How a pandemic layoff and career pivot made this Buffalonian “the happiest I’ve ever been”
How a pandemic layoff and career pivot made this Buffalonian “the happiest I’ve ever been”
“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.
Sam Heansel, 26, “girl-bossed real hard” in her early 20s. She landed a job as a graphic designer in downtown Buffalo, New York, that she considered a dream job. About a year into it, the pandemic hit and Heansel was furloughed. She spent three months getting unemployment benefits before being told via email that the company was downsizing and she was being laid off.
“The urge to get another job was really, really strong,” she said. “But I had decent savings, so I decided to just sit back for a minute and let the world kind of mellow out, because this was pre-vaccines. I just collected unemployment for a few months and then kind of reoriented.”
She applied for a job at Elmwood Pet Supplies and has been working there for about two years.
“It’s a pretty chill gig,” she said. “I just show up when my shift is, cash people out, help them find their dog food.”
Heansel worked full-time in her pre-pandemic job. Now, she works about 30 hours a week and makes about $1 an hour less than she did as a graphic designer.
“The time is worth it,” she said. “It’s not the most sexy job title out there, like ‘social media marketing coordinator’ or ‘graphic designer.’ But I’ve honestly been the happiest I’ve ever been.”
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