Key facts
- Fatema Ali was laid off from IBM in April 2024.
- She has been unemployed and seeking full-time work for over two years.
- Her husband also left his job to pursue a startup, creating a period of dual unemployment.
- The family has been living off savings and severance pay.
- Ali finds the current job market more difficult than during the Great Recession.
- She is applying for roles in project management, higher education, nonprofits, and government.
Fatema Ali, a former delivery project manager at IBM, was laid off in April 2024 and has remained unemployed for over two years. The layoff occurred a few months after her husband left his job to start a business, leaving both parents out of traditional full-time work and responsible for their three children. The family has navigated this period by living off savings and Ali's severance pay, which amounted to about three months' salary. They have also reduced discretionary spending. Ali is actively seeking new employment, focusing on project and program management roles, as well as positions in higher education, nonprofits, and government, primarily in her home state of Texas. She finds the current job market significantly more challenging than when she graduated during the Great Recession in 2008, citing difficulties with applicant tracking systems and a preference for internal candidates or those with highly specific experience. Ali has also dedicated time to supporting her husband's startup and caring for her youngest child. Her husband secured a new job in November, providing some financial relief. Ali aims to maintain a positive outlook for her children despite the prolonged job search, emphasizing patience and perseverance.