The Reboot Era
Layoffs. Burnout. Reinvention. Welcome to the messy middle of career change — and the community that's not afraid to talk about it.
Hosted by Dray Jankowski, a former tech program manager laid off in 2025, The Reboot Era is part unfiltered storytelling, part emotional support group, and part career comeback plan. Through weekly solo episodes and candid guest interviews, we explore what it really means to rebuild your life — professionally, emotionally, and financially.
We’re not here to sell you hope. We’re here to tell the truth — with humor, heart, and a little chaos.
Each episode dives into one of our seven pillars:
• Layoffs & Unemployment
• Motivation & Momentum
• Strategy & Income
• Redirection & Reinvention
• Mental Health & Renewal
• Closure & Reflection
• Identity & Calling
If you’ve ever screamed into a throw pillow after reading a rejection email — this is your place.
🎧 New episodes every week.
💬 Got a story of your own? Come tell it. This isn’t just my era — it’s ours!
The Reboot Era
Reboot 10 | LU3 - When Doing Everything Right Still Isn't Enough
🎙 with Ashley Martin
What happens when you do everything right — and still find yourself laid off?
In this deeply personal episode of The Reboot Era, Ashley Martin, a seasoned content marketing and strategy leader, opens up about her fourth layoff in October 2024 and the nine-month job search that followed. From the shock of losing a role she loved to the financial and emotional toll of prolonged unemployment, Ashley shares her story with honesty, clarity, and resilience.
We talk about:
- What it’s like to apply to jobs while on SNAP and visiting food banks
- The invisible tax of being trans in today’s hiring landscape
- The grief that comes from losing more than a paycheck — and the power of showing up anyway
- How she’s grounded herself with gratitude, self-compassion, and boundaries
If you’ve ever felt unseen, stuck, or discouraged in your job search — this episode is for you.
🎧 Tune in and hear how Ashley keeps moving forward, even when the road is long.
🔗 Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn - CLICK HERE
🔗 Follow The Reboot Era for more real stories from real people navigating layoffs and reinvention.
💼 Partner: Jobhire.ai — Apply to jobs while you sleep. 30% off in Sept. 2025 with code DRAY30 → jobhire.ai/job-matcher/?imutm=dray (you must use that link)
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🎧 All links: https://linktr.ee/draycation
Thanks for supporting The Reboot Era — every follow, share, and tip helps me keep making content for anyone navigating layoffs, pivots, and everything in between.
Everything shared on this podcast is based on personal experience and opinion. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, no content should be considered professional, legal, or career advice. Any mention of companies, products, or individuals is done in a personal capacity and does not represent the views or endorsements of those organizations or people. If a sponsorship or paid partnership is ever included, it will be clearly disclosed during the episode.
