I'm 45 and spent months trying to find a new corporate job. Now I'm delivering food to support my 2 kids.
Camila Valim, a former corporate marketing executive, shares her experience of struggling to find a new job after a contract ended, leading her to work as a food delivery driver. Her story highlights the challenges of job hunting for older professionals and the financial pressures on single parents.
Why it matters
It sheds light on the 'hidden' economic instability faced by middle-class professionals and the gig economy as a temporary safety net.
Camila Valim is delivering food to provide for her kids after a corporate career. Courtesy of Camila Valim Camila Valim spent two decades in corporate marketing before becoming a consultant. Valim spent eight months job hunting after her latest contract ended and landed only two interviews. As a single mom, Valim started delivering food by e-bike while pursuing her next career move. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Camila Valim. It has been edited for length and clarity. I spent two decades in corporate as head of marketing for an entertainment group. I left that job due to burnout. I pivoted to becoming a professional organizer and started a successful Instagram account and business. Then I got divorced five years ago and had to return to the corporate world . I went back to what I knew, working as a marketing consultant.
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