What happens when you spend your career solving other people’s problems — and suddenly become the person facing a problem you can’t immediately fix?
Spencer Rosengarten has worked in information technology for nearly 40 years, supporting organizations ranging from pharmaceutical companies and banks to a national political campaign. He has also lived through layoffs, unemployment, a major pay cut, and a firing he never saw coming.
In this conversation, Spencer joins Richard Taliaferro to talk candidly about job loss, career uncertainty and what it takes to move forward when your professional identity takes a hit.
They talk about the grief that can come with losing a job, why Spencer began calling his network almost immediately after being fired, the growing importance of relationships in an AI-driven job market, and why asking for help can be an act of perseverance rather than weakness.
They also explore pride, resilience, self-care, career agency and Spencer’s intense dislike of the phrase “it is what it is.”
You may not get to choose what happens to your career, but you still get to answer the question:
What are you going to do now?
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I’m Richard Taliaferro, a certified career coach, former journalist, and curious human. I talk with people navigating reinvention—founders, creatives, career changers, and purpose-driven professionals—about the work they’ve built, the lessons they’ve learned, and what it means to create a life that actually fits.
Not sure where you’re actually stuck? Take the 90-Second SPARK for a personalized read: https://spark-diagnostic.vercel.app/
Find out more at: https://www.richardtaliaferro.com
#JobLoss #CareerTransition #CareerChange #MidCareer #JobSearch #CareerResilience #Networking #ProfessionalIdentity #CareerAdvice #Layoffs
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