Hope After a Layoff: One Professional's Journey Back to Work

Geovani Barraza has been working since he was 16. But in late 2023, companywide layoffs left the Chicago native unemployed at age 51. After decades of steady employment, it was a shock to the system.

Fortunately, Geovani found AARP Foundation’s BACK TO WORK 50+ program through an AARP membership email, and with it the practical support that transformed his job search from a source of anxiety to an opportunity for personal growth.

Geovani’s story isn’t unusual in the modern job market. Corporate workforce reductions are now commonplace, and mid-career professionals often find themselves navigating sudden unemployment. When the aerospace company where he’d worked for 21 years announced the layoffs, he had to wrestle with a fear that many experienced workers encounter: age discrimination.

"I was concerned," Geovani says. "You hear that employers are looking for young people who are easier to mold, have fewer bad habits, and are cheaper employees."

The company informed the people affected by the layoffs six months in advance, so Geovani had some time to gear up for his job search. “I thought, I have to start now, because I'd rather be in a position of strength so I can dictate my own future.”

By the time he signed up for the BACK TO WORK 50+ program, Geovani had been interviewing for months without success and had engaged with at least 20 recruiters through LinkedIn. This program offered something different: structured support and genuine empathy.

“It’s so organized, informative and straight to the point,” he says. “The participants are fantastic. I can't say enough about the coaches.”

One element of the program nudged Geovani far out of his comfort zone. Like many first-generation Latino Americans, he was raised to be quietly diligent and humble — to "not push the envelope," as he puts it. But the BACK TO WORK 50+ program challenged his cultural conditioning and helped him think differently about advocating for himself. With guidance from his program coach, he learned that being proactive wasn’t begging (as Geovani saw it) but rather drawing attention to his professional value.

The program equipped him with practical tools and emotional resilience. Weekly motivational gatherings invited participants to share even the smallest victories and support each other when they felt like giving up. These were crucial to staying positive.

"When you hear ‘no’ so often, it can feel like you’re running a marathon," Geovani explains. "You need people on the sidelines cheering you on."

He also learned to take advantage of job search technologies like interview tools, résumé checkers, and upskilling resources he hadn’t known about. The program's comprehensive approach addressed both technical job search skills and mental preparation.

His persistence paid off. Despite his initial worries about his age and the competitive job market, he was hired as a global assistant controller at a manufacturing company, where he’s now been working for eight months.

Reflecting on his experience, Geovani offers advice to others facing similar challenges: "Just try. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. You'd be surprised what you learn, the people you come across, the messages you hear that will help you get through those trying times."

Learn more about BACK TO WORK 50+ and register for a workshop. 

Read more stories about how our programs have helped people find hope, and about the volunteers who give so much of themselves to help others.

This success story was developed with support from UnitedHealthcare.