Raechel saw the writing on the wall before she got laid off. As an administrative assistant with access to her executive team's calendars, she could see things shifting before anyone said a word.

She even called her dad the night before and told him she thought something was coming.

The next morning, she got her pink slip.

In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Raechel Karas to talk about navigating the emotional aftermath of a layoff, finding your voice, and discovering career opportunities you didn't even know existed.

At the time, Raechel was working toward transitioning out of administrative work and into a more creative role. She had started taking on marketing projects, building new skills, and exploring opportunities to grow within her company.

Then everything stopped.

Along with losing her job, she felt like she'd lost the progress she'd made toward the career she actually wanted.

But that layoff eventually led her somewhere unexpected.

Today, Raechel is a public speaking coach who uses her acting background to help others become more confident communicators.

Looking back, she realized something powerful: she'd been using those skills throughout her corporate career. She just hadn't known she could speak up about them or build a business around them.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Recognizing the warning signs of an upcoming layoff
• Navigating grief, anger, and uncertainty after job loss
• Losing a job while trying to grow your career
• Recognizing transferable skills beyond your job title
• Finding your voice and advocating for yourself
• Turning an acting background into a public speaking business
• Giving yourself permission to rest after a layoff
• Avoiding career decisions driven by fear
• Documenting your accomplishments before you need them
• Building your network and preparing for career transitions

Raechel also shares why she wishes she'd been kinder to herself in the weeks following her layoff.

While others were updating resumes and contacting recruiters, she needed time to process what had happened. She initially felt guilty for not jumping straight into another job search.

Looking back, she's grateful she took that time. It helped her avoid accepting another administrative role simply because it felt safe.

Her biggest reminder?

The skills that make you valuable don't always fit neatly into your job description.

Sometimes losing a job gives you the opportunity to discover what else you could do with them.

CONNECT WITH RAECHEL

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raechel-karas/

Email: raechel@raechelkaras.com

Pink Slip Pavilion shares real stories about layoffs, job loss, career transitions, reinvention, entrepreneurship, and what comes next.

New episodes every Wednesday.