Agile Unemployment: Normalizing the Way We Talk About Being Out of Work

Sabina Sulat
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It shouldn’t be awkward and uncomfortable to talk about being unemployed. Given that sooner or later most of us will experience being out of work, shouldn’t we start to have normal and healthy conversations about being unemployed? Agile Unemployment podcast host, employment expert, and author, Sabina Sulat creates a safe place to talk about all things unemployment. In each episode, Sabina will cover everything you need to know to not only survive, but thrive through being out of work.

  1. JAN 20

    Reading Toxic Work Cultures Before You Say Yes with OD and Culture Expert Ryan McCrea

    Episode Overview In the last episode of Agile Unemployment, we focused on what happens after toxic work—and why recovery and restoring agency are essential before returning to a new role. This conversation shifts the lens to prevention. Sabina Sulat is joined by organizational development and workplace culture expert Ryan McCrea to explore how toxic work cultures reveal themselves before you accept a job—and why so many candidates miss the signs. Rather than focusing on obvious “bad boss” stereotypes, this episode looks at culture as a system: how power operates, how accountability is handled, and how organizations respond to questions, boundaries, and uncertainty during the hiring process. What You’ll Hear in This Episode Ryan and Sabina unpack why toxic cultures are rarely visible in polished interviews—and how they show up instead through patterns, language, and reactions. They discuss how candidates can read between the lines when: answers feel vague or overly rehearsed questions about feedback, turnover, or decision-making are met with defensiveness different interviewers tell subtly different stories “fast-paced,” “family,” or “high-performance” language masks pressure and control You’ll also hear how to assess culture without putting yourself at risk, why your discomfort during interviews is meaningful data, and how to evaluate opportunities from a place of clarity rather than urgency—especially after toxic work or unemployment. Why This Conversation Matters One of the lasting effects of toxic work is loss of agency—the ability to trust your judgment, advocate for yourself, and say no when something doesn’t feel right. Without intentional discernment, people often accept roles too quickly, explain away early warning signs, and unknowingly repeat the same patterns they worked hard to escape. This episode helps listeners slow down, sharpen their cultural radar, and protect their agency before saying yes.   Toxic work cultures don’t usually announce themselves. They reveal themselves in how questions are handled, how power is exercised, and how much truth a system can tolerate. Learning to recognize those signals before you accept a job is one of the most important career skills you can build.

    55 min

  2. JAN 13

    Refusing Harm from Toxic Workplaces by Restoring Agency

    Episode Overview Leaving a toxic workplace is often described as a relief—but for many people, it’s when the real impact finally begins. In this episode of Agile Unemployment, Sabina Sulat explores why people often feel worse after leaving toxic work, how prolonged exposure to unhealthy environments affects self-esteem and agency, and why simply “finding another job” can unintentionally repeat the same cycle. Drawing from real client patterns, personal experience, and a timely cultural moment, this episode reframes recovery as a critical—and strategic—part of returning to work healthy, confident, and able to advocate for yourself again. What This Episode Covers Why toxic workplaces are often hard to recognize while you’re in them How survival mode during unemployment masks the full impact of toxicity Why symptoms often surface after safety and stability return The difference between authority and agency—and how toxic work erodes the latter How fear of retaliation and reputation damage keeps people stuck Why under-negotiating, boundary collapse, and self-doubt often follow toxic jobs How unresolved workplace trauma shows up in the next role Why “just getting another job” can be a disservice without recovery Key Insight Toxic workplaces don’t just burn people out—they suppress agency. And if agency isn’t intentionally restored before re-entry, even a healthy workplace can feel unsafe, leading people to shrink, under-advocate, and repeat patterns they worked hard to escape. Recovery is not a delay. It’s preparation. The A.G.E.N.C.Y. Reset Framework A practical starting point for recovery after toxic work: A — Acknowledge Name what happened without minimizing it. G — Ground Regulate your nervous system before trying to “fix” anything. E — Examine beliefs Identify the false lessons toxicity taught you about your worth or leverage. N — Name boundaries Practice clear, professional limits before returning to work. C — Choose differently Notice when something feels familiar in the wrong way—and pause. Y — You lead yourself first Reclaim trust in your judgment and instincts. Who This Episode Is For Professionals recovering from toxic work environments Job seekers who feel stuck, exhausted, or unsure of themselves after leaving a role People returning to work after unemployment or layoffs Early-career professionals learning how to evaluate culture and protect their agency Anyone who wants to break the cycle between toxic work and burnout Why This Matters People shouldn’t have to recover from their jobs in order to succeed in them. This episode explains why recovery is not weakness—and how reclaiming agency is the key to returning to work healthy, confident, and able to take up space again. Listen & Share If this episode resonates, share it with someone who’s navigating a difficult transition—or questioning why leaving didn’t feel like freedom right away.   #Reworking2026 #agileunemployment

    28 min

  3. JAN 8

    Re: Working 2026 — A New Operating System for Work

    Agile Unemployment | Episode Notes 2026 doesn’t call for louder goals or better resolutions. It calls for a new way of understanding how work actually operates. In this opening episode of 2026, Sabina Sulat reframes how we approach work, unemployment, and career decisions—not through motivation or hustle, but through clarity, strategy, and agency. Rather than focusing on what to do next, this episode focuses on something more foundational: how we think about work in a system that has fundamentally changed. 🔹 What This Episode Explores Why starting a new year with goals and resolutions often skips the most important step How outdated models of work continue to shape frustration, self-blame, and burnout What actually shifted beneath the surface of work in recent years Why unemployment exposes systemic cracks—but is not the cause of them The difference between survival mode and strategic thinking What must be unlearned before progress becomes possible Why readiness matters more than hope alone 🔹 Key Themes Clarity Before Goals Without clarity, goals become pressure. Without strategy, effort becomes noise. A New Operating System for Work Work no longer functions the way many of us were taught to expect. Navigating it responsibly requires updating the mental models we use—not pushing harder inside outdated ones. Unemployment as a Signal, Not a Failure Unemployment reveals misalignment between expectations and reality. Treating it as a personal failure obscures what it can actually teach us about work, stability, and agency. From Survival Mode to Strategy Survival mode helps people endure uncertainty. Strategy allows people to choose their next moves with intention and dignity. Readiness Over Resolution Readiness is preparation, not pressure. It is knowing what you will and will not accept, and engaging opportunity without desperation. 🔹 A Personal Note from Sabina Sabina shares her own experience of losing her job in 2018 and how shifting routine, mindset, and strategy—not urgency—became the foundation for rebuilding confidence and eventually returning to work. This experience continues to shape how she approaches unemployment today. 🔹 How This Episode Sets the Tone for 2026 This episode also marks an evolution in Agile Unemployment. The commitment to supporting people who are out of work remains central. What expands in 2026 is the lens: unemployment is addressed within the broader realities of how work operates, how stability is defined, and how people are expected to navigate change. This is not a departure. It is an expansion. 🔹 Who This Episode Is For Anyone navigating unemployment or an extended job search Anyone questioning stability inside a job Anyone feeling pressure to “figure it out” without clarity Anyone ready to engage work differently in 2026 🔹 Closing Thought You are not behind. You are not broken. The operating system changed. Understanding that is the first step toward moving forward with clarity, strategy, and agency.

    25 min

  4. 12/31/2025

    Reality 2025: The Year We Faced the Hard Truths About Work

    2025 is being described as a year of disruption, collapse, or instability in the job market. This episode offers a different interpretation. Rather than focusing on trends, milestones, or predictions, Sabina Sulat steps back to name what actually shifted beneath the surface in 2025: how we understand work, how we relate to it, and what we now know it can and cannot provide. This was not a year of transition. It was a year of realization. In this conversation, Sabina examines why so many people experienced confusion, self-doubt, and disorientation—not because they failed, but because inherited models of work stopped explaining reality. The episode is designed to help listeners process what changed, release misplaced self-blame, and prepare for a more grounded, self-directed relationship with work in 2026. Key Themes & Sections 1. Why This Is Not a Year-in-Review Episode Most end-of-year content focuses on summaries, trends, and predictions. This episode intentionally does not. Instead, it explores why 2025 felt fundamentally different—not because of any single event, but because long-standing assumptions about work stopped holding. Sabina frames the year as a moment of collective realization rather than disruption or decline. 2. When Work Becomes Unstable, People Blame Themselves One of the most consistent patterns Sabina observed in her work this year was how quickly people internalized blame when work became unstable. Rather than questioning systems, people questioned themselves: their judgment their abilities their value This response is not rooted in arrogance. It is rooted in confusion. The episode explores why doing “everything right” and still losing a job creates deep psychological dissonance—and why that dissonance reveals a broken model, not personal failure. 3. AI Anxiety as a Signal, Not a Cause AI loomed large in 2025—not only as a technological shift, but as an emotional one. Sabina unpacks a critical distinction she heard repeatedly from clients: “I’m not afraid of AI taking my job. I’m afraid of how fast I could be replaced.” This section reframes AI anxiety as a reflection of how narrowly value had already been defined in many workplaces. AI didn’t destabilize work—it exposed how transactional work had become. The conversation focuses on leverage, replaceability, and why speed—not technology—is what unsettled people most. 4. Loyalty Was Real, But It Was Never Protective Many people experienced deep grief in 2025 when loyalty failed to protect them. This section examines the difference between: human loyalty (relationships, culture, belonging) institutional decision-making (risk, resources, strategy) Sabina clarifies why loyalty can be authentic and meaningful without ever being protective—and why confusing the two caused so much pain this year. 5. When Work Feels Personal but Operates Transactionally For many listeners, job loss or workplace instability felt like a rupture of identity, not simply income. This section explores: how narrative and identity became intertwined with work why transactional systems masked themselves as culture how clarity—not bitterness—is the productive response The loss people experienced was often about coherence and meaning, not just employment. 6. Why Putting Yourself First Became Necessary A central realization of 2025 was that stability can no longer be outsourced. Sabina explains why “putting yourself first” is not selfish in this context—it is structural. This means: acting in your own best interests building skills that travel learning for your own growth ending patterns of constant people-pleasing The episode emphasizes agency without isolation, and accountability without self-blame. 7. This Was Not Collapse—It Was Clearing Some describe 2025 as an internal collapse of employment and the job market. Sabina challenges that framing. What we witnessed was dismantling—an essential step before rebuilding. Outdated models broke so that something stronger could emerge: a workforce less dependent on institutions for identity and more grounded in its own intelligence, adaptability, and discernment. Closing Reflection This episode closes 2025 not with answers or prescriptions, but with clarity. Agile Unemployment was created to help people survive a system that stopped making sense. What comes next is about understanding work deeply enough that it no longer destabilizes who you are. 2026 will not be about returning to normal. It will be about engaging work from a more informed, self-directed position.

    21 min

  5. 12/15/2025

    Reviewing the Forecast: How My 2025 Predictions Met Reality

    Episode Overview In this end-of-year episode, Sabina Sulat goes back to the predictions she made at the close of 2024 and holds them up against the reality of 2025. Rather than offering hot takes or new speculation, this episode is a thoughtful review of what held up, what shifted, and what none of us fully anticipated. From federal layoffs and prolonged job searches to AI, hybrid work, and the growing strain on social safety nets like SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare, this episode explores what the job market actually felt like—and what both job seekers and workplaces need to do differently heading into 2026. This is an episode about accountability, systems, and learning in public. Key Sections & Talking Points 🔹 The State of Unemployment Now Why unemployment numbers don’t reflect lived experience Longer job searches and fewer confident job moves Declining quits as a signal of uncertainty, not complacency The emotional and cognitive toll of prolonged waiting Key takeaway: The market didn’t collapse—but it quietly tightened. 🔹 2025 Stories That Shaped the Job Market Federal hiring freezes and layoffs—and the ripple effects into contractors, nonprofits, and regulated industries The stress placed on workers navigating unemployment alongside stricter SNAP work requirements Ongoing challenges accessing Medicaid and Medicare during job transitions Why instability in the safety net directly impacts job-search outcomes Key takeaway: Unemployment is never just about work—it’s about stability, dignity, and bandwidth. 🔹 Reviewing the 2025 Predictions Hybrid Work Became common, but often poorly designed Returned to offices without rethinking how work actually happens AI & Automation Adoption accelerated rapidly Productivity expectations rose faster than reskilling or guardrails Skills-Based Hiring Talked about widely Implemented inconsistently, especially in ATS-driven hiring Portfolio Careers Increased, often out of necessity Stability replaced passion as the primary motivator Well-Being at Work Language expanded Integration lagged behind lived reality Tech-Driven Job Search AI reshaped resumes and sourcing Blockchain credentialing largely failed to materialize Global Talent Expanded unevenly due to legal and compliance barriers IP Ownership Conversation grew Policy change remained slow Key takeaway: The direction of change was right. The pace—and accountability—were not. Action Items for People Out of Work Stop using labor headlines as self-assessment Measure progress by traction, not timelines Build visible proof of skills (portfolios, projects, case studies) Use AI as a support tool, not a substitute for thinking Treat all work—contract, freelance, exploratory—as legitimate Protect your energy, mental health, and sense of agency What Workplaces Must Do Differently in 2026 Shorten and clarify recruiting processes Hire for actual skills and capability—not wish lists Design the employee engagement cycle as one continuous experience Make offboarding humane and dignified Run stay and exit interviews through neutral third parties and act on the data Key takeaway: Data without action is theater. Closing Reflection 2025 didn’t break work. It tested it. Reviewing the forecast isn’t about being right—it’s about learning, adjusting, and doing better.

    47 min

  6. 12/08/2025

    Renaissance: Believing in Yourself Finding Your Confidence Again in a Season That Asks Us to Believe in Magic

    Episode: Renaissance: Believing in Yourself — Finding Your Confidence Again in a Season That Asks Us to Believe in Magic Podcast: Agile Unemployment with Sabina Sulat Runtime: 30 minutes Episode Summary At a holiday party filled with toy cars and twinkling lights, a six-year-old girl announced with perfect confidence: “I’m going to be really good at racing.” Her certainty sparked a question that stayed with me for weeks: When did we stop believing in ourselves? In this season that asks us to believe in wonder, possibility, and magic, it’s worth asking why so many adults lose the ability to believe in their own potential. This episode is about the quiet erosion of self-belief — and its rebirth. Through storytelling, reflection, and a deeply personal moment I’ve never shared publicly, we explore where belief goes, why it slips away so gradually, and how to bring it back before we step into a new year. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your confidence, your ambition, or your sense of identity, this episode is your invitation to rediscover yourself. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: 🌟 1. The holiday moment that inspired this conversation A child’s certainty meets an adult’s cynicism — and reveals something about all of us. 🌟 2. How self-belief erodes slowly over time Workplaces, culture, and expectations quietly reshape how we see ourselves. 🌟 3. Why unemployment often becomes a renaissance How losing a job removes external definitions and forces you to meet your true self again. 🌟 4. My own reckoning with lost self-belief The moment I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize myself — and how that became the beginning of everything I do now. 🌟 5. A framework for rebuilding belief from the inside out The Accomplishment Inventory The Want List The Daily Declaration Why these practices work — and how to start today. 🌟 6. A holiday invitation to reconnect with your younger self Because this season isn’t only about believing in magic — it’s about believing in you. Key Quotes From the Episode “Belief doesn’t disappear — it erodes, quietly, over time.” “Unemployment doesn’t define you. It reveals you.” “Your seven-year-old self wasn’t naïve — she was telling the truth about who you could be.” “This is the season of believing in magic. Let some of that belief return to yourself.” Your Holiday Assignment This week, give yourself the gift of belief: ✨ Find a childhood photo ✨ Write a letter from that child to your current self ✨ Name a professional goal that scares you ✨ Declare it aloud — because what you speak, you begin to believe If You Feel Lost Right Now You are not broken. You are becoming. The person who used to believe without hesitation is still inside you — waiting. This is your renaissance. This is your season of return. Connect With Sabina Website: ReWorking.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sabinasulat Podcast: Agile Unemployment Programs: C2C — College to Career Books: Agile Unemployment and more coming soon If This Episode Moved You Please share it with someone who needs a reminder that belief isn’t lost — it’s buried. And this season is the perfect time to let it shine.

    25 min

  7. 12/03/2025

    Replaceable: Why AI Is, and You’re Not

    The AI fear is real—but it’s not the full story. In this episode, Sabina breaks down the growing anxiety around artificial intelligence and job security. Spoiler: AI might take over some tasks, but it can’t replace you. Not your judgment. Not your empathy. Not your leadership. Not your humanity. Whether you're in tech, healthcare, customer service, or logistics—this conversation will help you understand how to future-proof your career without losing your identity. What You’ll Learn: Why AI is powerful—but ultimately predictable How to identify the human advantage in any job Why emotional intelligence, adaptability, and decision-making are your greatest career insurance What to do if your job feels mechanical—but your impact is anything but How to partner with AI, not panic over it Key Quote: “AI is a cover band. It can play the hits. But it doesn’t create new music. It doesn’t feel the notes. You do.” This Episode Is For You If: You're afraid of being replaced by automation You’ve lost a job and are wondering what comes next You work in a technical role and want to stay relevant You’re tired of hearing doom-and-gloom AI headlines Call to Action: 👉 Listen. Reflect. Share. Then ask yourself: Where do I add value no bot could replace? 🎧 Available now on all platforms. 🔗 [Insert podcast link here] #AgileUnemployment #AI #Replaceable #FutureOfWork #HumanSkills  #AIisACoverBand

    22 min

  8. 11/12/2025

    Resisting the Resume Robot: AI Is a Tool, Not a Replacement

    🎙️  Resisting the Resume Robot: AI Is a Tool, Not a Replacement   📝 Episode Description: In a world of instant resumes and algorithmic screening, it’s easy to let AI take the wheel. But at what cost? In this episode, I revisit one of my most requested topics: how to use AI in your job search without losing your voice, value, or visibility. We dive into: What’s changed in AI job search tools since 2024 Why “AI is a cover band”—and why you’re the headliner The 5-step model for using AI as an assistant, not a crutch Real examples from clients who broke through the algorithmic silence What hiring teams still want—and how to make sure they see you Whether you’re applying cold, refining your resume, or wondering why the bots ghosted you—this episode is your roadmap. 🎧 Key Quotes: “AI is a cover band. You’re the headliner.” “The ATS is a filter. Not a judge of your value.” “Use AI to assist, not to replace your voice.” “You are not a prompt. You are the original.” 📣  Listen now and learn how to reclaim your job search in the age of automation. Then tag a friend who needs to hear this—because no one should let a bot decide their worth. 🔖 #JobSearch2025 #AIinHiring #ResumeTips #ATS #CareerDevelopment #ChatGPTforCareers #JobSearchStrategy #FutureOfWork #AIandCareers #ReclaimYourCareer #HumanOverAI #CareerClarity #AgileUnemployment

    27 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

It shouldn’t be awkward and uncomfortable to talk about being unemployed. Given that sooner or later most of us will experience being out of work, shouldn’t we start to have normal and healthy conversations about being unemployed? Agile Unemployment podcast host, employment expert, and author, Sabina Sulat creates a safe place to talk about all things unemployment. In each episode, Sabina will cover everything you need to know to not only survive, but thrive through being out of work.

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