Jason was watching the calendar like a countdown timer. His contract was ending and there was nothing in the pipeline. Every day that passed without a new offer was another day closer to unemployment. He'd been through this before — the stress of contract work, the feast-or-famine cycle, never knowing if next month's rent was covered. His family depended on him. The pressure was immense. He needed something permanent. Something stable. Something that would let him stop holding his breath every 6 months wondering if he'd have a job.