He Got Laid Off One Month Before His Wedding And Still Bounced Back in 2 Weeks

Imagine getting a notice that your company is letting you go…

And your wedding is just one month away.

What would you do?

That was the reality for ​Omkar Sali​ (I've linked the podcast), a close friend of mine.

We go way back, from our time at Chico State.

He got let go from Optum in 2023, when the job market was brutal.

But somehow, he still managed to:

→ Land another job in just 2 weeks
→ Stay in status on his H1B
→ And fly to India on time for his wedding

It sounds like it wasn’t a big problem. But it was anything but.
In this blog, we’re going to walk through exactly how Omkar made this happen, especially about:

– How he navigated the visa mess

– How he used his network to bounce back

– And what international professionals should never overlook when things go wrong

► 1. The Layoff

It was a Thursday morning in 2023. His manager called.

“Omkar, I have some difficult news. Your unit is being downsized.”

And just like that, it was over.

– he had 2 weeks' notice. – his wedding was just a month away, booked in India. – he was on H1B, so the 60-day clock was also starting to tick.

Most people in his situation would spiral. But Omkar had two things in his favor:

– He knew his visa rules inside out – He had built strong relationships internally at Optum

But still, the pressure was there.

He thought about possibly switching to an H4 (dependent visa) through his wife, who was also on H1B, as a backup plan after their marriage.

But he didn’t have to. Because of what came next.

► 2. The 14-day strategy that helped him

Step 1: He Looked Inside, Not Outside

Most people rush to job boards.

Omkar opened the internal portal.

Optum is a large organization with multiple business units.

Just because one team was cutting down didn’t mean others weren’t hiring.

This gave him 3 key advantages:

1. No H1B transfer required → which meant no visa complications

2. No employment gap → he could continue uninterrupted

3. Faster interviews → Internal candidates skip half the red tape

Instead of starting from scratch, he looked for roles where:

– He already had a domain context – His past project work would be seen as relevant – He could plug in quickly with low onboarding time

Always take a look at internal movements before applying externally, especially in big companies. Internal transfers can help you with your visa.

 Step 2: He texted his network

He wrote personal messages to every past manager, lead, and stakeholder he’d worked with at Optum.

Starting early networking (here’s some ​helpful templates for networking​) provides you with an awesome advantage; that’s why I talk about this a lot inside my ultimate mindset and networking module in ​my job-hunting course. ​ – People he had worked late nights with – People who knew his actual working style, not just his resume – People who had seen his documentation, delivery, and reliability

His message was simple: Here’s what happened (got laidoff from Unit X) Here’s what I’m looking for (roles in Y, Z) If your team is hiring or you know someone who is, I’d appreciate a referral.

Result?

He got two strong leads within days.

because he’d built goodwill over the years by doing solid work.

Lesson:

Networking is an ultimate skill to have, and there’s no point in avoiding it.

It goes beyond getting a job and is a proper skill that can help you in the future.

Step 3: He Treated Internal Interviews Like External Ones

Yes, it was the same company. Yes, he had already worked there. But he didn’t assume it would be easy.

He prepped like he was applying to another company:

–Did research on the team’s product –Reviewed his old project impact –Practiced how to pitch his ability to ramp up quickly

He had to go through:

–Hiring manager discussions –Team alignment calls –Internal approvals and other steps (Take a look at this guide to ​prepare yourself for alignment calls)

But here’s what worked in his favor:

→ He didn’t need to “sell” himself
— his old work spoke for itself

→ He wasn’t a risk
— They already knew his work ethic and visa situation

→ He was quick
— Interviews were lined up and closed within a week

Lesson:

Even if you’re an internal candidate, you still need to jump through the hoops.

But you have more leverage than an outsider; use it well.

On Day 14 after the notice, he got the news & got selected.

From another unit within Optum. His visa was still valid There was no transfer needed. And therefore, he could travel to India for his wedding without stress.