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I am trying to think of a word or phrase that best describes this scenario.

Although Marcia ended up finding a new job that she enjoyed, it would not have happened had corporate not had layoffs earlier in the year. "My new job was dependent on my previous position being eliminated," explained Marcia.

However, the phrase dependent on doesn't sound quite right to me. While I understand it's probably the correct usage, I get the impression that she was searching for a new job but couldn't take one until her previous job was eliminated. Rather, I want to describe that she had to get a new job as a result of something negative (i.e. the layoff).

Some other options I've considered:

  1. "My new job was contingent on my previous position being eliminated."
  2. "My new job was predicated on my previous position being eliminated."

However, "contingent" gives me the same impression as "dependent" and I'm not sure if that's the correct usage of "predicated."

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  • All the choices are too fussy for me. Marcia's new job resulted from the layoff. It did not know the layoff was coming, to depend on that event. Same with contingent. Predicated is not wrong but it's too much. Just say no to fancy when simple will do.
    – Yosef Baskin
    Mar 17, 2021 at 20:00
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    Why "passivise" the assertion in the first place? If you'd started with "active" My new job depends on my previous position being eliminated, you might find it easier to think of rephrasing to something like My new job requires my previous position to be eliminated, or My new job entails eliminating my previous position.
    – FumbleFingers
    Mar 18, 2021 at 16:02
  • @FumbleFingers Thanks for your suggestion. This feels like the best way to present the scenario. If you want to provide an answer, I'll accept it.
    – MrPeanut
    Mar 24, 2021 at 15:40

3 Answers 3

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“I wouldn’t have gotten my new job had my previous job not been eliminated.”

This makes it clear that eliminating the previous job was necessary, but it doesn’t assert that this is the single cause.

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How about be tied to something?

to be related to something and dependent on it

The flat is tied to the job.

[Longman]

You could therefore say:

"My new job was tied to my previous position being eliminated," explained Marcia.

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Stems from

to start or develop as the result of something:

"My new job stems from my previous position being eliminated" or

Springs from

to come from or be a result of something:

"My new job springs from my previous position being eliminated"

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