not enough to live off.
Find Community
We'll discuss ways of finding other people on this sabbatical journey, people who understand your ups and downs, and who speak the same language. We will create breakout rooms throughout the course so that you can meet with others in your same situation.
Bonus: Tobi and Michelle will host "off the record" office hours for questions, concerns and commiseration for anyone that wants to chat off recording.
01
You're in limbo. You spend afternoons halfheartedly applying for jobs you're not sure you want.
But you crave purposeful freedom.
02
You're jaded, overworked, and crave time independence. You're frustrated by the interview grind and you want to reclaim your agency.
03
You're worried about money.
Even though you can afford a few months of not working, you feel anxious about the idea of not earning income.
You'll be empowered to build a life beyond the walls of tech. Through authentic vulnerable sharing and guided conversations, you'll be able to deprogram yourself from seeing your layoff as a negative, but instead a golden opportunity to reinvent yourself and your career.
You'll receive curated exercises, readings, and reflection prompts to propel you on your journey.
These will cover expected sabbatical challenges: identity loss, money scripts, ambition, lifestyle design, and how to answer the question "what do you do?"
Embarking on a sabbatical can seem lonely at times.
The real magic happens when you start connect with other people on similar journeys who understand your fears, celebrate your wins, encourage your dreams.
So we'll pair you with another person whose circumstances mirror yours
Both co-hosts completed 12 month sabbaticals after leaving tech. In that time, we've published essays and worked alongside the leading sabbatical voices in this space.
We'll share our framework and vocabulary to help you conceptualize the design and phases of your jour
7 interactive live sessions
Lifetime access to course materials
4 in-depth lessons
Direct access to instructor
Projects to apply learnings
Guided feedback & reflection
Private community of peers
Course certificate upon completion
Maven Satisfaction Guarantee
This course is backed by Maven’s guarantee. You can receive a full refund within 14 days after the course ends, provided you meet the completion criteria in our refund policy.
Turn your Layoff into a Sabbatical
Week 1
Mar 26—Mar 31
Events
Tue, Mar 26, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM UTC
Wed, Mar 27, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM UTC
Thu, Mar 28, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM UTC
Modules
Week 2
Apr 1—Apr 4
Events
Tue, Apr 2, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM UTC
Wed, Apr 3, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM UTC
Thu, Apr 4, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM UTC
Post-Course
Events
Wed, Jul 10, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM UTC
Modules
4.8
(3 ratings)
Paul Millerd
Vinamrata Singal
Saalik Lokhandwala
Josh
Software Engineer, Writer, Technical Storyteller
Over five years as a Software Engineer at Pinterest, I contributed to several projects that drove significant wins in user experience and user satisfaction.
These days, I lead Circle Back Copy, where I use my technical storytelling skills to help businesses articulate their unique stories. On my personal newsletter, I publish evocative creative collages (prose, poetry, and everything in between) that paint vivid scenes.
Former Software Sales, Community Manager, Writing Mentor, Writer, Podcaster
At the end of 2020, Michelle left her six year software sales career to take a sabbatical and explore creative projects online. Originally, she committed to taking one year off, but one year turned to two and in her third year she began freelancing as a community manager and mentor in popular online communities like Small Bets and Write of Passage.
Michelle started writing about her experience in taking a sabbatical in 2022 and has received phone calls, emails and 1:1 meetings with people looking to take the leap but nervous to do so. Specifically with people who also started their career in Tech.
1:00pm - 2:00pm EST
Tuesdays & Thursday starting March 19th.
2 hours per week
Optional worksheets to think through your mindset and values going into your sabbatical
What to do when you no longer have to do anything?
Active hands-on learning
This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects
Interactive and project-based
You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams
Learn with a cohort of peers
Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you