Do I pretend I’m still employed?
I was laid off on Wednesday. I immediately reached out to a much larger company/competitor that probably doesn’t know my old company intimately and therefore can’t really confirm if I’m still employed.
Do I play it off like I’m still employed and looking to move on or do I tell the truth?
What has been your experience?
Jobadvisor
I’m sorry to hear about the layoff—that’s a tough Wednesday. But I love the hustle; reaching out to a competitor immediately is exactly the kind of "main character energy" needed during a job search.
To answer your question directly: Don't pretend you are still employed.
While it feels tempting to maintain "leverage" by appearing currently employed, playing it off usually creates more risks than rewards. Here is the breakdown of why honesty is actually your best tactical move here.
1. The "Small World" Risk
Even if this larger company doesn't know your old firm "intimately," recruiters and hiring managers move around constantly.
Backchanneling: Someone at the new firm likely knows someone at your old firm. A quick "Hey, is [Name] still there?" text could end your candidacy before it starts.
The Background Check: Almost every large company uses third-party verification services. They will see your official end date. If you said you were employed in March but your records show February, it flags as "falsification of application," which is often an automatic disqualification.
2. The Narrative Advantage
Being laid off is not the same as being fired. In the current market, layoffs are viewed as a business math problem, not a reflection of your talent.
The Truth: "My department was impacted by a restructuring on Wednesday. I’ve always admired your company’s [Specific Project/Scale], so I decided to use this transition as an opportunity to finally reach out."
Why it works: It shows you are proactive, decisive, and genuinely interested in them, rather than just escaping your old boss.
3. Logistics and Timeline
If you pretend to be employed, you have to lie about:
Notice periods: You'll have to pretend you need two weeks to "wrap things up," delaying your start date.
Interview availability: You'll have to make excuses for why you can't talk during work hours, even though you’re actually free.
How to handle the "Current" status
You don't need to lead with "I'm unemployed." Instead, use the past tense gracefully:
| Scenario | What to say |
| On your Resume | You can leave the end date as "Present" for about a week or two while you update things, but once you’re in the interview, be clear. |
| The "Why are you looking?" question | "I've had a great run at [Company], but they recently went through a restructuring. It was the nudge I needed to pursue a role at a market leader like [New Company]." |
| Availability | "Since I've recently wrapped up my time at [Company], I'm actually available to start immediately once we find the right fit." |
Pro-Tip: Large companies often move slowly. Telling them you are a "free agent" right now can actually speed up their internal HR process because they know they won't lose you to a counter-offer from your current boss.
How do I get one of those work from home jobs where people have lots of free time?
I frequently see people say that they work from home and only do about 10 to 20 hours of work a week or get it done in 3 hours or less. They then talk about how they go take naps, browse the web, binge shows or movies, play video games, some even go to the gym or do errands while working from home and I am envious of people with these kinds of remote jobs. I want to know how do I find these kinds of WFH positions and what industry or roles are these most common in?
Jobadvisor
It is easy to be envious of those "3-hour workday" stories, but there is a nuance to how they get there. Usually, these people fall into one of two categories: highly skilled experts who have automated their workflow, or output-based professionals in roles with low oversight.
Here is the breakdown of the industries and roles where this is most common, and how to actually find them.
1. High-Skill "Efficiency" Roles
In these roles, you aren't paid for your time; you are paid for your output or expertise. Once you become fast, you can finish a 40-hour workload in 15 hours, and as long as the work is done, no one asks questions.
Software Engineering / DevOps: Often project-based. If you write clean code and your systems don't break, you might only have 2–3 hours of "active" work daily.
Data Analysis: Once you build an automated dashboard or script, the "work" often does itself while you just monitor the results.
Technical Writing / Copywriting: If you are a fast writer, you can often knock out a week's worth of content in two days.
Instructional Design: Creating training modules is very front-loaded; once the course is built, your maintenance time is minimal.
2. Low-Stress "Maintenance" Roles
These are "on-call" style roles. You have to be "available" (at your computer/signed in), but the actual volume of tasks is low or sporadic.
Human Resources / Recruiting: Particularly in internal "talent sourcing" roles where you hit your KPIs (interview quotas) early.
Administrative/Virtual Assistant: Supporting one executive who is in meetings all day often leaves you with hours of downtime between requests.
Quality Assurance (QA) Testing: Some testers wait for a build to be ready; until it is, there isn't much to do but wait.
Information Security Analyst: Much of the job is monitoring systems.
If nothing is being attacked, it's a lot of "passive" time.
How to Identify These Jobs (The "Secret" Signs)
You won't find a job posting that says "Work 10 hours and nap for 30." You have to read between the lines:
Keywords to look for: "Self-starter," "Autonomous," "Results-oriented," and "Asynchronous." These suggest the company cares about what you finish, not when you are sitting in your chair.
Avoid "Micromanagement" Red Flags: Steer clear of jobs that mention "time-tracking software," "keystroke monitoring," or "must be on camera at all times."
The "Middle-Market" Sweet Spot: Massive corporations often have "dead wood" roles where people get lost in the shuffle. Conversely, tiny startups will work you to the bone. Target mid-sized, established tech or insurance companies.
Where to Look
FlexJobs & Remote.co: These platforms vet for legitimate remote roles and often highlight "flexible schedule" positions.
We Work Remotely: Great for tech and marketing roles that focus on "async" work.
LinkedIn Filters: Use the "Remote" filter combined with "Contract" or "Part-time" if you want to be more explicit about your hours.
A Note of Reality
Most people who "only work 3 hours" spent years becoming so good at their job that they can do it that fast. To get there, you usually have to "over-perform" in the beginning to build the trust that allows for that level of autonomy.