I graduated from UC Berkeley with a job lined up, but I was quickly laid off. I found my next job by cold emailing.

Laid off months into my first post‑Berkeley job and had to regroup quickly — it was a shock but pushed me to pivot.
Cold‑emailed targeted Bay Area hospitality companies with personalized pitches and tracked every outreach; one reply led to a hotel catering/marketing leadership role.
Takeaway: broaden your scope, be bold with direct outreach, and stay persistent — unexpected opportunities can come from a single email.