Viral Reddit Post: Sometimes pretending can actually lead to something real and that’s exactly what happened with one man whose story is now going viral on Reddit. After losing his job suddenly, he didn’t tell anyone. Instead, he acted like nothing had changed and that bold move changed everything. Reddit user @VelvetViiibes shared his experience in a post titled, "I got laid off and pretended I was still employed for months, ended up getting a better job because of it." His story has grabbed attention for being both relatable and surprising.

He revealed that back in August, he was laid off without any warning or severance. “No warning, no severance, just a ‘hey, we’re restructuring’ and a Zoom call that lasted 3 minutes,” he wrote. Feeling shocked and embarrassed, he didn’t tell his friends or family. Instead, he pretended he was still working every single day.

“I just… pretended I was still working,” he admitted. He filled his days with fake meetings using his AirPods, pretended to take calls, and even posted updates on LinkedIn about projects he wasn’t actually working on. Deep down, he was applying to jobs nonstop and hoping something would click. A recruiter saw one of his fake LinkedIn posts and reached out to ask if he was open to job opportunities. Without skipping a beat, he said yes — and continued pretending he still had a job. He went through the interview rounds with confidence and gave it his best.

“Crushed the interviews. Got an offer—higher salary, better title, remote, actual work-life balance,” he shared. Months later, he’s still working at the new job and most people in his life still don’t know the truth. Reflecting on it all, he wrote: “I used to feel guilty for faking it, but now I just feel… relieved. The system’s built on BS anyway. I just played along until it worked.”

ALSO READ: 24-Carat Gold Home In Indore With Walls, Floors And Even Switches Covered In Gold Stuns Everyone | Viral Video

Watch The Viral Post:

I got laid off and pretended I was still employed for months ended up getting a better job because of it
byu/VelvetViiibes instories

Reddit users were quick to react to the viral video in the comment section. "I'm wondering how you can still log in or access buildings when you're fired. Every access gets completely revoked. Faking it would be impossible," a user wrote. "Imposter syndrome but from the other side. I run my own successful business and have done so since 2002. The result is that I have been "unemployed" in the traditional sense for so long that now I am totally unemployable in the traditional sense that is. Therefore, I ask you this question: why do people feel so obligated to work for someone else to feel dignity and self-respect?" a second user wrote.

"It’s affecting you, so explore your why…reach out for help. Therapy is really good when you come with an actual problem. 10 steps ahead of the rest, buddy!" added a third user. "Lie Lie Lie on your resume and in the interview!! Always have a backup plan and stack remote jobs if you can. These companies don’t give a F** about you or anyone else. As long as you can do what you are being paid for, the rest is self-interest. Loyalty to companies is for fools….always change companies every 2 years for higher pay," a fourth user added.

ALSO READ: Indian Mom Feeds American Vlogger With Her Hands Like Her Own Son; Viral Video Captures His Reaction

"I guess we must sacrifice something to the ever-hungry AI-generated content machine. Here is my contribution. I lost 2 minutes of my time reading this post. Minutes I will never get back. When the machine uprising begins, just realize I have already sacrificed something and let me be," added another user. "Yeah, I’ve never been unemployed in my life. As soon as I lose a job, I become a self-employed “consultant” until I decide to bring my vast consulting experience to another employer," wrote another user.