Being made redundant is never easy on anyone. And it's particularly difficult for those who struggle to find work afterwards. We all know how draining it can be sending out CV after CV only to be told yet again that you're not quite what they're looking for.
But when you've just been let go from work, it's very easy to take it to heart that you've been deemed surplus to requirements - and to feel inadequate as a result.
And while, for some people, this feeling of inadequacy can be very demotivating - for others, it's the exact opposite. Patrick Hoagland is one of these people.
He'd just been made redundant from his job as a forklift operator at a metal recycling company in Phoenix, US.
For weeks, Hoagland applied for various roles with no success. But instead of immediately giving up and feeling sorry for himself, Hoagland decided to go about it in an entirely different way.
Determined to be back in employment, Hoagland decided that the best thing was to stand on a street corner with about 200 CVs to hand, and a sign stating, "Please take a resume. Laid off. Looking for a job."
"I had only been unemployed a few weeks, but it was very unexpected and I needed to figure something out fast," Hoagland said in an email to CNN. "I at first laughed and thought that was silly, but I kept thinking about it. I figured, why not?! There are millions of people in Phoenix driving around, someone might hire me."
Incredibly, he ended up having far more success handing out resumes on the street than sending them online.
In fact, Melissa DiGianfilippo, owner of a PR and marketing agency, was driving in the vicinity when she came across Hoagland and took one of his resumes.
"I was impressed with Patrick because it was [43C] outside and what I saw was really unexpected," DiGianfilippo said in an email to CNN. "He was standing on the side of the road with a sign and a stack of resumes and a huge smile on his face."
Impressed by his determination, DiGianfilippo shared Hoagland's resume across her socials, including LinkedIn.
This, in turn, led to Hoagland receiving various job offers from employers, including one from Flatline Concrete Grinding in Phoenix.
Hoagland even met with the owner, Kerry Burkhart, and soon decided that the role on offer was perfect for him.
It just goes to show what determination, a positive attitude and resourcefulness can do for your job prospects.
