Origin Stories

Welcome to After Careful Consideration, the show about looking for work, losing work, and trying to figure out what the hell is happening at work. Hosts Brandon Pivot and Chase Severance kick things off with decades of experience, multiple layoffs, and a healthy distrust of “a quick meeting with HR.” They share stories of abrupt exits, marathon job searches, and final-round interviews that went nowhere, while unpacking the emotional toll of starting over. Along the way: corporate jargon that deserves retirement, AI as a corporate cost-cutting explanation, the limits of employer loyalty, and why it’s worth asking for more when negotiating severance. In the first “Per Our Last Email” news segment, they discuss reported workforce cuts at HubSpot and Flock Safety and the gap between company messaging and employee experience. If you’ve ever been told to “circle back” while your career was being turned upside down, you’re in the right place. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and episode overview 1:59 Corporate jargon that irritates employees 6:00 Personal layoff stories and job market cycles 11:31 AI, automation, and layoffs 19:25 Negotiating severance and exit strategies 28:56 The emotional toll of job loss and community support 38:44 HubSpot and Flock Safety layoffs 48:25 Practical tips for severance and handling layoffs 58:13 The future of work and what comes next 01:07:56 Closing thoughts and community engagement Follow the show and connect with Chase and Brandon: Website: aftercarefulconsideration.co LinkedIn: After Careful Consideration Podcast Instagram: @aftercarefulconsiderationpod TikTok: @pivotandseverance Threads: @aftercarefulconsiderationpod Have a layoff story, a job-search question, or a corporate phrase you’d like to retire? Join the conversation on our social channels. Subscribe wherever you listen, and share this episode with someone who suddenly has “a lot of bandwidth.” We’ll give you your time back.