Did Your Great Resignation Career Change Work Out?

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KQED

News Commentary, News, Politics

4.2 • 727 Ratings

🗓️ 13 March 2026

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

There was a period of time about five years ago that came to be known as the Great Resignation, when workers quit their jobs en masse. The pandemic forced many people to reconsider different aspects of life, especially work. Many workers took that time as an opportunity to reinvent themselves or chase a dream they had long neglected. So, what happened to those who took a big risk? We’ll talk with people who made major career pivots after 2020 about how it’s played out and discuss whether workers still have the freedom to pursue their dreams in this economy. Guests: Simone Stolzoff, independent journalist, designer and consultant; author, "The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work" and upcoming "How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World that Demands Answers" Azikiwee Anderson, founder and owner, Rize Up bakery Aki Ito, chief correspondent, Business Insider Alex Kniess, lead guide and owner, Wilder Walks - a company that organizes backpacking trips in the wilderness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	What I've dedicated my life to is revenge. A brand new drama based on the bestselling novel.
0:07.5	They think they're better than us.
0:08.5	Who do you think you are? I'm going to prove to them that they're wrong. She's punishing me.
0:13.0	You destroyed my family. I will not rest until I've destroyed yours. A woman of substance on
0:18.1	Channel 4 starts tonight at 9. Support for this podcast comes from Bioners.
0:23.1	Their annual event is coming up March 26 through the 28th in Berkeley.
0:28.5	Three days of community, solidarity, inspiring speakers, movement building, arts and music and more.
0:36.2	For more information, visit bioners.org
0:38.9	slash KQED. From KQED. Welcome for them. I'm Alexis Madrigal. The job market has changed so much
0:49.8	since 2021, 2021. In July of 21, the economy added 943,000 jobs. The average for all of 22 was over
1:00.4	400,000 jobs per month. For all of last year, 2025, total, the Bureau of Labor Statistics
1:08.0	reports that fewer than 200,000 jobs were added, some more like
1:11.9	15,000 jobs a month. And that's trickled down. People are hanging on to their jobs for dear life.
1:19.1	But take yourself back to those days when it felt like changing jobs was not only easy,
1:25.5	but smart and maybe even low risk.
1:28.2	Many people moved companies or even professions and others struck out on their own,
1:32.5	making huge career pivots.
1:35.1	Today we wanted to check in on how that has been going, not just for the people we bring on,
1:40.2	but also for you listeners out there.
1:43.1	Joining us first, we've got Alex Neese. He's now a lead
1:46.6	guide and owner of Wilder Walks, a company that organizes backpacking trips in the wilderness. Welcome.
1:54.1	Hello. Thank you. Thank you for having me. So you weren't always a backpack trip guide.
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