WSJ's Laid Off Journalist Says He Is Happy And Grateful; Here's Why

A journalist affected by a recent layoff at the Wall Street Journal expressed no bitterness about the company's decision to fire him

Layoffs within any organisation are an immensely challenging experience for employees. However, in some instances, employees were seen showing unexpected emotions of happiness and gratitude even in the face of losing their jobs. Similarly, a journalist affected by a recent layoff at the Wall Street Journal expressed no bitterness about the company's decision to fire him; instead, he said that he had a very satisfying journey at the organisation.

In a LinkedIn post on Friday, Dion Rabouin, who was working as a reporter at WSJ, wrote, “I'm one of the people who was laid off in the latest round of WSJ job cuts. And honestly, I'm so happy and grateful. I love that I got to work at the Wall Street Journal. I got to write front-page news stories, host a podcast, create a YouTube channel and make a rap video. For the Wall Street Journal. I'm literally the only person in history who can say I did all those things.” 

“On my (unexpected) last day, people kept telling me how "Zen" I was about the whole thing. And there's a reason. I got this money. I've been investing for 16 years now, and because I've been patient and made sacrifices and saved and taken advantage of opportunities in the market, I'm in a position where money isn't a worry,” he added.

He also talked about his passion for investing and how that has helped him to be financialiiy secure in this difficult phase. He said, “That's why I invest and that's why I'm so passionate about teaching others about markets. I'm a testament to the way investing can change your life. Growing up, there were times my family was on food stamps. There were times my father and I lived in a camper because he didn't have anywhere else to live. There were times in my 20s when I ate Ramen Noodles for dinner every night.”

“Last year, I made around $20,000 on interest and dividends. That doesn't even include the appreciation in the value of the assets I own. Literally 10 years ago, I didn't even make $20,000 of taxable income. That's what investing can do,” he added.

Rabouin added: “And it's not about the money. It's about the security I've been able to have in knowing that no job defined me. No employer, no boss, no company was going to control me. So, I was able to go into WSJ and fight for the things I cared about and push back on things I disagreed with and go to management and tell folks to their faces that I didn't like what they were doing. I was able to do the job the way I wanted to do it and in a way that was honest to myself because I wasn't worried that I might get fired for it.”

Talking about his future plans, he said, “So, here I am, out of a job and unemployed, and all I am is happy and grateful for what was and ready for what's next. If you haven't yet started your investment journey, I created this podcast called "Take on the Week" and I hosted a weekly livestream called "Market Takes" and I'm confident that if you watch those you'll have everything you need to get started on your journey.”