It all started in the depths of Covid in October 2021, when Lori Battista was fired as part of her reduction in staff as an event planner for a major food industry retailer. Even on those dark days, she was able to find another job as the National Association’s conference director by May.
It was her story that took another difficult turn.
Skift Conference: Can you share what’s going on in your new job?
Lori Battista: “At first, I thought it was a good opportunity. I wanted to go back to the association program; it has been in my mind. As a nonprofit, they have been doing it during Covid We are 20-year-old employees who used to be 60.
“One of the reasons they hired me was to help them bring back the meetings because they were virtualized. The first one was in Alaska in June, which was a lot of jobs. I really liked the job and I love the organization.
“Then, the day after we returned from that second live meeting in October, they sent me away. They realized they couldn’t afford me. After I left, they hired a person with less experience Many event planners and use external third parties.”
Skift Conference: That must be so frustrating.
Lori Battista: “It’s really rough. It took me a lot of time and this is my second time being fired. It’s not until April 2024 – another year and a half that I started working .
“Things happened in my personal life, too. Being fired doesn’t mean your personal life is halted, or all the challenges that accompany it. It’s a struggle that doesn’t work: I don’t have money, I don’t have any insurance- You know, all of these things.”
Skift Conference: How did you get through it, and when did you decide to form a support group?
Lori Battista: “I rely on my community on the Facebook Group and Spin, National Conference Planners. I also joined the MPI – they were kind enough to receive my scholarship.
“It’s nice to have the network established, so in February 2024, I said there that I’m creating a private chat group on Facebook for people looking for a job. If you want to ask more personal questions and you don’t want the whole thing The group knows, then you can do it there.
“This started with 20 people and now it can reach up to 84. Interviews are being interviewed, with whom. And it is still active because there are still many people who are still unemployed or underemployed – there are not many jobs there.
“It’s a place to talk about what people are going through. We all go through it together. It’s OK, it’s OK. It’s hard for people to do that because as meeting planners, we’ve been in control.”
Skift Conference: The hunting market has changed so much that it has to be great to have a talk about it.
Lori Battista: “That’s the biggest thing – the way companies treat job seekers today. They just don’t care, they’re so disrespectful. I have everything you might imagine going through, like being ghosted Just like crazy people interviewing me. I’m used to it because that’s what it is now and you have to have thick skin.
“I remember when I first started looking, I had two interviews and it was the perfect choice. I remember thinking, “I got this.” “I even went out and bought a new dress. And I didn’t get the job, I thought, “How is this possible?” ” And then it keeps happening.
“So you can’t be emotionally involved. I’ve been through a lot of therapy during that time and I have friends and family who are willing to listen to me complain because that’s all I’ve worked for the past year. It helps to have a bunch of support people, because they know how terrifying it is.
“Honestly, I don’t want this to be my biggest enemy. So I wonder if I can help anyone, even just one person – it feels better, it’s worth it.”
Skift Conference: What is one of the biggest topics people talk about in groups?
Lori Battista: “A lot of people have been talking about ageism, but I don’t call it that. I call it “empiricalism.” I’ve been in this industry for over 20 years and they don’t want to pay To someone.
“After Covid, so many people were fired, many senior jobs no longer exist. So we all fight for the same job.
“The jobs that do come back are for juniors, or even middle-level jobs. People at that level don’t have the same experience as people like me. We are people in trouble because we either have to work a job, so they Not using us for our experience, or not accepting it because it doesn’t give what we need.”
Skift Conference: What are the biggest suggestions you will share with job seekers?
“Just remember that if you are rejected, it has nothing to do with you. You can’t accept it in person because it’s not personal.”
